King Tupou VI has congratulated the pioneers of Mate Maʻa Tonga on the national rugby league team’s 40th anniversary as a long-running trademark dispute continues to leave the current Tonga XIII without its historic name ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.

The controversy has resurfaced as supporters continue to question why a name derived from an old Tongan saying and associated with the national team for four decades is now subject to trademark rights held by Tonga National Rugby League Inc (TNRL), prompting the former governing body to clarify its ownership and rules governing the name’s use.

In a congratulatory message issued through the Royal Palace for the 40th Anniversary Capping Ceremony, King Tupou VI paid tribute to the original national rugby league team and its contribution to Tonga’s sporting history.

“40 years ago, the first Mate Ma’a Tonga Rugby team took to the field, representing Tonga with an unwavering level of passion, resilience and dedication,” the King said.

He acknowledged that the team’s performances had continued to inspire younger generations throughout the past four decades.

The King also congratulated the Tonga Mate Maʻa Tonga Old Boys Association on reaching the milestone and extended his best wishes for a memorable and successful celebration.

The anniversary was celebrated in Auckland on 9–10 October, bringing together former players and supporters to commemorate four decades of Tongan rugby league.

The King’s message comes after Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukālala announced Tonga’s 24-player World Cup squad, coached by Kristian Woolf and featuring stars Jason Taumalolo, Addin Fonua-Blake, Isaiya Katoa and Tyson Frizell.

The team will compete under the name Tonga XIII when it opens its World Cup campaign against England in Perth on 17 October.

However, the World Cup preparations have renewed attention on the controversy surrounding the historic Mate Maʻa Tonga name, as the national team continues to compete internationally without an identity that generations of supporters have embraced with pride for its powerful meaning of being willing to die for Tonga.

The controversy has persisted despite repeated public statements by TNRL since last week insisting that the current national team is permitted to use the Mate Maʻa Tonga name.

TNRL Clarifies Trademark Usage Rules

In its latest statement on Monday, TNRL clarified that members of the public could use the Mate Maʻa Tonga name and logo for personal purposes, but commercial use required its permission.

The organisation maintained that its intention was to protect the name and associated intellectual property from commercial exploitation for private business interests.

It said revenue generated through the commercial use of the trademarks was intended to benefit rugby league players and support the development of the sport.

However, TNRL’s assurances have not resolved the disagreement over the current national team’s official use of the historic branding.

The current national rugby league team is officially known as Tonga XIII under the administration of Tonga Rugby League XIII (TRLXIII), the governing body recognised by International Rugby League (IRL).

TNRL, led by George Koloamatangi, retains registered trademark rights associated with the Mate Maʻa Tonga name and emblem, despite no longer being recognised as Tonga’s international rugby league governing body.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near Vavaʻu this afternoon, prompting Tonga’s National Tsunami Warning Centre to issue an advisory confirming there was no tsunami threat to the Kingdom.

The earthquake occurred at 4.38pm on Monday, 12 October 2026, approximately 80 kilometres west of Neiafu, at a depth of 198 kilometres.

According to the Tonga Meteorological Service, the earthquake was recorded at latitude 18.5 degrees south and longitude 174.7 degrees west.

The National Tsunami Warning Centre issued its first advisory at 6pm, following reports that the earthquake had been felt in Vavaʻu.

“Based on the earthquake information above, and the felt earthquake report from Vavaʻu Met Services, a tsunami wave is unlikely to affect Tonga,” the advisory stated.

No Tsunami Threat Expected

The Meteorological Service confirmed that the earthquake posed no tsunami threat to Tonga and said the advisory would be its final communication unless significant changes occurred.

Authorities also confirmed that the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) had not been activated.

The earthquake’s depth of 198 kilometres places it in the intermediate-depth category, meaning it originated well beneath the Earth’s surface.

Earthquakes at such depths are generally less likely to generate tsunamis than shallow earthquakes that cause significant displacement of the seafloor.

The Meteorological Service cautioned that the preliminary magnitude could be revised as additional seismic information became available.

There were no details in the advisory about damage, injuries or disruption to services in Vavaʻu.

