A psychiatric nurse died in hospital on Sunday from serious injuries sustained in the psychiatric unit at the Hu'atolitoli Prison. The deceased, Samiuela Mafi, a psychiatric nurse at Vaiola Hospital, was allegedly attacked by a patient on 8 June. In a statement last week, HM Prisons said they lacked the strength to support and guard the unit. Earlier, in March, Tonga's Head Psychiatrist warned that because Tonga had never established a drugs rehabilitation centre the extra workload on the psychiatric ward was beyond the reach of the public health and voluntary services available. By Matangi Tonga reporters.
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Tuesday 18 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Monday 17 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A volcanic hazard alert issued by Tonga Geological Services tonight, warns all mariners to sail no closer than 4km from the Home Reef Volcano, which has exhibited ongoing volcanic activity suggesting that a new batch of magma is rising in the volcano's feeder pipe. The volcanic activity poses low risk to the Vava'u and Ha'apai communities.
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Monday 17 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new community hall was handed over to the village of ‘Atata Si’i today, 17 June 2024, by Mr Takeju Ogata, President of the Nippon Foundation, a private and non-profit grant-making organization from Tokyo Japan, that is funding three halls for displaced communities.
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Monday 17 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's netball team, the Tala, secured their title as the Pacific Netball Champions 2024, after defeating the Fiji Pearls (72-58) in Brisbane, Australia on 15 June 2024.
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Monday 17 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A diving accident claimed the life of a promising young athlete, JJ Rice (18), at Faleloa, Ha'apai, on Saturday 15 June. JJ had recently returned to Ha'apai after competing in the "2024 Formula Kite World Championships" in Hyères in the South of France, where he represented Tonga.
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Monday 17 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 31 year old male from Sopu was seriously injured when he was hit by a vehicle on Salote Road, Kolomotu'a, at about 12:50am on Sunday, 16 June. Tonga Police said the suspect, who was driving recklessly at high speed, had not been identified. Police have called for the public to contact them with any information that might assist their investigation.
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Saturday 15 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A child sex offender was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Tonga, after the 42 year old father pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual offences to three young female children. “The Courts have a duty to protect our children from sexual predators,” said the judge.
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Saturday 15 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Appeal Court, in allowing an appeal by the Speaker to stop a judicial review of parliamentary procedure, recommended that the Rules of Procedure of the Tonga Legislative Assembly be amended if the practice of the use of circulars to pass substantial expenditures was to continue.
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Thursday 13 June 2024
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Red Cross Society (TRCS) and Ministry of Health will host a blood drive at the Digicel Square in Nuku'alofa CBD, tomorrow, Friday, at 10.00am to mark World Blood Donor Day and encourage voluntary donation of blood. "We want a diverse group of donors to join us, ensuring a reliable blood supply for everyone who needs it," stated TRCS.
Thursday 13 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fetu’utaha Sikalu (34) was jailed for charges including possession of 0.15 grams of methamphetamine seized at Ha’ateiho. While, his 22-year-old co-accused, Sefo Tonga received a suspended sentence for possession of drug utensils.
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Thursday 13 June 2024
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Auckland, New Zealand
Twenty-five chaplains from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea attended a week-long forum, at the Devonport Naval Base and RNZAF Base Auckland, Whenuapai, from 10-14 June.
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Thursday 13 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
All Government secondary schools’ students Form 3 to form 5 will study for free in 2025, as proposed in the new budget plan for Education, for FY 2024-25, read by the Minister of Finance in Parliament yesterday, 12 June.
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Thursday 13 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A draft budget of $899.2 million for the year 2024/25 was announced by the Government of Tonga, stating that it is the first balanced budget proposed by government to parliament since 2019/20. There will be no new domestic tax proposed for FY 2024/25. Civil Servants will receive a 5% Cost of Living allowance in July, in addition to the 5% COLA effective in January this year.
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Thursday 13 June 2024
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Auckland, New Zealand
A new research on heart health care in New Zealand showed there are many longstanding barriers that continue to affect Pacific and Māori people with heart related conditions, hence a call to action to increase the Pacific and Māori health workforce.
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Wednesday 12 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two road deaths in two car accidents on Tongatapu last week, are the first road deaths reported in Tonga for 2024. A passenger died when a car crashed at Malapo, and a driver died when his van crashed into a pole at Tatakamotonga.
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Wednesday 12 June 2024
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Brisbane, Australia
The Talas were defeated (51-54) in a close game Tuesday night against Namibia during the second round of the Pacific Netball Series 2024, in Brisbane.
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Tuesday 11 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Talas won their first match in the Pacific Netball Series 2024, after they defeated Australia’s First Nation team the ‘Black Swans’ (62-50) last night 10 June.
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Tuesday 11 June 2024
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Honiara, Solomon Islands
A five-day workshop for Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members, was held last week 3-7 June, aimed to boost fisheries officials negotiations skills. Key guest speakers included Professor David Freestone, Professor Martin Tsamenyi and the Director and Professor of Law at ANCORS, Professor Stuart Kaye, and others.
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Tuesday 11 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Under a project designed for "Empowering young girls for economic resilience", a newly renovated sewing hub was launched at St Joseph’s Community College in Ha’apai yesterday, 10 June 2024.
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Monday 10 June 2024
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
University of Canterbury master’s student Tamara Stratton is transforming her academic research into practical solutions to enhance drinking water quality in Tonga. Stratton's project involves developing and testing bio-sand filters with coral sand from Tonga to determine their effectiveness and practicality.
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Tonga weather forecast from yr.no, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the NRK. See also Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Center, Tonga, for latest local weather bulletin.