Results for Pacific Islands

‘Oku fiefia ‘a e Poate Vai ‘o Tonga ke fakahoko atu kuo tali ‘e he Poate ‘a e Kau Talēkita´ ke holoki ‘a e totongi mo’ua vai´ ‘aki ‘a e pēseti ‘e 9 ‘o e vai ngaue’aki ki he kau ma’uvai´ ‘i he ngaahi ‘api nofo’anga, kamata ia ‘i he ‘aho 1 ‘o Siulai 2025.

“Good governance is a gift we pass on to our children, like a precious family heirloom, leaving them a nation built on a strong foundation,” said the Head of the Commonwealth’s Rule of Law Section, Dr. Elizabeth Macharia, in Nuku'alofa, Tonga yesterday, at the opening of the Latimer House Dialogues for Tonga's executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Lulutai Airlines Y12 and Twin Otter aircraft flights to Ha'apai and other islands resumed, under a temporary lifting of a suspension by the Civil Aviation Office today, 23 July. However, the lifting of the 3-day old suspension is provisional and the compliance will be closely monitored, the Civil Aviation Office noted.

The Ministry of Health is pushing to increase HPV vaccination coverage this week, particularly in Tongatapu, where health officials have noted community resistance. This initiative aims for long-term cervical cancer prevention. Currently, the national HPV vaccination coverage stands at 57%, and the ministry aims to get 80% coverage by the end of the year. Adolescent girls aged 10 to 14 years, who are the primary recipients of the HPV vaccine.

Tonga's Minister of Tourism, Hon. Mo'ale Finau is stranded in Ha'apai along with at least 69 visitors who currently have no way out, after Tonga's Civil Aviation Division on Friday suspended the Lulutai Airlines domestic operations of two small aircraft, citing safety reasons. Hon. Finau told Matangi Tonga today that he does not yet know how many incoming and outgoing international visitors are affected nationwide by the suspension of flights, but confirmed 69 visitors are known to be stuck in Ha'apai.

Tonga has won the Women's Tennis gold medal at the 2025 Oceania Tennis Federation (OTF) Pacific Nations Cup, which took place from 30 June to 5 July in Pago Pago, American Samoa.

Five people aged between 15 and 55 years were arrested on this week, during several drug operations conducted by the Police Drug Enforcement Unit across Tongatapu. Authorities also seized items included cannabis plants, methamphetamine, drug utensils and cash.

Pacific representatives have called for urgent reform to climate finance and regional cooperation at a high-level panel on climate security on day one of the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference, being held in Suva, Fiji from 14-16 July.

His Majesty King Tupou VI commissioned the China-Aid Tongatapu Wind Power Project today, 14 July at Lapaha, Tongatapu. The 2.25MW wind farm, which began construction in May 2024, was funded by the People's Republic of China. To date, the wind farm has generated over 2.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, accounting for approximately 3.8% of Tonga's total annual supply, or 25% of the annual renewable energy supply.