Tonga

Radio Tonga reports a  total of 216 soroban students from Class 3 to Class 5 competed this year in the written examination, oral examination, and flash examination.

Six Government Primary Schools participated in the competition; GPS Fakakai, GPS Faleloa, GPS Fotua, GPS Koulo, GPS Pangai and GPS Tongoleleka

Dr Stuart Middleton, MIT Director of External Relations, says receiving the Prime Minister at MIT is an “honour in recognition of the strong relationship between MIT and Tongan communities,” and to tour the Centre, which opened last month.

“Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s visit is a mark of respect for the work MIT is undertaking both in Tonga and for Tongans living in South Auckland,” he says.                   

While opening the course yesterday, Lord Veéhala, Tonga Football President said, ’when we plant seeds, then our responsibilities is to make sure it will crow, so this morning Paul Toohey came down to help us in watering those seeds that we plant back in 2014.’’

Tonga Football Technical director, Kilifi Uele selected men and women futsal coaches for the course.

The operations were carried out under Tropic Twilight in a joint operation by the Defence Forces of Tonga, New Zealand, USA, France, Australia and China over the past 3 weeks.

Tropic Twilight is an annual joint exercise, led by the New Zealand Defence Force to conduct humanitarian efforts focused on disaster relief.

The reef which lies between Tonga and Fiji is claimed by both countries and has been the cause of tension after Tonga's navigational beacons were destroyed by the Fijians about five years ago.

An International Law of the Sea specialist Donald Rothwell said that in the South China Sea decision, the Permanent Court of Arbitration laid down the characteristics for deciding the status of various land formations.

He said it meant the inherent worth of the Minerva Reef was now quite different.

The highlight of this visit will be a bilateral meeting with his New Zealand counterpart, John Key on Thursday after a welcoming ceremony.

During the visit, Prime Minister Pohiva will also attend a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and will meet in Auckland with some of the New Zealand Cabinet Ministers and Government Officials.

Following leads from the public the department collected furs and remains of what they believed were of a dead animal in Kolofoʻou early this month.

Kaniva News reports the remains were sent to New Zealand for scientific examination and to confirm whether or not they belonged to the mongooses.

Kaniva news reports Fuapau died in hospital where he lay in a coma for eight days.

He was admitted in hospital following an incident on July 9 in Nuku’alofa.

A funeral service was held yesterday for 19-year-old Fuapau who is from Sopu.

Tongan Police said the accused were all from the village of Kahoua in Tongatapu.

Police began arresting the accused over the weekend with the last arrest made on Sunday.

They all remain in custody.

Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will host the tournament, from October 27 to December 2, 2017.

The World Cup draw was announced last week with Tonga drawn to play New Zealand, Samoa and Scotland in Pool B.

The Mate Ma'a Tonga won't play any fixture or gather again this year despite a big year coming up.

In October the Kiwis will play Australia, Samoa is scheduled to host Fiji and Papua New Guinea will conduct a training camp but Tonga's coach Kristian Woolf said there were no plans for his squad, which he believed was a positive.

Solar Pump Project Manager Mr. ‘Ofa Sefana said so far 11 solar pumps have been set up in villages around Tongatapu and they  were looking forward to establishing more solar pumps in Tonga.

“We have established 11 solar pumps in 11 villages and we are looking forward to set up 75+ solar pumps here in Tongatapu,” he said.