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Wednesday 1 May 2024 11:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : All Tonga's mariners were alerted today to give the Tofua Volcano a wide berth while thermal anomalies continue to be observed. Vessels in the area should sail no closer than 1.08 nautical miles from Tofua today, 1 May, Tonga Geology Services (TGS) advised. The latest update from HIMAWARI-9 Satellite shows no ash/dust cloud has been released from the Tofua Volcano since the last report issued at 6:30 am yesterday, 30 April, however, monitoring continues.
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Wednesday 1 May 2024 10:02pm
Vava'u, Tonga : On April 20, 2024, the Tonga Ministry of Fisheries made the official handover of 12 boats equipped with Yamaha 60hp engines, and navigational and safety equipment to 12 Vava'u Special Management Area (SMA) communities, as part of the transformative Pathway to Sustainable Oceans Project (Tongafish Pathway) embedded in the Ministry of Fisheries. -
Wednesday 1 May 2024 8:45am
Vancouver, Canada : A 6’8 tall Tongan-born American Football player, Giovanni Manu (23) was drafted by the Detroit Lions, from the University of British Columbia (UBC) on Saturday, 27 April 2024. He grew up in Pahu, Nuku'alofa, before emigrating to Canada. Premium content -
Wednesday 1 May 2024 8:24am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A fall in the demand for seasonal workers through Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, is due to the growing number of backpackers seeking work in rural areas, and the new PALM Deed of Agreement, according to Research Associate and Pacific labour markets and migration expert, Richard Curtain. Premium content -
Wednesday 1 May 2024 8:16am
Canberra, Australia : Australia has allocated to Tonga a total of 150 new Pacific Engagement Visas for 2024, through an online ballot process set to open on 3 June. The Pacific Engagement Visa is a new permanent resident visa for participating countries across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, with up to 3,000 visas opportunity to be given every year. Premium content -
Wednesday 1 May 2024 7:58am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Hemaloto Manukailea (50) was sentenced to 19-months imprisonment with part suspended for causing serious bodily harm, when he punched another man, fracturing his jaw, outside a bar in Nuku’alofa, on a night out of drinking alcohol. “The public must be protected from violence and the streets of Tonga must be safe places for the community. The custody threshold has been passed; this offence is so serious only a prison sentence is merited,” the judge said. Premium content -
Wednesday 1 May 2024 7:40am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Mosese Mafile’o Uasike (39) was sentenced on 23 April to eight months imprisonment, partially suspended, for charges, including possession of 0.99 grams of methamphetamine, in a drug bust at Kolomotu'a in September 2023. He concealed meth inside a vape. Premium content -
Wednesday 1 May 2024 7:13am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A father of four, Sosaia Fifita (36) was jailed for charges including possession of 1.16 grams of methamphetamine during a drug bust in Tofoa last year. A repeat offender, his problem with methamphetamine use dated back to 2009. The judge set the starting point at 24 months “in the light of his continued and determined drug dealing.” Premium content -
Monday 29 April 2024 6:05pm
Pangaimotu, Vava'u : A new classroom building for a kindergarten at Pangaimotu in Vava'u, was handed over by the Ambassador of Japan to Tonga, HE Mr Inagaki Hisao, on 24 April 2024. Premium content -
Monday 29 April 2024 5:59pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : An ash cloud was observed being emitted from the Tofua Volcano rising to a height of 4km - 6km on Sunday 29 April 2024 at 10:00pm, and recorded by the Japanese weather satellite HIMAWARI-9. Tonga Geological services reported that the volcanic activity, which commenced on Friday, 26 April, has exhibited an unusual pattern, with continuous monitoring revealing fluctuation in event frequency. A Marine Hazard Alert was issued today advising all Mariners to sail beyond 1.08 nautical miles from Tofua Volcano until further notice. Premium content -
Saturday 27 April 2024 12:14am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : An additional 17 new houses and a town hall are under construction for the ‘Atata Si’i community in Tongatapu, two years after they left their island home after the HTHH eruption in January 2022. A new Town Hall for the village is under construction and will be welcomed by the community, who are still using tents for their Sunday church services. Premium content -
Thursday 25 April 2024 7:27pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Legislative Assembly of Tonga will hold a soft closing of its 2023-24 session on Thursday next week, 2 May, without much fanfare. Parliament will then take a break until the State Opening of the 2024-2025 Session on Thursday 16 May. Premium content -
Thursday 25 April 2024 2:54pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Yesterday, a delegation, made up of members of the United States Congress and the United Nations Foundation (UNF), visited areas recovering from the impacts of the HTHH eruption on Tongatapu, including the ‘Atata community at ‘Atata Si’i in Hihifo. During a one-day visit to Tonga they also held key meetings with Government and civil society, as well as visits to schools, UN-supported projects, and the Vaiola Hospital. Premium content -
Wednesday 24 April 2024 10:29am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A total of 57 athletics records were entered in the Record Book at the national secondary schools athletic sports in Nuku'alofa this month. The large number of records for 2024 reflected a reset in over 90 years of sporting records in Tonga, after the setting of a new age limit, along with new events/categories introduced at the 97th Secondary Schools Athletic Sports, held at Teufaiva Stadium, over the week 2-5 April, and this year sponsored by TongaHealth. Premium content -
Tuesday 23 April 2024 5:46pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Eleven coach educators of Oceania aim deliver top-tier learning experiences for coaches in the region, after undertaking a successful four-day program in Tonga from 16 - 19 April. Premium content -
Tuesday 23 April 2024 5:36pm
Wellington, New Zealand : Tapaita Fonokalafi (10) was crowned Little Miss Aotearoa New Zealand 2024, on April 21, at Papa Hou Theatre, in Christchurch, New Zealand. Tapaita was also chosen to represent New Zealand to the Little Miss Universe 2024 pageant, that will be held in Turkey next month. Premium content -
Tuesday 23 April 2024 5:23pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Wholesale prices for petroleum in Tongatapu increased on 18 April to $3.4616 seniti per litre while the retail price remained the same as March, capped at $3.60 pa'anga per litre. The new pricing means that petrol retailers must absorb the latest increase in the wholesale price of petrol and may not pass on the increase to their customers. Premium content -
Friday 19 April 2024 9:18pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga’s U-16 team defeated Papua New Guinea (7-0) in their last match in OFC Championship qualifying stage, at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa today. Meanwhile, the undefeated Solomon Islands secured their ticket to Tahiti to participate in the OFC Men’s U-16 Championship, with a 4-0 win against American Samoa earlier in the day. Premium content -
Friday 19 April 2024 2:48pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Royal Navy ship HMS Tamar paid her first visit to the Kingdom of Tonga from 8 to 13 April. Upon its arrival, their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho were welcomed on board by Tamar’s Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Jim Langley, British High Commissioner Her Excellency Lucy Joyce, Lieutenant Colonel Sophie Waters, the United Kingdom’s Defence Advisor to Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, and Acting Deputy High Commissioner Tina Redshaw. -
Friday 19 April 2024 12:36pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga has made significant progress in its digital journey by partnering with UNESCO to host a multi-stakeholder workshop for the Internet Universality Indicators (IUI) National Assessment Project for Tonga using the ROAM – X Framework. Held at the Tanoa Hotel, 17 April, this workshop represents a crucial moment in Tonga’s commitment to creating an inclusive and rights-respecting Internet environment.
