On 22 June, the first summit took place between the new EU leadership team, headed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel, and China’s President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, but there was little time for small talk. One official remarked, ‘the gloves were off from the start’ with no attempt to secure a traditional joint statement, let alone a joint press conference. The EU side accepted that EU–China relations ‘were crucial in many areas’ but at the same time stated that ‘we have to recognise that we do not share the same values, political systems, or approach to multilateralism’. The Chinese side appeared surprised at these blunt words but they stemmed from the March 2019 EU policy document which stated that China was a ‘systemic rival’ in certain areas. By Fraser Cameron. East Asia Forum.
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Wednesday 1 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two people who pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine at Hofoa in 2018 received suspended sentences, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today.
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Wednesday 1 July 2020
Sydney, Australia
Ko e taha e fehu‘i tefito hotau fonua he ‘aho ni ko e fatongia ‘o e Hou‘eiki mo e Nopele ki he Fa‘unga Pule ‘o e ‘aho ni. Pea ko e hoha‘a ‘oku ma‘alifekina pe kohai ‘oku nau fakafofonga‘i ‘i Fale Alea. Pea he ‘ikai teu toe lave ki he faikehekehe ‘o Nopele mo e Hou‘eiki Tauhi Fonua he ko e kupu si‘i mo e lahi ‘o e me‘a tatau.. ‘Inoke Fotu Hu‘akau.
Wednesday 1 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 51-year-old man was found guilty of rape, while a 22-year-old was guilty of indecent assault committed on a young girl, under the age of 12 in Tongatapu.
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Wednesday 1 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The duty for fuel has been increased by the Tongan Government by 10 seniti/litre from 65 to 75 seniti/litre, resulting in the rise of petrol and diesel prices starting today 1 July.
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Tuesday 30 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga government’s plan to open its border for incoming passengers between New Zealand and Tonga this week is deferred, Prime Minister Hon. Rev. Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa told Members of Parliament yesterday, 29 June.
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Tuesday 30 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Today’s home school trial was deemed a success by some primary, secondary, and tertiary students from the Tu’atakilangi area of Tongatapu using the radio, TV, and internet.
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Tuesday 30 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 26-year-old man from ‘Utulau was arrested for the theft of $19,964 pa’anga worth of goods stolen from a warehouse at Haveluloto. Tonga Police warned that people who accepted stolen goods would also have their attention.
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Tuesday 30 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A decision by a Magistrate to acquit a police officer on a theft charge, due to insufficient evidence, was upheld by the Lord Chief Justice, on June 25 at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. However, the Chief Justice suggested the case was an example in favour of amending the Criminal Offences Act, so that cases of unauthorised borrowing or temporary use fall within the definition of theft.
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Monday 29 June 2020
Auckland, New Zealand
A Wesley College student (Year 13), Sione Teutau, has won the Best Actor award for Auckland South and East, in a national drama festival, for playing a nurse in a short performance of a scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet’, The judge said that Sione's nurse was played confidently and with a delightful sense of fun and comic timing, and in homage to Shakespeare’s original male actors.
Monday 29 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Manase Tonga was convicted on two counts of possession of cannabis and nine .22 rifle ammunitions without a license, during a police search of a vehicle at Sopu.
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Monday 29 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
All students from Early Childhood Education, Classes 1-6, Forms 1-7, and Tertiary level will learn from home on June 30, for a one-day trial organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, using a variety of platforms, including internet, radio, TV and paper-based distance education.
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Saturday 27 June 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Burial mounds are widely scattered across the Tongatapu landscape. When you land at Fua’amotu airport, they line the runway. When you drive into Nuku’alofa, they can be seen to either side of the road. All but a few are without name, and the individuals buried within are long lost to history. Yet these mounds represent a story that literally is inscribed on the landscape. Using airborne LiDAR data, a computer application was developed to count the mounds. The total was astounding, including upwards of 10,000 of these sites on Tongatapu - about 40 mounds for every square kilometre. By Travis Freeland and David V. Burley.
Saturday 27 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga can boost its foreign earnings significantly if we are able to export quality Tongan kava, the Prime Minister, Hon. Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa announced at the launching of the Tonga Kava Quality Standard on 25 June at the Ancient Tonga Centre, Fangaloto, Nuku'alofa. The two main suppliers of Tongan kava, Vava’u and ‘Eua Island, have already heavily invested in planting.
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Friday 26 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new seawall at the low-lying areas of Kolovai and ‘Ahau on western Tongatapu was commissioned on June 26, as part of a development to withstand storm surges and protect communities.
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Friday 26 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Joint Operations Room at His Majesty’s Armed Forces was refurbished with $25,000 pa’anga by the Australian Defence Cooperation Program.
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Friday 26 June 2020
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Tokyo, Japan
Tonga’s Ambassador to Japan, HE Tevita Suka Mangisi presented his credentials to Japan's Emperor Naruhito on June 24 in Tokyo.
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Friday 26 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Parties involved in international business disputes can be certain that the arbitration awards will be enforced in Tonga, after the Kingdom became the 164th state to join the United Nation’s Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards (the New York Convention) on 12 June.
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Thursday 25 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Although Tonga remains CoViD-19 free, the Minister of Health told a WHO Global Forum that government expects the CoVid-19 virus to come into Tonga when the border reopens. She said Tonga is doing its very best to prepare for that.
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Thursday 25 June 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fili Langi Ta’ai (57) who pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a member of Tonga Police was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended at the Supreme Court on June 25.
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