Tongan-American Republican Doug Fiefia has declared victory in Utah’s Senate District 18 election, thanking voters and supporters for securing his place in the state’s legislature.

The election was held on November 3 as part of the US midterm elections, which saw Democrats wrest control of both houses of Congress from Republicans. Fiefia, a Republican, contested Utah’s Senate District 18 after defeating incumbent Senator Dan McCay in the June primary.

In a Facebook statement following the election, Fiefia thanked voters, campaign volunteers and his family for their support.

“THANK YOU, Senate District 18! This victory belongs to you,” he wrote.

He acknowledged those who knocked on doors, made telephone calls, displayed campaign signs and encouraged others to support his candidacy.

“To every voter who trusted me with your voice. Thank you. We did this together,” Fiefia said.

He also paid tribute to his wife, Jocelyn, and their children for their sacrifices throughout the campaign.

“I’m humbled and honored to serve as your next State Senator,” he said.

“I’ll work every day to keep our families safe, our economy strong, and Utah a place where everyone has the chance to thrive.”

“The campaign is over. Now the work begins. Let’s go!”

Election results

Preliminary results published by The Salt Lake Tribune showed Fiefia receiving 11,542 votes, or approximately 55 percent, compared with Anderson’s 9,266 votes, or 45 percent.

The figures gave him a lead of 2,276 votes, although the results remained subject to official certification.

Fiefia’s election represents a significant development in the political representation of Americans of Tongan descent, particularly in Utah, which has an established Tongan and wider Pacific Islander community.

The Utah State Senate is part of the state’s legislature, responsible for passing state laws, approving budgets and overseeing government policies.

Unlike the United States Senate in Washington, DC, which deals with federal legislation, the Utah State Senate exercises legislative authority at the state level.

As Tonga advances to the Rugby League World Cup semifinals, Tongan-American pop and R&B singer Dinah Jane has defended her controversial rendition of the national anthem, expressing disappointment at Dame Valerie Adams for allegedly joining those mocking her performance.

The former Fifth Harmony star sang the anthem ahead of Tonga’s Rugby League World Cup match against Samoa on Sunday, November 1, with her departure from the traditional melody drawing mixed reactions from listeners.

While supporters praised Jane’s performance, critics argued that she should have adhered to the anthem’s original melody and pitch progression.

She also briefly paused near the end, apparently allowing the crowd singing along with her to be heard more clearly, a technique commonly used by popular singers to encourage audience participation and strengthen their connection with fans during live performances.

The debate has drawn reactions from people across different sections of the community, including Adams, the former Tongan New Zealand-born Olympic and world champion shot-putter.

Adams made her criticism in a TikTok video, acknowledging that she might not be “qualified” to comment on Jane’s performance before praising her rendition of the national anthem as “just beautiful” from the outset.

However, she took issue with the final lines, particularly “’o maluʻi ʻa Tupou”, where Jane departed from the traditional melody and ascended to a high note.

Adams imitated the passage by singing in a high-pitched voice, comparing Jane’s vocal interpretation to Beyoncé’s style.

She said Jane should have maintained the national anthem’s original melody rather than introducing such variations.

The video attracted considerable attention on TikTok, recording 3,574 shares, 1,240 comments and 3,900 reactions.

Jane Responds to Criticism

Following Adams’ remarks, Jane issued a Facebook statement expressing disappointment at the former Olympic champion’s criticism of her performance.

“Ms. Valerie Adams, I would’ve appreciated hearing your thoughts directly if my rendition bothered you that much,” Jane wrote.

“Coming from someone I’ve held in such high regard, I expected a little more grace rather than adding fuel to an already burning fire.”

Jane said she was hurt to see another successful Tongan woman whom she had admired and supported participating in the criticism.

“The same artistic freedom that’s celebrated elsewhere suddenly becomes a problem when it comes from me,” she wrote.

She acknowledged the importance of the national anthem and the preference among some listeners for a traditional performance.

“But as an artist, I saw an opportunity to share a piece of myself through my interpretation, just as I did in 2017,” Jane said.

“My intention was never to disrespect our anthem, our culture, or our people. Everything I did came from a place of genuine love, honor, and pride.”

Jane recalls struggles over cultural identity

Jane said the criticism had been particularly painful because of her efforts to establish her identity as a Tongan-American artist.

She recalled that during her years with Fifth Harmony, there were occasions when she felt she had to suppress aspects of her identity to fit into the group.

“I’ve spent so much of my journey fighting to embrace and proudly represent my identity as a Polynesian woman,” she wrote.

She said she had not expected to face criticism from members of her own community after years of working to represent her heritage.

“I never imagined that once I finally stood proudly in that identity, I’d have to defend it to my own people,” she said.

Jane also acknowledged that criticism was part of being a public figure but said it could still be hurtful.

“I don’t normally give negativity my attention, but I refuse to pretend that words don’t hurt simply because I’m a public figure,” she wrote.

Encouragement for future Tongan singers

Jane said she did not want her performance or appearance to cause division among Tongans.

