Results for Tonga

A 63-year-old Tongan woman, a former Police Officer, has been charged with one count of perjury in relation to the Tongan passport investigation on Wednesday, 27 January. Twelve people have been charged so far and police are likely to make more charges as their investigation continues in Nuku'alofa.

Tonga is one of four Pacific island countries chosen by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London for a study of small island states that looks at governance and levels of vulnerability and resilience to external shocks. Visiting Nuku’alofa this week a team of three researchers were building up a profile of Tonga’s strengths and weaknesses in its ability to govern itself and respond to challenges.

An announcement by government yesterday, 25 January, that it would create a 10 acres Va’epopua National Park in a former Nuku’alofa rubbish dump is yet another controversial decision that government has made during the past weeks - the park excludes the 500-600 year old Va’epopua Sia Heulupe archaeological site, the objective of a conservationist petition last year.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested and charged with injuring two women, one of them seriously, whom he allegedly shot during a confrontation at Vaipua Bridge in Vava'u, early Saturday morning, 23 January.

Quality handicrafts were showcased by local artists to Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho on 20 January at the True Tonga Inc. space at Small Industries Centre.

Tongatapu and Nuku’alofa escaped Tropical Cyclone Victor, which passed 115 km south of ‘Eua at 11:00pm Friday night, bringing only fresh winds to the capital.

Naming Tonga the fattest nation in the world, a BBC report on 18 January 2016 says that consumption of imported mutton lamb flaps is to blame. But Tonga’s Director of Health, Dr Siale 'Akau'ola, says that it’s the quantity of food Tongans eat that’s the main problem, not mutton lamb flaps.

A Tropical Cyclone Warning remains in force for Ha'apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua as Severe Tropical Cyclone Victor (cat. 3) moves through southern Tongan waters. On its current track, Victor is expected to lie about 365km east of ‘Eua about midnight tonight. Fua'amotu TCWC forecasts south to southwest winds 45-55km/hr increasing to gale force winds of 75km/h and momentary gusts to 100km/hr in the next 18 to 24 hours, according to their advisory no. 5 issued at 4:10pm

Sio Vaka (19) has been charged with murder in the death of a 36-year-old man, Lipine Fakatene, whom he allegedly stabbed during a fight in Fua’amotu on Sunday night, 17 January.