The National Tsunami Warning Centre reiterated that only warnings issued by the Tonga Meteorological Service represent the official tsunami warning status for Tonga.

A Tongan candidate whose New Zealand political party has proposed an unusual immigration policy offering Pacific overstayers a pathway to legal status has addressed members of the Moʻui Foʻou Church in South Auckland as she campaigns for the Māngere electorate ahead of next month’s general election.

Vicky Hau is among several candidates of Tongan heritage contesting New Zealand’s general election, including Labour MPs Carmel Sepuloni, Jenny Salesa and Anahila Kanongataʻa-Suisuiki, as well as Green Party candidate Te Whatanui Leka Taumālolo Skipwith, who is standing in the Ōtāhuhu electorate against Salesa.

Her church campaign today, Sunday 11, comes as New Zealanders will head to the polls on 7 November, less than four weeks away, with recent surveys indicating a closely contested election. The latest 1News-Verian poll, released on 6 October, put National on 29 percent, Labour on 28 percent, the Greens on 16 percent, NZ First on 10 percent and ACT on 9 percent. A separate Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll placed NZ First at 12 percent.

The polls present contrasting possibilities for the next government. The 1News-Verian survey suggests neither the National–NZ First–ACT coalition nor a Labour-led grouping with the Greens and Te Pāti Māori would secure a parliamentary majority without additional support, potentially leaving the Opportunity Party in a decisive position.

However, the latest Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll projects 65 seats for the current National-led coalition, enough to retain power in the 120-seat Parliament.

NZ First has attracted particular interest among Tongan voters in this year’s election after announcing a proposed two-year clemency period that would allow Pacific Island overstayers to apply for legal visas to remain in New Zealand if the policy is implemented.

The party said the special provision recognised New Zealand’s longstanding relationship with Pacific nations and would apply exclusively to overstayers of Pacific origin.

However, the proposal comes with strict conditions. NZ First has warned that overstayers who remain unlawfully in the country after the clemency period expires would face deportation and permanent ineligibility for future New Zealand visas.

Tongan Overstayers Shape Debate

The proposal is particularly significant for Tongans. According to Immigration New Zealand’s latest estimates, 2,541 Tongan nationals were living in the country after their visas had expired as of July 2026, making them the second-largest group of overstayers after Chinese nationals, who numbered 2,694.

Against this political backdrop, Hau’s appearance at Moʻui Foʻou Church today highlights her engagement with the Tongan community as NZ First campaigns for support ahead of the election.

Hau is ranked 21st on NZ First’s party list, making her entry into Parliament through the party vote unlikely unless the party secures substantially more seats than current polls suggest.

Nonetheless, under New Zealand’s Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system, she could still enter Parliament by winning the Māngere electorate, regardless of her list ranking or NZ First’s share of the party vote.

In a Facebook post, Hau thanked Reverend Kava Moa and church leaders for inviting her to speak and offering their blessings and prayers for her campaign.

“Honoured to be invited by the Mo’uifo’ou Church to speak today,” she wrote.

New Zealand’s first female judge of Tongan heritage was moved to tears by a grieving family’s extraordinary forgiveness of a young woman whose dangerous driving killed her pregnant teenage friend and unborn baby.

Judge Soana Moala became emotional during sentencing at the Manukau District Court after the family of 19-year-old Kydejah Kisiona told the court they had forgiven Vavatau He Kakala Elizabeth Nau Bing, 23, despite the devastating loss of two lives.

Kisiona, who was 34 weeks pregnant, died two days after Bing crashed into a tree in Tōtara Heights, South Auckland. Her unborn daughter also died as a result of the collision.

According to court proceedings reported by NZ Herald/Open Justice, the two close friends had been inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or “nangs”, before the crash.

Bing, who had reportedly been deprived of adequate sleep, lost consciousness while driving, causing the vehicle to leave the road and strike a tree.

Extraordinary forgiveness

In an emotional victim impact statement, a representative of Kisiona’s family said they had chosen forgiveness rather than allowing anger and hatred to dominate their lives.

The family described Kisiona as their “perfectly imperfect child”, remembering her loving personality, infectious laughter and devotion to her family.

