After decades as an unconsidered backwater, the South Pacific Islands have become a strategic frontline in a multi-nation contest for power and influence in Greater Asia. A report this week by the British-based global risk assessment company, Oxford Analytica, says China has four objectives in extending its reach into the South Pacific. By Jonathan Manthorpe.
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Monday 10 June 2019
Bangkok, Thailand
Saturday 8 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A cheque for $7.5 million pa'anga was paid to the Tonga Development Bank from the Public Service Retirement Fund Board (PSRFB) for its purchase of a 15% shareholding in the government-owned bank, increasing the number of shareholders to three.

Saturday 8 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s .TO domain appeared in the five top level domains containing child sex abuse material alongside Colombia (.CO) and Russia (.RU) as well as .COM, and .NET, according to the Internet Watch Foundation’s 2018 annual report, published on 25 April 2019.

Friday 7 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
King Tupou VI awarded Service Medals to 248 Tonga Police recipients at the Police College parade ground, Longolongo on June 7. Five police officers were distinguished with a Commissioner's Gold Merit Award recognizing their acts of bravery. By Linny Folau.

Thursday 6 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A $5 million grant has been approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to continue helping Tonga strengthen its fiscal position on June 6. The funds will be released after Tonga adopts prudent policies and better public financial management, aiming to improve Tonga’s business climate with policy, regulator and public enterprise reforms.

Thursday 6 June 2019
Manila, Phillipines
In the Pacific, a major disaster can slow the country’s gross domestic product by 1-2 percent, according to an Asian Development Bank Report titled, GDP tragedy: Preventing natural hazards from turning into economic disasters.
Thursday 6 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Manu Hu’akau (32) was the driver who died after his vehicle crashed into a gate and power pole on Taufa'ahau Road at Mailetaha early morning, June 4.

Thursday 6 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Digicel customer, ‘Aho Afa Vea, from Popua in Tongatapu, has won a trip to Auckland to watch the Mate Ma’a Tonga and New Zealand Kiwis rugby league test match this month.

Thursday 6 June 2019
Trento, Italy
In short, the big religion story in the last century is not one of ideological struggle between Christianity and Islam, with Islam winning. It is a story of growing corporatization, with local and folk religions everywhere being gradually but inexorably replaced by churches and mosques that are affiliated with two of the world’s main religious brands. You may regret it or welcome it, but it has proved unstoppable. By Paul Seabright.
Thursday 6 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
In spite of beautiful weather for fishing on the long weekend for Emancipation Day, the big fish were not biting off Tongatapu for a two day Fishing Tournament, held on Saturday and Monday June 1 -3, hosted by the Nuku'alofa Fishing Club. A 14.7kg wahoo caught by Tasman O’Dey took the first prize at Faua boat harbour.

Wednesday 5 June 2019
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has outlined a framework to help member countries investigate and prosecute corruption offences, which cost the global economy around $2 trillion a year. She was speaking at the fifth annual regional meeting of the Caribbean heads of anti-corruption agencies, hosted in the Cayman Islands from 3-7 June.
Wednesday 5 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Five elite Tongan athletes took to the track and field at Teufaiva Stadium today, 5 June, to continue perfecting their techniques in the lead up to the Pacific Games to be held in Samoa next month. By Eleanor Gee

Wednesday 5 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Former Cabinet Minister ‘Akosita Lavulavu and her husband, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, who are charged with fraud relating to a number of irregularities in an audit of the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute in 2016 were permitted to apply for judicial review of the audit.

Tuesday 4 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Dare to Dream Foundation Inc, which aims to help Tongan Deportees and vulnerable Tongan youths was launched on Saturday 1 June at Masi‘ata Beach, Kolovai.

Tuesday 4 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga High School celebrated its 72nd Anniversary with a commemorative service in Nuku‘alofa today.

Tuesday 4 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 32-year-old man died when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a gate and a power pole on Taufa'ahau Road at Mailetaha early this morning, June 4.

Tuesday 4 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A former police officer Vilisoni Finau (51) was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment after being found guilty of reckless driving causing death of a male driver last year.

Tuesday 4 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An extreme explorer expedition in Tonga is aiming to become the first to dive and explore the Horizon Deep within the Tonga Trench. This week the Five Deeps Expedition aims to find out if the Tonga Trench is only the second-deepest in the Pacific or if it might be actually deeper than the Mariana Trench.

Tuesday 4 June 2019
Paris, France
Since the Tiananmen Square massacre 30 years ago, China has achieved extraordinary economic development. Yet, contrary to the expectations of many Western leaders and analysts, the country has not gradually embraced press freedom or respect for civil rights. On the contrary: as a recent Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report shows, China today is actively working to build a repressive “new world media order” – an initiative that poses a clear and present danger to the world’s democracies. By Wu’er Kaixi and Christophe Deloire.
Tuesday 4 June 2019
Wellington, New Zealand
The New Zealand Defence Force has taken part in a multi-national fisheries patrol that covered an area 22 times the size of New Zealand. The operation, from 19-31 May involved seven members of the Forum Fisheries Agency, including Tonga. Some 57 vessels were boarded by authorities during the operation in the exclusive economic zones.