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Thursday 18 July 2024 6:11pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa sentenced ‘Okona ‘One’one (31) to four years imprisonment, with some part suspended, for charges including possession of 5.04 grams of methamphetamine at his home address in ‘Anana. The possession of scales and over 540 dealer-bags made it clear this was possession with intent to supply; so far more serious than simple possession, stated the judge.
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Thursday 18 July 2024 12:30am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga will send four athletes to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Tonga Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) announced the team and officials today. The athletes will compete in three different sports, athletics, boxing, and swimming. -
Thursday 18 July 2024 12:12am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : In the Supreme Court of Tonga, Civil Jurisdiction, Mr Justice Cooper on 12 July ruled to continue an Interim Injunction in favour of the plaintiff, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in an ongoing court battle over control of the Kingdom's foreign affairs, that will lead to a judicial review hearing in September. Premium content -
Wednesday 17 July 2024 8:34am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Lulutai Airlines has leased an additional aircraft, a SAAB 340B, from Air Chathams out of New Zealand for three months to increase the number of seats on the domestic inter-island service. Tonga’s national carrier airline announced that the aircraft arrived in Tonga on 16 July and would begin operating this week, under Lulutai Airline’s Air Operating Certificate. Premium content -
Tuesday 16 July 2024 6:40pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The critical components required to restore Fire Services at Lupepau'u Airport in Vava'u are expected to arrive in Tonga tonight, Tonga Airports Ltd. (TAL) stated today, 16 July. International flights from Nadi to Vava'u have been downgraded over the last two weeks, and TAL said they were working to reinstate Category 4 airport rescue fire operations there. Premium content -
Monday 15 July 2024 7:35pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Wharf no. 1, the latest milestone of the Nuku'alofa Port Upgrade, was commissioned in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 12 July 2024 in Tongatapu. The Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku was joined by Asian Development Bank (ADB) Director General for the Pacific, Leah Gutierrez, the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, Brek Batley, and Tonga's Minister of Infrastructure, Sevenitini Toumo’ua. Premium content -
Monday 15 July 2024 7:24pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Around 50 smallholder farmers gained new skills in organic agriculture and agroecology, under training sessions run by the Pacific Organic Learning Farms Network (POLFN) project. Premium content -
Monday 15 July 2024 7:18pm
Beijing, China : Eight Tongan students have completed their studies and graduated from various universities in China in the past academic year. Premium content -
Monday 15 July 2024 2:00pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga is still in progress with preparations for the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting to be held on 26 - 30 August, in Nuku'alofa. Premium content -
Sunday 14 July 2024 8:13pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Due to a safety issue with the fire services at the Vava'u Airport in Tonga, Fiji Airways has downgraded its aircraft on the Nadi to Vava'u route from an ATR72 to a smaller ATR42 aircraft. This was after Flight FJ295 from Nadi heading to Vava‘u, was turned around on Thursday 4 July 2024 and did not land. The airline stated it was organising alternative travel arrangements for guests affected by the decision to reduce seats on the route. Smaller aircraft are scheduled this week as a temporary measure. Premium content -
Friday 12 July 2024 11:59pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Last Tuesday 9 July, Tonga's communications Regulator, MEIDECC, notified Starlink, the global satellite internet network, to cut off all services to its roaming subscribers across Tonga's land and seas. The government will not allow the use of Starlink in the current ongoing communications crisis in Tonga, because they have not given Starlink's fixed broadband services a license to operate here. The regulator is not allowing the roaming services either, after the nation's domestic fiber optic cable failed on 29 June. “With understanding of the inconvenience, at the same time the law cannot be put aside just because you have slow internet,” the Prime Minister told Starlink users yesterday, many of whom had raised safety concerns.1 comment -
Friday 12 July 2024 7:42pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The ‘Ikale Tahi was defeated by Italy (14-36) on their home turf at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa today, 12 July 2024. Premium content -
Friday 12 July 2024 5:30pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Siosina Vakasiuola (30) was found guilty on two charges of obtaining money by false pretences, when she received $47,000 from two customers, who signed contracts with her for the importation of vehicles, which never materialized. “Miss Vakasiuola was not a convincing witness and I conclude that she has lied to the Court," stated the judge. Premium content -
Friday 12 July 2024 5:07pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The new Miss Galaxy Queen for 2024-25, Giovanna Lisha Mafi (Miss Tasmania Australia) was crowned last night, 12 July at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall in Nuku'alofa, by Patron of the Tonga Leitis' Association, Hon Sālote Lupepau’u Tuita, after a final night of judging events Premium content -
Thursday 11 July 2024 9:42pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Five contestants are vying for the Miss Galaxy Tonga 2024-25 title and crown in Nuku'alofa this week. Last night 10 July, saw three judging events, at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall. This year, the colourful annual event, organized by the Tonga Leiti’s Association (TLA), is celebrating its 31st anniversary. Premium content -
Thursday 11 July 2024 3:49pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : I run the Island Cruising Pacific Rally. We currently have 129 yachts sailing through the Pacific Islands, with many of them currently cruising in Tonga and others heading your way shortly from French Polynesia. Many of them use Starlink as their primary means of communications on board their vessels. By allowing Starlink to continue operating as it has been for the last 16 months, our rally participants will be able to be safe and continue safely cruising in Tonga, and will also enable your local businesses to continue to operate. - Viki Moore -
Thursday 11 July 2024 1:16pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Yesterday, Starlink notified its roaming customers located in Tonga that Starlink has been directed by the Tonga government to disable their internet services to users in the country. The 10 July notification shocked internet users especially those who have turned to Starlink's high-speed roaming service as a life-saver, after the domestic submarine cable failed for the third time a fortnight ago, following an earthquake. Concerned users raised a petition yesterday: “To Allow Access to Starlink Internet Services in Tonga” which is directed to the regulators and members of Cabinet. -
Thursday 11 July 2024 12:00am
Neiafu, Vava'u : I am writing to you, as a concerned citizen of Tonga, to ask that the government of Tonga take immediate action to allow access to Starlink internet services in our country. In today's increasingly digital world, access to reliable and high-speed internet is not merely a luxury but a necessity. - Brian A. Meikle -
Wednesday 10 July 2024 11:41pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A total communications failure on Tonga's only inter-island domestic submarine cable has disrupted normal telephone and internet services to the outer islands since 29 June and it is likely to be several weeks before it is known how long it might take for normal services to be restored. In the meantime, the local providers are running on low bandwidth satellite links with limited capacity. It is Tonga's third major internet outage, following the severely disruptive national and domestic cable blackouts in 2019 and 2022. Premium content -
Wednesday 10 July 2024 8:34pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The ‘Ikale Tahi, captained by Ben Tameifuna, is set to clash with Italy at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku'alofa this Friday 12 July 2024, with kick-off set for 3:30pm Tonga time. Tonga Rugby Union and the ‘Ikale Tahi management released their Team List this afternoon, 10 July.
