Eke leads Tonga push at World Bank–IMF talks

The Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Aisake Eke is heading the Kingdom’s delegation at the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings. Meeting in Washington from 13 to 18 October, Tonga will press for support on climate resilience, debt relief and sustainable...

Hospital ship Silk Road Ark arrives in Tonga with free medical aid

The Chinese PLA Navy hospital ship Silk Road Ark docked at Tonga’s Vuna Wharf yesterday to offer free medical consultations and services. Acting Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Taniela Fusimalohi welcomed the vessel, saying the visit highlights the...

Tributes pour in for Matangi Tonga founder Pesi Siale Fonua – ‘a steady voice of truth’

RNZ Pacific Pesi Siale Fonua, a veteran Pacific journalist and the publisher-editor of Tonga’s leading news website Matangi Tonga Online, has died at the age of 78. Fonua’s family announced his passing on Monday. “It is with profound sadness that...

Veteran Journalist and Publisher of Matangi Tonga Online Passes Away

Pesi Siale Fonua, a veteran Pacific journalist and the publisher-editor of Tonga’s leading news website, Matangi Tonga Online, has died at the age of 78. Fonua’s family announced his passing on Monday. “It is with profound sadness that we announce...

Publisher and Editor of Matangi Tonga Pesi Fonua dies

Respected Pacific Islands journalist and publisher of Matangi Tonga Online, Pesi Siale Fonua, has died at the age of 78. He passed away on 12 October 2025 at Vaiola Hospital in Tonga. Pesi Fonua was a pioneering figure in Pacific journalism, known...

Chinese naval hospital ship provides medical services in Tonga

SUVA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese naval hospital ship, Silk Road Ark, arrived at Nuku'alofa Port, Tonga, on Monday, starting a seven-day visit featuring medical services and cultural activities during its Mission Harmony 2025. This is the...

Matangi Tonga Online Editor and veteran Pacific journalist Pesi Fonua passes away at 78

Nukuʻalofa, Tonga — Pesi Siale Fonua, editor and publisher of Matangi Tonga Online and a distinguished figure in Pacific Islands journalism, has passed away at the age of 78. Matangi Tonga editor, Pesi Fonua Photo: RNZI / Koro Vaka’utaFonua was a...

Matangi Tonga Online publisher Pesi Fonua Dies aged 78

Tonga mourns veteran journalist and Matangi Tonga founder Pesi Siale Fonua. Photo: Koro Vaka’uta Well known Tongan news outlet Matangi Tonga Online is today mourning the loss of their publisher and editor Pesi Fonua who passed away on Sunday. In a...

Tributes pour in for Pesi Siale Fonua, 'a steady voice of truth' and Matangi Tonga founder

Fonua's family announced his passing on Monday. Photo: RNZI / Koro Vaka'uta Pesi Siale Fonua, a veteran Pacific journalist and the publisher-editor of Tonga's leading news website, Matangi Tonga Online, has died at the age of 78. Fonua's family...

Announcement: passing of Pesi Fonua, publisher-editor of Matangi Tonga

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Pesi Siale Fonua (78), well known Pacific Islands journalist, publisher of Matangi Tonga Online, and beloved husband, father and grandfather, who died on 12 October 2025, at Vaiola...

Tonga adopts One Health Strategy in National Bridging Workshop

Tonga has week joined the global One Health framework in a three-day National Bridging Workshop (NBW) held in Nuku‘alofa. The Department of Environment (Ministry of MEIDECC) hosted the NBW at Fa’onelua Convention Centre last week, bringing...

New Mental Health Strategy unveiled on World Day

Tonga has launched its long-awaited National Mental Health Strategy and Policy. The Ministry of Health led the World Mental Health Day commemoration while formally unveiling the new strategy and policy at Vaiola Hospital. Health officials...

PINA Pays Tribute to the Late Pesi Siale Fonua, a Pioneer…

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) is deeply saddened by the passing of Pesi Siale Fonua, founder, publisher, and editor of Matangi Tonga, who passed away on Sunday at Vaiola Hospital in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Pesi Fonua was a trailblazer in...

Silk Road Ark starts free medical services in Tonga from 14 October

The Chinese hospital ship Silk Road Ark will dock at Vuna Wharf in Nuku‘alofa from 13 October, offering free medical services across Tongatapu. According to its schedule, the ship’s medical team will operate at: Vuna Wharf on 14 October (1:30...

Multilateral collaboration remains key amid funding shifts in global health

As the US withdraws from the World Health Organization and cuts overseas aid, regional partnerships are critical to safeguarding the health of member countries in a region where climate change and chronic diseases loom large. These are some of the...

'Asking for help is not a weakness': Tongan researcher on mental health awareness

As Aotearoa marks Mental Health Awareness Week, a Tongan academic is calling for mental health services to better reflect Pacific perspectives. The national theme, Top Up Together, emphasises that a shared, community-based approach to wellbeing...

Analysis: Te Pāti Māori turmoil exposes a deeper hurt for Māori

Analysis: It is hard to overstate how damaging the past few weeks have been, not just for Te Pāti Māori but for Māori. The movement, supposed to represent a political resistance, has found itself imploding under the weight of internal accusations,...

Chinese Navy hospital ship completes medical service to Fiji, heads for Tonga

SUVA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Navy hospital ship "Silk Road Ark," which is on "Mission Harmony-2025," successfully completed a seven-day friendly visit and humanitarian medical service to Fiji and set off for Tonga on Wednesday. During its...

Meningitis Day: raising awareness in Tongan and Samoan languages

The Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand launched new Tongan and Samoan editions of its educational coloring book ahead of World Meningitis Day on 5 October. The new bilingual editions, which include the Tongan and Samoan languages aim to...

Pacific health leaders criticise rollback of bowel screening age

Pacific and Māori health advocates are raising concerns over changes to bowel cancer screening after the Government lowered the free screening age from 60 to 58 in parts of the country. The move follows the scrapping of a pilot programme that...