She expressed hope that future Tongan singers would feel encouraged to perform without fear of ridicule.

“My hope is that every Tongan singer who comes after me feels inspired and encouraged to sing from their absoluteeee heart without fear of being ridiculed for expressing themselves!!” she wrote.

Jane reaffirmed her identity as a Tongan-American woman and said the criticism would not change her cultural pride.

“You don’t have to love how I sang it to respect the love I sang it with….”

Jane’s rendition reflected her established musical identity as a contemporary pop and R&B singer, incorporating vocal embellishments and a climactic ascending run in the anthem’s final line rather than following its traditional descending melody.

Tonga XIII have defeated Pacific rivals Toa Samoa 20–18 in a dramatic Rugby League World Cup encounter at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday night.

The narrow two-point victory extends Tonga’s unbeaten campaign to three matches following earlier wins over England and Lebanon.

The highly anticipated Pacific showdown saw both teams locked in a fierce defensive battle, with neither side managing to score during the opening 25 minutes.

Tonga finally broke the deadlock in the 27th minute when centre Robert Toia produced an impressive individual try, beating Samoa fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

Tonga entered the match having defeated England 30–12 and Lebanon 36–0, while Samoa had recorded commanding victories over France and Papua New Guinea.

The result also provides a measure of revenge for Tonga following Samoa’s 20–18 victory in their 2022 Rugby League World Cup quarter-final encounter.

The latest triumph adds another memorable chapter to the fierce sporting rivalry between the two Pacific nations as Tonga continue their pursuit of World Cup glory.

The celebrations following ʻEpalahame Lingikoni Taukeiʻaho’s court victory in the Liahona/Saineha Alumni Association dispute have taken another turn after he instructed his lawyer to pursue legal action against a Facebook commenter who accused him of failing to pay workers in Vavaʻu.

As Kaniva News reported this week, the Supreme Court ruled in Taukeiʻaho’s favour on 26 October 2026 in a leadership dispute that began after an emergency board meeting in October 2023 purportedly suspended him as president of the Liahona-Sainehā Alumni Association and appointed Pita Foliaki Hopoate as interim president.

Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop KC found that constitutional amendments used to justify the leadership change had not been lawfully adopted, leaving the association’s 2018 constitution in force. The Court also dismissed the defendants’ counterclaim and awarded Taukeiʻaho legal costs.

Taukeiʻaho told Kaniva News that a Facebook user identifying himself as Tevita Ngoue posted the allegation in the comments section of a news report about the court ruling.

The comment, posted in Tongan on Kaniva News’ Facebook page, initially congratulated Taukeiʻaho on his court victory before urging him to come to Vavaʻu and pay workers he allegedly owed money, saying they had families to feed.

Taukeiʻaho, who owns Fusilau Landscape, a company contracted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to provide services, including landscaping, at its churches and schools throughout Tonga, strongly denied the allegations.

He said he contacted Ngoue directly, who responded that the comment was merely a “fakanāfala”, a Tongan expression which, in this context, suggested it was intended to provoke a reaction rather than make a serious allegation.

However, a screenshot of their message exchange, seen by Kaniva News, showed Taukeiʻaho informing Ngoue that he had referred the matter to his lawyer for legal action.

Kaniva News contacted Ngoue for comment.

Taukeiʻaho described the allegation as defamatory and said he believed it was part of an effort by his opponents to damage his reputation following the court decision.

It remains unclear whether formal defamation proceedings have been filed.

An 80-year-old Tongan mother visiting New Zealand has been left devastated after thieves ransacked her home in Mataika, Kolofoʻou, Tongatapu, stealing possessions her family estimates to be worth $200,000, including treasured ancestral handicrafts she had intended to pass down to future generations.

Her daughter, Maʻata Baranyi Heimuli, told Kaniva News that they were both in New Zealand when they received news of the burglary earlier this week and are now making arrangements to fly to Tonga.

Among the stolen possessions were traditional Tongan handicrafts inherited from the mother’s ancestors, carrying deep cultural and sentimental significance that cannot be measured in monetary terms.

These included fuatanga toka 20 x 2, toka hongofulu x3, fihu Tonga fute e 30 e 3, kie Haamoa fute e 12, ta’ovala falavala 2, ta’ovala fanakio 2, ta’ovala putu 2, ngafingafi 1, lōkeha 1, around 10 different types of ta’ovala, fala Paongo 20, fala Paongo 15, fala Paongo 12, fala tofua 15, fala fihu 20 and four kiekie.

Heimuli said her mother, Lipeti, was “devastated and deeply upset” after learning of the burglary.

House left in disarray

Photographs provided to Kaniva News by Heimuli show the apparent aftermath of the burglary, with beds overturned, mattresses and bedding propped against walls, and clothing scattered across rooms.

Heimuli said her mother’s nephew had been looking after the Kolofoʻou property while they were overseas.

Although he lives in Maʻufanga, he occasionally stayed overnight at the house or visited to check on it.

