Tonga

Tonga is one of the 51 countries around the globe to receive the FIFA World Cup Trophy and for the first time ever in the history.

Tonga Football president, Lord Ve’ehala expressed his gratitude and appreciation to FIFA and Coca-Cola in selecting Tonga to be one of few countries to be part of the trophy’s journey and for Tongans to taste the emotion that the trophy will bring and of course it is happen once in a lifetime.

Hospital staff initially thought it was a form of flu, but her condition deteriorated rapidly and showed signs of what he called “dengue shock syndrome.”

Blood tests pointed to dengue and a sample had been sent to New Zealand for further testing and serotyping.

Telefoni who is from New Zealand died at Vaiola Hospital last Tuesday, 24 January.

She was due to return home today.

There have been 19 other cases of the dengue reported.

'Akilisi Pohiva said some government officials did not work to the best of their ability because they didn't like him politically.

Mr Pohiva said the behaviour had to be stopped because it had caused the government to be dysfunctional.

He said the majority of people were ready to build the nation but that government was finding it difficult to move forward.

Kaniva News reported the Prime Minister as saying there was no use in the government having good policies when those who are required to implement them are corrupt.

Selemana Fonua was guilty of false accounting and theft after the Supreme Court found she was responsible for false documents namely spreadsheets with false names which are contrary to section 159 (a) of Criminal Offence Acts.

Kaniva News reports Judge Charles Cato convicted Fonua on 19 January on both charges.

Justice Cato said Fonua prepared the spreadsheets that caused Tanoa Fiji to pay a sum in wages to Tonga that enabled her to draw a cheque to pay for wages.

Court documents showed this took place seventeen times between 22 May and 11 December 2015.

The fire emergency services suspect the fire started from the cooking area of the building.

“On Thursday, 18th January 2018 at approximately 0026Hrs Nuku’alofa fire station responded to a call for assistance at Kapetā, Kolomotu’a at a corner of Vaha’akolo road and Matealona road opposite Queen Sālote College,” a Fire service spokesperson told Kaniva News.

“Upon arrival, the fire crew discovered fire from the Chinese Store.”

He said about 70 percent of the store including merchandise goods was affected by the fire.

Taimi Fananga literally translates to 'story time' and began last year in June, when two Tongan mothers Una Betham and Annabel Piliu wanted to teach their Australian-born kids about their Tongan heritage. 

"I'm originally from Auckland and I grew up in a very strong Tongan community and I soon found that living in Australia, it's a little bit harder to be around more of my Tongan people," says Betham.

"We realised it was a need in our community for this and decided to form a group and invite other like-minded families to join us."

NRL.com can reveal ''The Jason Taumalolo Cup'' will kick off on February 17 and the man himself is thrilled.

Taumalolo's World Cup story was the most intriguing of the tournament, with his last-minute decision to play for Tonga rather than for New Zealand attracting both praise and criticism.

The sight of Taumalolo leading Tonga's Sipi Tau ahead of their pool match against the Kiwi's will remain one of the lasting images of the tournament.

Tonga's human rights record came under scrutiny last week as part of a periodic review at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Many states expressed concerns that Tonga had not ratified key agreements like the Convention Against Torture and the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms Discrimination Against Women, known as CEDAW.

The director of Tonga's Women and Children Crisis Centre, 'Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki, said public misconceptions about CEDAW were that it would pave the way for same sex marriage and lead to abortion being legalised.

Now, the Tongan programme faces a challenge familiar to most underdog New Zealand sports teams that have over-achieved on the world stage - how to make that success sustainable.  

But local administrators are adamant that further international glory - maybe even World Cup victory - is only a matter of time.

The real first test of this belief comes this week, when Tonga's Auckland-based U16 and U18 age group teams contest the Pasifika Youth Cup tournament, hosted by the New Zealand Warriors and New Zealand Maori Rugby League.

'Akilisi Pohiva had been in the local Intensive Care Unit since the 5th of January and was unable to attend the opening of Parliament six days later.

However, the prime minister did make a brief appearance at the swearing of MPs on 18 January but was accompanied by a doctor and left early.

The Prime Minister's Office said Mr Pohiva was discharged over the weekend and contrary to local media reports he was not suffering from cancer.

It is the first official statement on the prime minister's health since he was admitted to hospital.