Mate Ma’a Tonga stacked for the Pacific Test Series
Tonga Rugby League coach Kristian Woolf named a 25-man squad to play against the New Zealand Kiwis ahead of the June 25 Test in Auckland. The team will feature the likes of hard running forwards Jason Taumalolo, Addin
Tonga Parliament passes largest annual budget
Tonga’s Parliament passed the 2022-2023 annual budget this week, reports Tonga Wires. Totalling $764.7 million pa’anga (US$328.36 million), it is the Kingdom’s largest ever annual budget. According to the Tonga
Tongan MP Hingano dies in NZ
Tongan Cabinet Minister, Viliami Manuopangai Hingano, passed away Friday, at the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand, the Tonga Prime Minister’s Office has announced. Hingano travelled to New Zealand on 30
Tonga Rebuilds
“We gave the world a bit of a shake on the 15th of January this year,” Moana Kioa from Tonga’s National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) told the Global Platform for Disaster Risk resilience in Indonesia
NCDs cannot be ignored says Tonga PM
Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has called for a collective effort to tackle the leading cause of death and disability in Tonga – heart disease, diabetes and some cancers – in a
Comment: Tonga Finance Minister warns of a ‘shrinking economy’
Tonga’s economy is in trouble, says Tonga Wires. The economic contraction during two years of border restrictions, has been accelerated by January’s devastating Hunga volcanic eruption and tsunamis, followed
Tonga’s journey to rugby World Cup 2023 to continue at Sunshine coast stadium
Tonga’s qualification battle for a place at Rugby World Cup 2023 in France will continue at Sunshine Coast Stadium next month with the Asia/Pacific Play off. Kicking off on 23 July, Tonga will face the Asia
Tonga MPs granted stay of unseating
Two Tongan Cabinet Ministers, who were found to have committed bribery in the lead up to the November 2021 Tonga General Election, have been granted a stay of execution in their judgments, until their appeal is heard
Tongan island community to rebuild on ‘Eua
The island community of Mango in Ha’apai, Tonga who were affected by the tsunamis and volcano eruption on 15 January will have their homes rebuilt on the outer island of ‘Eua. ‘Eua is a high raised island in the
Tonga may be forced to dissolve parliament
Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister Poasi Tei has become the third cabinet minister in a space of a week to lose his Parliamentary seat following a Supreme Court ruling on Friday morning in Nuku’alofa. Poasi Tei
NASA finds Tonga volcano effects reached space
New scientific data from NASA has found that effects of the January 15 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano reached space. Analysing data from NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission and ESA’s
Tongan Legislative Assembly to unseat members
A meeting of the Tongan Legislative Assembly will be held on 16 May to unseat two Members of Parliament from their seats, after their elections were voided by the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa. The date for
Tonga: the scientific response
When the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted on January 15 this year, there were no sirens to alert the people of Tonga to the impending tsunami. Tonga disaster reduction risk expert Ana I’K M ‘Ake
Extending Manaaki to Our Community
A 40-foot container full of desks and chairs has been shipped over to schools in Tonga following January’s volcanic eruption. Several schools in Tonga were devastated by the tsunami that followed the eruption with
Former Tonga PM convicted for election bribery
Two Tonga MPs, one a former prime minister and the other a serving cabinet minister, have lost their seats in Parliament. Former PM, Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, and the minister for Internal Affairs, Sangster
Tries for Tonga fundraiser reaches $100,000
The Tries for Tonga fundraiser total to $100,000(US$69,543) with Highlanders player Andrew Makalio scoring the 200th try of the
Tonga lockdown restrictions eased
Lockdown restrictions in Tonga will be eased with businesses able to operate for three days starting on Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday, said the Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siasoi Sovaleni. This means businesses
Tonga health ministry confirms six COVID-19 deaths
Six deaths from COVID-19 in Tonga have been confirmed, while another five people with the virus died from underlying illnesses, Tonga’s Minister for Health, Dr Saia Piukala said. The confirmation comes after
Tongan volcanic eruption prompts resilience
The recovery effort following Tonga's volcanic eruptions has demonstrated Tongan resilience, and the need to remember traditional
Pacific women thrive in world of sports
Champion Cikamatana carry Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton The Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay has completed its brief visit to Australia after following an itinerary from March 17-20 which paid
Fiji and Tonga record first win at Pacific Netball series
Fiji and Tonga won their first matches in the PacificAus Sports Netball Series in Sydney, Monday afternoon. Fiji defeated Samoa 55-44 whilst Tonga thrashed Papua New Guinea 85-42. Outstanding players on Fiji’s team,
Breaking down barriers for women candidates in Tonga
The Tonga 2021 general election was one of the most eventful in the nation’s history as long dominant political parties were ousted by a new wave of independents. However, despite this political shift, women are
Tonga domestic fibre optic cable may take year to replace
Tonga’s domestic telecommunications cable was torn apart by tremendous forces and deeply buried under volcanic debris on the ocean floor…and it may take up to a year to fix. Up to 110km of a special cable
