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Friday 7 May 2021 12:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Two young Tongan nationals, who are trying to get back to Tonga, have tested positive for COVID-19 at a border quarantine facility in Nadi according to Fiji health officials. The pair travelled from South America. By Eleanor Gee.
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Thursday 6 May 2021 6:14pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A group of around 40 Tongans who returned from the United States via Fiji are being assisted financially by the Tongan Government, after their repatriation flight to Tonga was postponed, due to the rising COVID-19 community transmission there. Premium content -
Thursday 6 May 2021 6:04pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A patient at Lautoka Hospital who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday afternoon, died a few hours later at 6:35pm, confirmed Fiji’s Permanent Secretary of Health, Dr James Fong today. Lautoka Hospital is now in lockdown as part of efforts to prevent a wider outbreak. “Fiji, I do not use the word “war” lightly. But, right now, we are in a war with this virus,” he said. Premium content -
Thursday 6 May 2021 4:55pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : HM King Tupou VI chastised and challenged Parliament, directly questioning members’ honesty, mission and abilities to run the government, in a remarkably frank and hard-hitting speech from the throne, to open the Legislature's 2021-22 session this morning. From the House, By Pesi Fonua Premium content -
Thursday 6 May 2021 4:17pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Samoa’s Head of State, Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa II on 4 May declared the result of Samoa’s 9 April general election void. The Electoral Commissioner will call a new General Election on 21 May 2021. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 9:52pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Hand Hygiene Day, 5 May, is more important than ever, to help sustain the promotion of hand washing. “Clean your hands! This action, that takes just a few seconds, does save lives!” stresses the World Healh Organisation today. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 8:22pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A repatriation flight with 242 passengers arrived in Tonga this afternoon from Auckland, New Zealand, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma'u. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 8:20pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : 'Ana Toe‘umu Latu was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 17-months imprisonment for obtaining about $20,000 by false pretences from three people by selling the same car. “Fraud is a cynical crime; it takes people's hard earned money easily from them and humiliates, causing financial hardship in turn to others who were trusting," said the judge, who also considered that she had pleaded guilty early. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 8:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Woody Kalekale (52) was sentenced to eight-months imprisonment for possession of illicit drugs, which was fully suspended on conditions. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 8:06pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The 27-year-old man charged with the murder of Polikalepo Kefu (41) is expected to appear on May 19, at the Magistrate’s Court in Mu’a. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 7:57pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Over 20 participants, including 10 solar PV technicians, attended a renewable energy mini-grid training in Neiafu, Vava’u on 28-30 April as part of resilience development in Tonga. Premium content -
Wednesday 5 May 2021 7:51pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tributes have been flowing on social media for Tonga’s only female marine geoscientist, Christina Pome’e, who died suddenly on the weekend due to a medical condition. Her funeral was held today, on her birthday, and she was laid to rest at a Haveluloto cemetery. Premium content -
Tuesday 4 May 2021 6:45pm
Sydney, Australia : New York Times Reporting: About 8,000 Australians are affected by an unprecedented travel ban that began on Monday, prompted by India’s record-breaking COVID outbreak. It is believed to be the first time that Australia has made it a criminal offence for its own citizens and permanent residents to enter the country, with a threat of jail time or large fines. Families are separated and Indian-Australians are outraged. Premium content -
Tuesday 4 May 2021 5:23pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Paletili Afu (37) was sentenced to four and a half-years imprisonment for unlawful possession of methamphetamine and cannabis, seized at two different locations in Tongatapu. The final 18-months of the head sentence was suspended. Premium content -
Tuesday 4 May 2021 5:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Manu Vatuvei, a former Rugby League Star player revealed on Instagram on 2 May that he was accused of possessing and importing the drug Methamphetamine in 2019. Premium content -
Monday 3 May 2021 8:09pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Ministry of Health is urging people to get their COVID-19 AstraZeneca innoculations, while vaccination teams are out in communities in their final week up to May 8. To date, 10,903 people have been vaccinated in Tonga. Premium content -
Monday 3 May 2021 8:03pm
Cleveland, United States : Four college football players of Tongan heritage were included in the 259 players selected in the 2021 NFL draft from 29 April – 1 May to join the NFL’s 32 franchises. Premium content -
Monday 3 May 2021 7:50pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Kapuana ‘Unga was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm to a victim using a machete, at Ha’alaufuli, Vava’u in 2020. The judge said, “What you and the people who were with you were doing was most irresponsible and reckless that you did not stop to think of the consequences." Premium content -
Monday 3 May 2021 4:03pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The murder of a respected Tonga Red Cross communications officer Polikalepo Kefu (41) on Saturday morning has shocked his colleagues and friends who paid tribute to him today as a “shining star” and selfless, tireless, humanitarian and human rights advocate. A 27-year-old man has been charged with his murder. Premium content -
Monday 3 May 2021 1:28pm
Cambridge-MA, USA : The world’s current vaccination plan is very much “broke,” and nobody seems to be fixing it, despite the disastrous consequences for lives, livelihoods, and the global economy. This was supposed to be the year of recovery. But, from an epidemiological standpoint, it is shaping up to be worse than 2020, and current dynamics suggest that 2022 will be no better. It does not have to be this way. But getting onto a better path will require strong global leadership. The world has multiple effective vaccines available. But it is not moving nearly fast enough to administer them. - By Ricardo Hausmann.
