Results for Tonga

Up to 30 new awards are being offered to Tongans to study in Australia and the Pacific in 2017, and students will be selected through a competitive process managed by the Australian High Commission in consultation with the Government of Tonga.

Around 731 residents of the village of Puke on Tongatapu, now have access to clean water after Japan granted over US$82K to restore the water supply system, which was commissioned on March 12.

A Supreme Court judge dismissed an appeal filed by a letter writer, Kele’a newspaper and two others in a defamation case that awarded judgment and costs against them back in 2013.

A neighbourly concern for youngsters who go to school hungry, has moved a Kolomotu’a family to provide free breakfasts for over 100 children at their local school twice a week. “I believe that in most communities there are children who go to school without breakfast and the same children may not have food for lunch,” said Dr Taniela Palu, whose family has started the programme.

Samoa coach Matt Parish criticized international rugby league organisers in the National Rugby League (NRL) after it was revealed Samoan players received no match payments for their game against Tonga at Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta last Saturday night. The Tonga side received $500 each only after they sourced their own sponsorship.

Facebook, Robert Blake says: No disrespect to Australia for supporting, thanks- But this is undermining Tonga's Democratic system. ...When Australia help release that pressure by paying AUD$12million...the Government no longer see needs to answer to its people, no longer needs to justify their action to the people. ...coz the Gov't is employed by Australia.

Tonga and other small states that are the most vulnerable, socially and economically in the world will be the focus at The Commonwealth’s Fourth Global Biennial Conference held in the Seychelles this week. Tonga’s Executive Director of the Civil Society Forum of Tonga (CSFT), Emeline Siale Ilolahia, will make a presentation at the event.

A conjunctivitis (pink eye) outbreak in Tongatapu, has seen 135 people flocking to Vaiola Hospital this morning with confirmed symptoms of the virulent eye infection. In the last five weeks the hospital has registered more cases of conjunctivitis than for the whole of 2015.

A 49-year-old man has been arrested and charged in the death of a 46-year-old man whom he allegedly ran over with his vehicle on By-Pass Road early on Sunday morning, 8 May. The deceased is alleged to have been sitting on the road.