Tonga is expecting up to three tropical cyclones, including at least one severe tropical cyclone for the 2023-24 cyclone season, Tonga Meteorological Services warned today. Most tropical cyclones occur in Tonga between January and March.
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Results for Pacific Islands
Wednesday 25 October 2023
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tuesday 24 October 2023
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
New research by a group of atmospheric specialists showed that the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcanic eruption caused a massive loss to the ozone layer (O3), in a result never seen before.
Friday 20 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Aiyaz Mohammed Musa Umarji owned a chain of pharmacies, in three Pacific countries, held influential roles, and made generous donations to political parties. He’s now in prison for drug importing but a joint investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and local media, released today, has found a far murkier story. By: Aubrey Belford, Stevan Dojcinovic, Jared Savage and Kelvin Anthony.
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Friday 13 October 2023
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Wellington, New Zealand
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon crew has found three Fijian fishers, nine days after they were reported missing aboard their 8.5-metre wooden fishing boat.
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Thursday 12 October 2023
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Fij's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka welcomed the safe return home of 198 Fijians who were in Jerusalem when war broke out between Israel and Hamas on the Gaza border. They were given a traditional welcome at Nadi International Airport this morning, 12 October, when they arrived on a Fiji Airways flight that had flown them from Tel Aviv.
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Friday 29 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Pacific leaders attended the second U.S.-PIF Summit in Washington this week on the invitation of President Joe Biden, who pledged to work with Congress to provide $200 million in funding for the region. Tonga's Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that the United States is also dedicated to working together with the Pacific region to support the successful delivery and implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent (2050 Strategy).
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Tuesday 26 September 2023
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An El Niño has been officially declared for Tonga today, by the Tonga Meteorology Department, meaning that the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean is now warmer than usual, expecting warmer temperatures, less rainfall, and a more active cyclone season.
Friday 22 September 2023
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New York, USA
Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku co-chaired a high-level leaders meeting with the President of Palau Hon. Surangel S. Whipps Jr, and CEO and President of Bezos Earth Fund Dr. Andrew Steer, in New York on 19 September, in a discussion to unlock Blue Pacific Prosperity.
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Wednesday 20 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Ministry of Fisheries has completed Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) training from 22-24 August, at the Tanoa Hotel, Nuku’alofa, aimed for officers to apply principles of gender equity and social inclusion in coastal fisheries management.
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Wednesday 20 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Hon. Hu'akavameiliku is leading Tonga’s delegation to a UN High-level meeting, today, 19 September, in New York City. The 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly’s general debate (UNGA 78), was opened by the UNGA President, Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago.
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Tuesday 19 September 2023
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New York, USA
Tonga’s Prime Minister, Hon. Hu‘akavameiliku, in a bilateral meeting with the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres on 17 September, discussed climate change and the oceans, and the upcoming COP28, among core development issues for Small Island Developing States. The PM also had a bilateral meeting with the President of Estonia, Hon. Mr. Alar Karis.
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Thursday 14 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga is hosting an international meeting this week in Nuku'alofa to discuss tsunami warnings in the Pacific. The 46 member states of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS) are meeting at the Fa'onelua Convention Center.
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Monday 11 September 2023
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Apia, Samoa
Samoa Arrangements for Labour Mobility in the Pacific Islands will be discussed by representatives from nine countries at a four-day regional workshop on ‘Movement of Natural Persons and Labour Mobility’ starting in Apia, Samoa, today, 11 September 2023.
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Friday 1 September 2023
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Suva, Fiji
Solomon Islands Governor General, Honourable Sir David Okete Vuvuiri Vunagi, was installed today as the 30th Chancellor of The University of the South Pacific (USP) during the Laucala Campus graduation ceremony held at the Vodafone Arena in Suva, Fiji.
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Friday 1 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Meeting in Nuku'alofa this week, representatives of four countries, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, have engaged in a planning consultation process for the Pacific’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
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Thursday 24 August 2023
Whenuapai, New Zealand
The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) newest aircraft has been involved in a significant multinational fisheries surveillance operation for the Pacific’s Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). The Operation Island Chief covered 18.2 million square kilometres of Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) member nations’ exclusive economic zones and high seas.
Sunday 20 August 2023
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San Francisco CA, USA
Over 70,000 Tongans living in the United States will now have access to Tongan passport printing services in California. Crown Prince Tupouto‘a ‘Ulukalala launched the new Tongan passport printing services at the Tonga Consulate General in San Francisco on Friday 10 August and said the development recognized the important contribution the diaspora make to the Tongan economy.
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Friday 18 August 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Regional Preparatory Meeting of the Pacific SIDS came to conclusion this evening, 18 August, at Fa’onelua Convention Center, in a closing ceremony hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu.
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Thursday 17 August 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga is hosting the Regional Preparatory Meeting of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS), that opened yesterday at Fa’onelua Convention Center, yesterday, 16 August. About 70 international delgates are gathered to prepare for the 4th International Conference on SIDS, to be held in May next year.
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Wednesday 16 August 2023
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Trafficking in Persons, a crime where victims are exploited in various forms of slavery, is coming under a new scrutiny in Tonga. Ever since Tonga prosecuted its first Trafficking in Persons (TIP) case over a decade ago, there have been no further cases of TIP because there were no new trafficking investigations and victims were not identified, says Police Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff, Pelenatita Vaisuai. That situation is about to change. Interview by Katalina Siasau.