Despite their grief, they wanted Bing, who had shared a sister-like relationship with Kisiona, to rebuild her life and remain with her own children.

Judge Moala, who was born in Tonga and appointed to the District Court bench in 2016, reportedly had tears rolling down her face as she listened to the statement.

She told the court that, throughout her judicial career, she had never heard such a powerful expression of love and forgiveness.

However, she reminded those present that forgiveness could not remove criminal responsibility.

“Our law, it applies to everybody, even to those who are forgiven,” she said.

The judge acknowledged that the family’s wishes had significantly influenced her decision to impose home detention rather than imprisonment.

Home detention instead of prison

Bing was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention and disqualified from driving for three years after admitting charges of dangerous driving causing death, driving while disqualified and possessing a psychoactive substance.

The court considered her guilty plea, remorse, rehabilitation efforts, young age and the impact imprisonment would have on her child.

Judge Moala made clear that the family’s forgiveness had ultimately tipped the balance in Bing’s favour.

“That’s the only reason you are not going to prison today,” she told Bing.

Following the sentencing, members of Kisiona’s family were seen embracing Bing in an emotional conclusion to the proceedings.

Police have meanwhile warned that inhaling nitrous oxide can impair judgment, coordination and consciousness, posing a serious danger when driving.

The sentencing proceedings were reported by NZ Herald/Open Justice.

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake off Panama’s Pacific coast has raised concerns about a possible tsunami across the Pacific Ocean, including whether island nations such as Tonga could be affected.

The earthquake, initially reported at magnitude 8.0, triggered tsunami warnings in parts of Central and South America and prompted New Zealand authorities to assess whether potentially dangerous waves could travel across the Pacific.

The quake struck southern Panama at 6.56am New Zealand time on Saturday, at a depth of approximately 33 kilometres.

Its magnitude was initially downgraded from 8.0 to 7.6 before being revised to 7.7.

New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and GNS Science initially announced they were assessing whether the earthquake had generated a tsunami capable of reaching New Zealand.

However, approximately 30 minutes later, the authorities indicated that the risk appeared low.

“Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will affect New Zealand,” NEMA said.

Tonga Meteorological Services (Tonga Met) has yet to release a statement on the powerful earthquake or clarify whether it poses any tsunami threat to the Kingdom.

Tonga’s vulnerability to tsunamis

Tonga experienced one of the most devastating natural disasters in its recent history following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano on January 15, 2022.

The eruption generated a powerful tsunami that struck coastal communities, destroyed homes and infrastructure, and claimed lives.

The disaster highlighted the vulnerability of Tonga’s low-lying coastal settlements and the importance of timely tsunami warnings and evacuation procedures.

Warnings across Central America

Reuters reported that there were no immediate reports of significant damage in Panama following the earthquake.

However, television footage showed people evacuating buildings as authorities assessed the situation.

The earthquake was felt in Panama’s capital and neighbouring Costa Rica.

Tributes have poured in from grieving relatives, former schoolmates and friends of a Tongan man who was shot dead by sheriff’s deputies in Sacramento, California, with many remembering him as a humble and kind-hearted person while others called for justice over his death.

The death of 34-year-old Ingold Guttenbeil on Sunday, October 4, has sparked questions over the actions of the deputies after a witness video emerged showing the moments before he was fatally shot.

According to Sacramento television station FOX40, sheriff’s deputies responded to a parking lot near Marconi and Eastern avenues on Sunday morning after a woman reported seeing a man she alleged had fired a gun at her and her husband the previous night.

The woman told authorities the man was sleeping on the ground with a gun on his lap.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrived and found Guttenbeil matching the caller’s description.

Deputies reportedly used a loud horn to wake him before issuing repeated commands.

The sheriff’s office alleged Guttenbeil failed to comply with instructions and was shot after lowering his hands and beginning to turn towards deputies.

However, a witness who recorded the confrontation disputed that interpretation.

Robert Bertges, who provided the video to FOX40, said Guttenbeil appeared confused after being abruptly awakened and was trying to pull up his trousers when deputies opened fire.

