Simone Biles made a remarkable return to the Olympic stage, clinching her fifth gold medal in the women’s gymnastics team final at the Paris Games. This victory comes three years after she withdrew from the same event at the Tokyo Games. Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, led the U.S. team to their 11th Olympic medal in the women’s team event. Starting with a powerful vault earning 14.900 points, she helped secure a total of 171.296 points for the U.S., finishing 5.802 points ahead of Italy. This marks Italy’s first women’s team medal since 1928. Brazil claimed bronze…
Author: Newsdesk
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has removed a video of the Paris 2024 Summer Games opening ceremony from its YouTube channel following significant global backlash. The controversy centers around a segment perceived as a blasphemous LGBTQ-themed parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper,’ which featured drag queens, homosexuals, and trans individuals posing as Jesus Christ and his apostles. The 26-minute highlight video titled ‘LET THE GAMES BEGIN! | #Paris2024 Opening Ceremony Highlights’ is no longer available, with comments disabled. NBC Sports, the Games’ official U.S. broadcaster, also removed a similar video. The IOC has not provided a reason for…
Australia is grappling with a severe avian influenza outbreak, which has impacted egg supplies and poultry farms across Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. Since May, the spread of bird flu has led to widespread culling and disruption in the poultry industry. The situation is particularly concerning due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain, which has not yet reached Australia but poses a global threat. Experts like Associate Professor Dr. Vinod Balasubramaniam from Monash University and Professor Adrian Esterman from the University of South Australia warn that the H5N1 strain could significantly impact global…
The status of sea cucumber harvesting in Tonga remains uncertain as the survey results are still pending. Dr. Sione Matoto, CEO of the Fisheries Department, said during an interview with Radio Tonga, “We are finalising the results of the survey on sea cucumber stocks in Tonga. Currently, the ban on harvesting remains in place.” The ban, imposed in 2022, was meant to allow the sea cucumber population to recover due to a significant decline. The survey, completed in June, is being prepared for submission to Parliament, which will decide the next steps. “The collection of data was completed last month,”…
The Acting Prime Minister Hon. Samiu Kuita Vaipulu met with experts from the China-aid Agro-Tech Cooperation Project Phase VI last week, marking the conclusion of the three-year initiative. The meeting, attended by H.E. Mr. Liu Weimin, Ambassador of China to Tonga, and Wu Yirong, First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy, celebrated the project’s achievements. Hon. Vaipulu thanked the Chinese government and agricultural experts for their contributions to Tonga’s agricultural development. He highlighted the project’s success in pig breeding, poultry breeding, and vegetable cultivation, which have been well-received by the local community and are expected to boost Tonga’s agricultural exports. Ambassador…
Today, Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni signed contracts with newly appointed government representatives for a three-year term. Tevita Lavemaau will serve as the representative for the island of ’Eua. Lavemaau, currently a Director at the Tonga Development Bank and a Director of ’Ave Pa’anga Pau TDB Limited, brings extensive experience as a former Minister for Finance and senior roles in government ministries. ’Eua has a population of 4,903. Mikaele Fakasi’i’eiki, who works for the Ministry of Education, has been appointed as the representative for the island of Niuatoputapu, which has a population of 718. He replaces Fe’ao Hui. The duties of…
Air New Zealand has abandoned its 2030 carbon intensity reduction target, citing unaffordable and unavailable resources. The airline also announced it will withdraw from the Science Based Targets initiative. The company highlighted that new aircraft and alternative jet fuels are difficult to obtain and costly. Chief Executive Greg Foran said, “These supply chain issues and expenses could delay the introduction of newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft.” He added that the airline is now considering a new, more realistic near-term climate target. Despite this setback, Air New Zealand Chair Dame Therese Walsh affirmed the airline’s commitment to its 2050 net zero carbon…
Nearly a third of Tonga’s population remains without internet access, with restoration expected only by mid-August. Repairs to damaged cables in Ha’apai and Vava’u were hindered when a special repair vessel from Singapore broke down in Fiji. MEIDECC Acting Communications Director Stan Ahio explained, “The repair vessel has been stuck in Suva for over a week due to a mechanical fault and fishing net entangled in its propeller.” He added that the vessel is anticipated to arrive in Tongan waters in just over a week. The Tongan government has granted Starlink a provisional six-month permit to operate. However, Ahio said,…
Fiji Rugby 7s players will be awarded $20,000 each for winning the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as part of the incentive program approved by the Government in June. The program allocates $50,000 for gold medalists, $20,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze. The Fijian team lost to the host nation France with a score of 7-28, while South Africa claimed bronze after defeating Australia 26-19.
Paris Olympics organisers have issued an apology for a tableau during the opening ceremony that resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. The scene featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch, an LGBTQ+ icon, alongside drag artists and dancers. The ceremony artistic director, Thomas Jolly, who is LGBTQ, intended to depict a “pagan celebration” that represented all. Religious conservatives worldwide criticised the segment. The French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops condemned the “scenes of derision,” echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The Anglican Communion in Egypt also expressed “deep regret,” fearing it could damage the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC)…