While a wave of IT outages hit worldwide yesterday evening local time, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and affecting various sectors, including hospitals, banks, and stock exchanges, Tonga ICT network was unaffected for most part. The disruption stemmed from a CrowdStrike software issue affecting some Microsoft-based computers. CrowdStrike, the second largest cybersecurity firm in the world, confirmed the issue was not due to a cyberattack. “The outage is caused by a software issue that has been identified, and a fix has been deployed,” said CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz in a CNBC interview. While some systems can be restored quickly,…
Author: Siosifa Pomana
The Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change, Communications, and CERT (MEIDECC) has announced today in a public statement granting a provisional temporary permit for Starlink to operate in Tonga. Valid for six months, the permit was issued under Section 29 of the Communication Act 2015 CAP (15.01). The temporary permit mandates several conditions to ensure regulatory compliance and address public concerns. Starlink must fulfill tax obligations, provide terminal details, sell directly to the public, consider a reseller model with local operators, and facilitate local payment methods for Tongan businesses. We had reported last week that customers…
Reverend Charissa Suli, 41, was installed as the 17th President of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) during its 17th Assembly held last Thursday at the St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Sydney. Reverend Suli, a mother of four and daughter of Tongan immigrants, is the first person of colour and the youngest individual to assume this role in the church’s history. Charissa Suli’s presidency extends to 2027. Reflecting on her journey, Rev Suli shared, “My faith has been a journey of resilience and perseverance. I hope my story inspires others to pursue their calling, no matter the obstacles.” Her path…
The Tupou Tertiary Institute (TTI) School of Music achieved remarkable success at the 2024 NZ National Brass Band Championships, winning first place in both the Ensemble B Competition and the Open Ensemble B, Section 2. Performing the Jubilee Overture, TTI Music Director, Save Mataele, and his talented team secured victory with an impressive 85 point lead followed by the Auckland City Brass with 82 points and the Hong Kong Brass Band in third place with 75 points. The band added to the excitement on the third day of the competition when it joined the Street March event, although they were…
The Tupou College Brass Band has made history at the 2024 New Zealand National Brass Band Championships, part of the four-day Pacific Festival of Brass held in South Auckland which ended today. This annual event, renowned for showcasing the finest brass band talent from New Zealand and abroad, saw the Tupou College Brass Band securing a series of prestigious awards, including the highly coveted B Grade Championship Shield. This achievement is particularly notable as Tupou College is the youngest band to compete at this level. Hosted at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau, the festival marked its first appearance…
Earlier this week, the Australian Government announced a multi-million dollar initiative to strengthen the banking systems of Pacific Island nations. This move aims to prevent Australian banks from withdrawing their services and to counter potential Chinese influence in the region. Brian Nelson, the US Treasury’s Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, while attending the Pacific Banking Forum in Brisbane, Australia this week said in an interview with the media that the US supports this initiative. “The US is a Pacific nation,” he said, highlighting the importance of remittances for Pacific families. He added, “Ensuring formal financial channels remain intact is…
A UN World Health Organisation (WHO) report reveals that 53 countries now have best practice policies to tackle industrial trans fats in food, benefiting 3.7 billion people, or 46% of the global population. This is a significant increase from 2018, when only 6% of people were protected. But Tonga is not among those countries despite it’s high level of non communicable diseases and deaths reported which are linked to high consumption of trans fat food. The Pacific countries from the Western Pacific Region, according to the WHO report, who are serious about the health of their populations having policy commitments…
For the first time in his new appointment, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa checks in on PM Hu’akavameiliku’s preparations for the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PILFM) to be held in August. However, this visit also brings to light controversies surrounding Waqa, raising questions about leadership and integrity within the Forum. Waqa’s visit to Tonga included meetings with Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, Crown Prince Tupouto’a Ulukalala, and other officials. The discussions centered on regional priorities, with a particular focus on the PIFLM’s theme, “Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now,” aiming to address regional issues and push…
Tonga’s sunny shores are a dream destination for many, but for local businesses, it’s a scary scene of empty chairs and idle equipment. Thousands of Tongans are flocking to Australia and New Zealand under seasonal worker schemes, lured by higher wages and better opportunities. This exodus, while positive for individual Tongan workers, is creating a critical labour shortage, crippling the Tongan economy. The allure of the schemes is undeniable. Working in fruit farms and meatpacking plants, Tongans can earn significantly more than what’s on offer domestically. This injects much-needed cash into Tongan households, but it comes at a cost. Local…
The Tonga Tala continued their reign over the Pacific Netball Series, securing a dominant 72-58 victory over the Fiji Pearls in the grand final to secure their fourth consecutive championship title this afternoon at the Nissan Arena in Queensland Australia. The Tongan team proved too strong for their opponents throughout the match. Uneeq Palavi led the Tala offense with a remarkable performance, scoring an impressive 63 goals from 66 attempts, boasting an incredible 96% shooting accuracy. Her precision was a major factor in securing the win. On the defensive end, Valu Toutaiolepo was exceptional. Her strong defensive play earned her…