During the state visit of the United States Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken to the Kingdom of Tonga on Wednesday, 26 July 2023, the Tonga Police Personal Protection Officers in alliance with special agents from the United States Diplomatic Security Service were privileged to assist the Secretary along with his dignitaries.
Author: Newsdesk
A Tongan construction worker has described the terrifying moment his team were told to return to the level where they were working as the gunman was coming on their way. This was the incident in the Auckland CBD last week that ended with three dead, including the gunman, and ten wounded. Uate Vea said they were at level 21 of the building where the shooting was taking place, about six levels away from the gunman, when they were instructed to leave. “We ran down to level 15 before we were told to return to level 16 because the shooter was…
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles says Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands is indeed “interested” in setting up a military. He says if Solomon Islands does go down that path Australia would be “very keen” to help as “partner of choice.” Marles says “Vanuatu is also exploring the idea …” Defence Minister Marles said, “Firstly, it’s clearly a decision for the Solomon Islands. And with my conversation with Prime Minister Sogavare… I wanted to make it clear we see it very much as a Solomon Islands decision, and in that sense, we don’t express a view on whether they…
His Majesty King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u commissioned the new Northern Command headquarters for His Majesty’s Armed Forces – Tonga (HMAF) in Vava’u last Saturday. The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, the Governor of Vava’u, Lord Fakatulolo, the Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Lord Fielakepa, cabinet ministers, nobles, and servicemen and women. The new headquarters and warehouses were funded by Australia and designed and built by HMAF’s 1st Construction Engineer Squadron. They will ensure HMAF has the necessary capability and infrastructure to operate more effectively in the north of the Kingdom,…
Fiji kicked off their Pacific Nations Cup campaign with a hard-fought 36-20 victory over Tonga in Lautoka on Saturday. In a fast-paced and entertaining encounter, Fiji held the upper-hand for most of the match, but Tonga were more competitive than in their previous meeting, which Fiji won 36-0 in Suva last year. Fiji opened the scoring with a penalty try in the 10th minute, and they went on to score three more tries in the first half through Waisea Nayacalevu, Josua Tuisova, and Peni Matawalu. Tonga responded with two tries of their own, scored by Viliami Tahitua and Feao Fotuaika,…
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Tonga, New Zealand, and Australia from July 24-29, the State Department announced yesterday. Blinken is the first Secretary of State to visit Tonga, and this is his third trip to a Pacific Island country, and his 12th trip to the Indo-Pacific region. In Tonga, Blinken will dedicate the new U.S. Embassy in Nuku’alofa and advance key discussions with our Tongan partners. He will also meet with Tongan officials to discuss a range of issues, including the country’s recovery from the recent volcanic eruption and tsunami. From Tonga, Blinken will travel…
Policymakers in Tonga now have a powerful ally in their mission to support children in the country, thanks to the recent launch of the National Multi-Dimensional Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (N-MODA) by UNICEF Pacific and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. N-MODA introduces a flexible methodology data collection tool that goes beyond conventional approaches. It not only enhances data evidence on pressing child issues like poverty but also provides crucial pieces of evidence to establish a resilient, shock-responsive, and child-sensitive social protection system in Tonga. The initiative’s unveiling was marked by an inception workshop where government and non-government partners gathered to delve…
The Meteorology Department has issued an El Niño ALERT, indicating that the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean temperatures are warmer than usual. The potential consequences of this weather phenomenon on Tonga are now a cause for concern. According to experts, if El Niño strikes in the coming months, Tonga can expect several notable impacts. Firstly, cooler nights are predicted, which could have implications for the health and well-being of the population. Additionally, rainfall is expected to decrease significantly over the next six to twelve months, potentially leading to drought conditions. Furthermore, Tonga should brace itself for an increase in tropical…
Despite the concerns raised and opposition to the Japanese proposal to release nuclear waste water to the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster; the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the United Nations have given clearance. Arguing for the proposal, the IAEA after meeting with Pacific Island Forum Officials, suggested that the waste water has been treated and is safe for release. The Pacific Island Forum has not released any information yet on the results of meeting with IAEA Director – General Rafael Grossi in the Cook Islands last week, but Japanese media have not only carried news…