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Matangi Tonga - Tonga's leading news website
Breaking news
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Thursday 22 May 2025 10:08am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Rt. Hon. Penny Wong visited the Masefield Naval Base in Touliki, Tongatapu, yesterday for a special programme that celebrated a long-standing Australia-Tonga partnership in Defence Cooperation. Australia has helped to develop the base under the Defence Cooperation Program with HMAF (formerly Tonga Defence Services) that goes back 38 years.
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Wednesday 21 May 2025 9:48pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited Tonga today and reaffirmed Australia's commitment as Tonga's largest development and security partner. During her tour of three Pacific countries, she acknowledged the region's growing challenges, particularly climate change. “The Pacific peoples speak with authority on climate, and your voice should be heard in the world,” she stated. Free to view -
Tuesday 20 May 2025 8:58pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Advancing sustainable management of Tuna fisheries across the region was the main topic of discussion for Pacific fisheries officials, at the 138th Annual Officials Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) in Alofi, Niue, which concluded yesterday, 19 February. Free to view -
Auckland, New Zealand : Siobhan Sharkey graduated from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, with a conjoint degree in Law and Arts, majoring in Linguistics. She was one of 25 students of Pacific heritage celebrated by Auckland Law School during graduation week on 15 May. Free to view -
Tuesday 20 May 2025 8:40pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A fraudulent online car dealer, Filimone To‘aho, who was found guilty of eight charges of receiving a total of $243,486 by false pretences in a scam on Facebook, had his appeal against his conviction dismissed by the Appeal Court. Free to view -
Tuesday 20 May 2025 2:53pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Siaosi Halaholo Vete who was sentenced to two years imprisonment for charges of serious housebreaking and theft of property totaling at around $30,798 from his sister’s home, in order to feed his methamphetamine habit, had his appeal against his sentence dismissed. Free to view -
Tuesday 20 May 2025 12:22pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A cross-appeal by former government Ministers, ‘Etuate and ‘Akosita Lavulavu, challenging a Supreme Court judge's ruling that the Audit Office did not unlawfully uplift documents from the 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Royal Institute, was dismissed by the Appeal Court last week, in the latest of a long winding legal battle, which has resulted in the constant delay of their re-trial. Free to view -
Tuesday 20 May 2025 11:09am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : His Majesty King Tupou VI will officially open the 2025 session of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga on Friday, 23 May. Schools will march for the occasion. Free to view -
Monday 19 May 2025 10:11pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Three newly renovated and highly upgraded operating theatres for Vaiola Hospital were commissioned today, 19 May, in Nuku'alofa. This project, which will will ensure improved surgical outcomes for the Tongan community, was financially supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in partnership with the Plymouth Brethren Church, the Rotary Club, and the Ministry of Health. Free to view -
Monday 19 May 2025 9:51pm
Canberrra, Australia : Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, will travel to the Republic of Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Vanuatu this week, accompanied by the Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Immigration, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on his first visit. Free to view
Opinion
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Tuesday 20 May 2025 9:14pm
Sydney, Australia : Fakatapu ki he Tu’i ‘o e ‘Otu Tonga moe Fale ‘o Ha’a-Moheofo, Hou’eiki Nōpele, Fale Alea mo e Pule’anga ka e ‘um’aa ‘a e kakai ‘o e fonuā. Kae ‘ataa mu’a ke fai ha tānaki ki he fakatalanoa kuo feia meihe pāengani. Kuo mahino ko e sino pule ‘o e Pule’anga Fakavahe ‘oku taki ‘e he Pule-Fakavahe, memipa ‘a e kau ‘Ofisakolo, Fakafofonga Fale Alea, Pule ‘o e Va’a Pulengāue (Pa’anga, Tauhitohi, Ngāue Faka-Kalake moe Pule ‘o e Va’a Ngāue (Ako, Ngoue, Mo’ui, Langa, Kelekele, Sipoti). - ‘Inoke Hu'akau. Free to view -
Friday 16 May 2025 2:33am
Cambridge-MA, USA : When you look at a building, you can see its walls, windows, and decorative flourishes but not the hidden structure that holds everything together. Yet during an earthquake, or after years of strain, that unseen framework can suddenly collapse. The same is true of the fragile political structures that support much of the developing world. By Ricardo Hausmann Free to view -
Monday 12 May 2025 11:22am
Canberra, Australia : On 24 April 2025, the Trump administration issued Executive Order 14285 mandating federal agencies to expedite permits for seabed mining under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980. Trump wants to establish the United States as a global leader in seabed exploitation and loosen China’s grip on the critical minerals market. This helps explain why The Metals Company (TMC) recently announced plans to apply for seabed exploration and commercial recovery permits under this relatively old act. These developments could undermine international law, commitments to peaceful use of the Area Beyond National Jurisdiction and environmental protections. It could also sideline TMC’s Pacific partners. Nauru and Tonga are currently sponsoring TMC’s activities in the Area, but it’s not clear what it’s in it for them if TMC secures a permit for seabed mining under US law. By Nicholas Bainton and Philippa Louey Free to view
Pacific Islands
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Monday 5 May 2025 3:14pm
Auckland, New Zealand : Researchers have calculated that the 2022 explosive eruption of Tonga's Hunga volcano emitted almost 19 million tonnes of sulfur dioxide, but because the eruption started at least 400 m below sea level, most of the sulfur was erupted into the ocean. The submarine explosions injected an unprecedented amount of seawater into the atmosphere, while sulfur and other volcanic products went into the sea. The researchers say this raises questions about the impact on marine life, and that the long-term effects of seawater on the atmosphere are also unclear. Free to view -
Thursday 24 April 2025 5:59pm
Washington D.C., U.S.A : A high-level advocacy mission to the United States this week, is led by Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Dr ‘Aisake Eke, and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General. Baron Waqa, who are seeking to secure capitalisation pledges for the new Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF). Free to view
Promoted Content
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Thursday 10 April 2025 5:57pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : BSP Tonga, BSP Financial Group Limited, the South Pacific’s International Bank, on 2 April 2025 proudly unveiled its revitalised brand identity. The brand’s stylised Kundu symbolises the strength of connection, shared heritage, and unity across diverse island nations and reinforces BSP’s strong connection to the communities it serves across Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific. Free to view