“He had just stood up and his pants were falling down,” Bertges told FOX40.

Bertges said several deputies were shouting different instructions at Guttenbeil, potentially adding to his confusion.

The position of Guttenbeil’s gun at the moment deputies fired remains unclear.

Community activist Berry Accius, who attended Monday night’s vigil, also questioned whether the shooting was justified.

Accius argued that deputies should have attempted to de-escalate the confrontation rather than resorting to deadly force.

Ingold’s wife, Jasmine Guttenbeil, has questioned how deputies handled the confrontation, saying the tragedy has left their four sons without a father.

Widow Questions Police Response

At Monday night’s candlelight vigil, Jasmine spoke emotionally about the devastating impact of her husband’s death on their children.

“It could have been handled in a totally different manner than what happened,” she told FOX40.

She said the loss would remain with her and their four sons long after the public attention surrounding the shooting had faded.

“Me and my kids are going to mourn for the rest of our lives,” she said.

Jasmine also drew strength from her Christian faith, quoting Psalm 34:18 about God being close to those who are broken-hearted.

The vigil brought together grieving family members, friends and community advocates who called for answers and accountability.

The shooting is being investigated by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and Professional Standards Division.

Facebook tributes pour in

As mourners gathered for a candlelight vigil in Sacramento on Monday night, relatives and friends took to Facebook to express their shock, share memories of Guttenbeil and offer condolences to his family.

His cousin, Soi Vehikite, confirmed the family connection in an emotional Facebook post.

“My cousin was the man shot by Sacramento Police on Sunday,” Vehikite wrote, adding that the family had already suffered several deaths this year.

The post prompted an outpouring of sympathy from relatives and friends, including people who remembered Guttenbeil from his younger years in Tonga.

Mosese Moa Tupou recalled their time together at ʻAtele, describing Guttenbeil as a kind, loving and well-mannered person.

“Such sweet memories of this brother from our school days at ʻAtele. He was a kind, loving and respectful man,” Tupou wrote in Tongan.

Another friend, Lita Pepa, said she had known Guttenbeil while growing up in Vaini.

“I knew Ini when we were growing up in Vaini. He was a humble guy. So sad. Rest in peace, Ini,” she wrote.

The tributes reflected the close connections Guttenbeil maintained with people who knew him in Tonga, many of whom referred to him affectionately as Ini or Ingi.

Grace Sch-Guttenbeil expressed sympathy for Vehikite and the wider family, describing the death as a tragedy that had deeply affected them.

“What a bad tragedy. May Ingold Guttenbeil rest in peace. May God comfort you all at this time of sorrow,” she wrote.

Selina T Fa’asolo also offered condolences, writing: “RIP cuz Ingold,” while sending love to the grieving family.

Others expressed concern about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Molini Guttenbeil posted the hashtags #JusticeForIni and #IngoldGuttenbeil, while Amelia Loiti Talakai Pomee offered condolences and expressed hope that justice would be served.

Siosifa Lokotui said he had watched the video of the shooting and was heartbroken by what he saw.

“I saw the video, and it breaks my heart,” he wrote, describing the death as devastating and offering condolences to the family.

His description of the shooting as murder reflected his personal reaction, rather than any finding by investigators.

If you think unloading a van from a ship is a simple job, try doing it on the remote Tongan island of Fotuhaʻa.

A video from the small Haʻapai island shows residents struggling to bring a van ashore before pushing, pulling and hauling it uphill with ropes.

There is no wharf where the vehicle can simply be driven off the vessel and onto a road.

Instead, the islanders have to rely on their own strength, teamwork and ingenuity to get the job done.

The footage shows the van being brought ashore before a group of men begin the difficult task of moving it up the rugged slope.

Some push from behind while others pull on ropes, slowly manoeuvring the vehicle towards the top.

It is the kind of operation that would hardly attract attention in Nukuʻalofa, where vehicles can be unloaded at a proper port.

But on Fotuhaʻa, even bringing home a van can become a major community undertaking.

And it is not just vehicles that present a challenge.

In 2024, UNICEF reported how nurses delivering vaccines to children on Fotuhaʻa had to endure a dangerous landing because the island had no wharf.

