New York Times reporting: Citing what they call “the biggest challenge to the global community since the 1940s,” the leaders of more than two dozen countries, the European Union and the World Health Organization on Tuesday floated an international treaty to protect the world from pandemics. The current pandemic is “a stark and painful reminder that nobody is safe until everyone is safe,” the leaders write. The suggested treaty is an acknowledgment that the current system of international health institutions, symbolized by the relatively powerless WHO, a U.N. agency, is inadequate to the problem.
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Wednesday 31 March 2021
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Brussels, Belgium

Wednesday 31 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The first batch of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines from COVAX arrived in Tonga today, 31 March, on a repatriation flight from Auckland, New Zealand.

Wednesday 31 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A repatriation flight with 110 passengers arrived in Tonga from Auckland, today. Another flight from Australia was scheduled today, to pick up seasonal workers, who are expected to depart for Australia later this evening.

Wednesday 31 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two men were arrested last week after the seizure of methamphetamine and cannabis at two different locations in Tongatapu.

Tuesday 30 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga is now one of six countries in the Pacific region to remain CoViD-19 free to date.

Tuesday 30 March 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The repatriation flight from Brisbane, Australia scheduled to arrive in Tonga tomorrow, 31 March, has been postponed due to the Brisbane area going on lockdown yesterday after new CoViD-19 cases were confirmed.
Tuesday 30 March 2021
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Suva, Fiji
Pacific Island countries, including Tonga, are preparing for the new edition of the Harmonized System (HS 2022) used to classify traded goods which will come into force on 1 January 2022.

Tuesday 30 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Salesi Fa’aoa was found guilty on possession of 0.3 gram of methamphetamine seized in his vehicle on Vuna Road last year. He will be sentenced on April 30, at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

Monday 29 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga may get average or above average rainfall for the next five months, according to the latest climate update from Tonga Meteorological Service released today.

Monday 29 March 2021
Suva, Fiji
US$9 million was contributed by the Government of Japan to UNICEF to strengthen the vaccine cold chain and capacity to address the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic in 10 Pacific Islands, including Tonga.
Monday 29 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Limoni Tito Siasau was found guilty of serious indecent assault committed on a 33-year-old female worker on board a yacht in Vaipua, Vava'u.

Monday 29 March 2021
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Honiara, Solomon Islands
The first coordinated fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance operation for 2021 called Operation Rai Balang was completed last week in eight Pacific nations.

Monday 29 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An online portal containing the government’s work on climate change was launched at a workshop last Friday, 26 March.

Friday 26 March 2021
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Auckland, New Zealand
New York Times reporting: New Zealand’s Parliament on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation that would give couples who suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth three days of paid leave, putting the country in the vanguard of those providing such benefits. The measure is expected to become law in the coming weeks.

Friday 26 March 2021
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Dublin, Ireland
Two new Pacific Islands potential super rugby teams, the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, will be supported by World Rugby from 2022.

Friday 26 March 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
In light of recent media reports that the Courts are imposing more suspended sentences due to overcrowding in Tonga's prison system, the following clarification is provided for the information of the public and better understanding: 1. The Courts do not suspend sentences because of prison overcrowding. 2. Provision of adequate prison facilities and related services is the responsibility of the Executive Government. 3. Upholding the rule of law and administering justice in the Kingdom is the responsibility of the Judiciary and the Courts. .... Michael Whitten QC, Lord Chief Justice of the Kingdom of Tonga.
Friday 26 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new Head Coach for the ‘Ikale Tahi will now be announced “probably next Wednesday”, confirmed Tonga Rugby Union CEO Peter Harding today.

Friday 26 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A government department at a workshop with journalists yesterday, has requested to partner with the media to promote government messages. The department seems to be faced with the challenge of not getting their key messages across to the public.

Thursday 25 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Minister of Health said she was shocked by a report on adolescent unplanned pregnancy in Tonga, launched today, “because I did not know that young girls can take their own lives because they find out they are pregnant. ...We cannot continue that into the future!” The country report presented recommendations for long-term changes that need to happen.

Thursday 25 March 2021
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Auckland, New Zealand
Five time New Zealand discus champion, Siositina Hakeai, of Tongan heritage, is eyeing to break the world record in her new sport of heavy weight lifting.
