Results for Pacific Islands

Extraordinarily heavy rainfall in southern Tonga during October smashed a national record, and in ‘Eua the flash flooding coincided with extreme high tides.

A new health report sheds light on the unique developmental challenges faced by Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). But despite obstacles, it says nations like Tonga, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu are making strides toward universal health coverage (UHC) by focusing on primary healthcare and public health initiatives.

“Investing in climate-resilient health facilities is not a luxury. It is a lifeline,” Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala warned. “We urgently need accessible and equitable climate-health financing for the Pacific. Current funding is simply insufficient to meet the unique needs of these Small Island Developing States. I am here at COP29 to help change that,” he said in the keynote speech in a side event at COP29’s Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion on Friday.

A medical team from China will be delivering free medical services at the Ngū Hospital in Vava’u, starting this week on 20 November, after working for four months on Tongatapu.

Tonga Under-15 Junior men and women's basketball teams made their debut at the 2024 FIBA U15 Oceania Cup, with both teams entering the semi-finals in a winning streak this week. The matches are scheduled for this afternoon, Friday: U15 Junior women semi-finals: Australia v Tonga - 2:00 PM (GMT +11) and U15 Junior men semi-finals: New Zealand v Tonga - 4:30 PM (GMT +11).

A group of scientists working aboard a research vessel in the southwest Pacific Ocean has discovered the world’s largest coral. Measuring 34 meters wide, 32 meters long and 5.5 meters high, with a circumference of 183 meters, the gigantic organism is a complex network of coral polyps — tiny individual creatures — that have grown over a span of three centuries. In contrast to a reef — which is a network of many coral colonies — this structure is a standalone coral that has grown uninterrupted for hundreds of years.  

Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku made an urgent appeal for global cooperation and immediate action to address the escalating climate crisis yesterday, at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan.

A team of Tonga and New Zealand Rugby Union officials delivered a Team and Event Management training in the outer islands of Ha’apai and Vava’u, on the last week of October.

Tonga Police officers seized several packs of methamphetamine, cannabis, cash and drug-related utensils in Tonga over the past week.