Local men used ropes to pull their boat towards the rocky shore while waves threatened to push it away.

The nurses then had to climb uphill carrying their medical supplies.

Following the devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami in January 2022, Australian military personnel used a helicopter to deliver nurses and vaccines to the island.

A local official reportedly cleared land with a machete to make a temporary helicopter landing area.

About Fotuhaʻa

Fotuhaʻa is a small limestone island in the Haʻapai group, with a population of 98 recorded in Tonga’s 2021 census, down from 131 in 2011.

The island’s rugged coastline and lack of proper landing facilities make transporting passengers, vehicles and heavy goods particularly difficult.

Unlike communities connected to major ports, residents must depend on boats, favourable sea conditions and the assistance of local people to move cargo ashore.

Fotuhaʻa was not among five outer islands specifically named for new jetties in Tonga’s 2024–2025 Budget Statement.

For its residents, the arrival of a vehicle is not necessarily the end of a sea journey. As the video shows, sometimes the hardest part begins when the boat reaches shore.

Two relatives of former Tongan Cabinet ministers unseated over electoral offences have won the parliamentary by-elections for Tongatapu 2 and Ongo Niua 17, returning both seats to the families of the politicians removed from Parliament.

In an unusual electoral outcome, Alvin Lafu Sika, the younger brother of former Infrastructure and Tourism Minister Sēmisi Sika, won Tongatapu 2, while ʻAminiasi Tonga Pauʻu Tangimana, the eldest son of former Finance Minister Lata ʻi Faingataʻa Tangimana, secured the Niua 17 seat previously held by his father.

The victories come just months after the two former ministers lost their parliamentary seats following separate court rulings arising from the November 2025 general election.

Sēmisi was unseated after the Supreme Court found that he had exceeded the statutory campaign spending limit and failed to disclose substantial election expenses, while Lata lost his seat following a conviction for election bribery.

The court rulings added an unusual dimension to the by-elections, particularly after it emerged that immediate family members of both unseated ministers were contesting their former seats with their support.

In Tongatapu 2, Alvin secured 609 votes, comfortably defeating his nearest rival, Dr Malakai Koloamatangi, who received 262 votes.

Dr Lei Paasi finished third with 248 votes. A total of nine candidates contested the Tongatapu 2 parliamentary seat.

The result gave Alvin a winning margin of 347 votes over Koloamatangi, with his total exceeding the combined votes of his two closest rivals.

Meanwhile, Aminiasi won the ʻOngo Niua 17 by-election with 435 votes, comfortably defeating his nearest rival, Sitiveni Sēlui, who received 144 votes, followed by Paea ʻi Vaha Filimoehala with 138 votes. Five candidates contested the seat.

Aminiasi secured a winning margin of 291 votes over Selui.

Court rulings that removed two ministers

In Semisi’s case, the Supreme Court found in May 2026 that he had breached section 24 of Tonga’s Electoral Act by exceeding the TOP$20,000 campaign spending limit and failing to fully disclose election-related expenditure.

Among the undeclared expenses was a TOP$9,517.50 payment made on his behalf by Five Star Finance to Suliana’s Dance Academy, together with food expenses associated with his election campaign.

Justice Garlick KC found beyond reasonable doubt that Sika had failed to declare all his election expenses and must have known that his financial return breached the Electoral Act.

The Court concluded that the violations were sufficiently serious to declare his election void and order that he be unseated from Parliament.

In a separate case, Lata ʻi Faingataʻa was found guilty of election bribery.

According to the Supreme Court judgment delivered by Justice Garlick KC on 24 March 2026, Lata was found guilty of election bribery after the Court established that he had used an intermediary, ʻIlaise Leua, to distribute fish to two female voters to influence their votes ahead of the November 2025 general election.

The Court subsequently declared his election void and ordered that he be unseated from Parliament.

Both men subsequently lost their appeals, clearing the way for their removal from Parliament.

The Legislative Assembly formally unseated the two former ministers on 3 August, creating vacancies that required fresh elections in their respective constituencies.

Both were also disqualified from contesting elections for five years.