It remains unclear how the intruders gained entry, when the burglary occurred or how many people were involved.

Family appeals for information

A complaint has been lodged with Tonga Police, and Heimuli is urging anyone with information about the burglary or the whereabouts of the stolen property to come forward.

The family is particularly concerned about recovering the ancestral handicrafts, which represent generations of family history and were intended to be preserved for future descendants.

The estimated $200,000 loss has not been independently verified, and police have yet to publicly confirm details of the reported burglary.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s National Party has fallen below its disastrous 2020 election result in one of the final opinion polls before New Zealand’s general election, raising the prospect of a change of government as early voting gets underway.

The latest RNZ-Reid Research poll puts National at 24.8 percent, down 1.1 percentage points, while Labour leads on 30.6 percent, giving opposition leader Chris Hipkins a 5.8-point advantage with just nine days until voting closes on November 7.

National’s result is below the 25.6 percent it received in the 2020 general election, when the party suffered a crushing defeat.

Labour’s support remains relatively steady, slipping 0.2 points, while Opportunity has surged 1.7 points to 7.2 percent, potentially positioning the smaller party to decide the next government.

Labour has path to power

Under the poll’s parliamentary projections, Labour would secure 37 seats, the Greens 18 and Opportunity nine, giving the three parties a combined 64 seats in a 120-seat Parliament.

The existing National-led coalition would secure 54 seats, comprising 30 for National and 12 each for ACT and New Zealand First.

Opportunity’s nine projected MPs could also give the current coalition a majority, although Luxon has repeatedly ruled out working with the party.

Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong has indicated she would negotiate first with whichever party wins the most seats, potentially favouring Labour.

Voters dissatisfied with Luxon

The poll also reveals widespread dissatisfaction with Luxon’s leadership, with 53.8 percent of respondents rating his performance poorly, compared with 30.1 percent who assess it positively.

Hipkins leads Luxon as preferred prime minister by 23.3 percent to 17.1 percent.

Meanwhile, 50.5 percent believe New Zealand is heading in the wrong direction, against 30.5 percent who believe the country is on the right track.

Hipkins said the findings reflected growing public demand for change.

“They’ve seen three years of this government. They don’t want to see three more,” he told RNZ.

National disputes findings

National campaign chair Simeon Brown dismissed the result as inconsistent with other polling, insisting the election remained close.

A contrasting 1News-Verian poll released on Tuesday placed National ahead on 29 percent and Labour on 27 percent.

Both surveys questioned 1,000 eligible voters over similar periods but used different methodologies.

The RNZ-Reid Research poll, conducted between October 20 and 26, reported a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

With early voting underway, the conflicting surveys highlight an uncertain contest, although the RNZ findings suggest Labour could return to power with support from the Greens and Opportunity.

His Majesty’s Prisons in Tonga has signed a contract with Luna’eva & Sons to complete construction of a new female prison, with the facility expected to be finished in May 2027.

The contract was signed on 13 October 2026, and work commenced on 19 October, according to an announcement published on the department’s official Facebook page.

His Majesty’s Prisons said on its Facebook account that the facility would improve infrastructure for the safe custody and welfare of female inmates.

Female prisoners have historically been accommodated in separate sections of Huʻatolitoli Prison.

Funding and Tender

Tonga’s 2024/25 Budget Statement identified an estimated TOP$1.2 million for a female prison facility, with construction expected to begin during the final quarter of the 2023/24 financial year.

A separate parliamentary budget briefing referred to TOP$240,000 for completing construction. His Majesty’s Prisons subsequently advertised a tender for the remaining work in August 2026.

The latest announcement did not disclose the contract value or details of the new prison’s planned capacity and services.

Previous Concerns Over Conditions

The project follows previous concerns about conditions for female prisoners, including shortcomings in maternity care documented in a 2023 Supreme Court judgment and issues raised in earlier US human rights reports.

In its 2023 judgment in Rex v Kapeni Tamoʻua and Others, the Supreme Court recorded an acknowledgement by the Prisons Department that funding was insufficient for proper prenatal and postnatal care. The Court was also informed that facilities for mothers with young children were unavailable and that female prisoners from Vavaʻu had to serve their sentences in Tongatapu.

Earlier US State Department human rights reporting raised concerns about prison overcrowding and the lack of separate accommodation for female inmates requiring psychiatric care.

The reports described conditions at the time and do not establish whether those problems persist.

According to the World Prison Brief, Tonga had 21 female prisoners in 2022, representing approximately 3.8 percent of the prison population. A 2024 regional corrections report estimated that around 20 women were incarcerated.

Tonga’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Dr Taniela Fusimalohi, has issued an urgent warning over the country’s water supplies, urging the public to conserve water amid Super El Niño conditions and prolonged drought.

It comes as the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warns that the current El Niño could become one of the strongest on record, potentially peaking in December 2026.

The phenomenon disrupts global weather patterns, causing severe drought and water shortages in parts of the western Pacific, including Tonga, while increasing the risk of heavy rainfall and flooding elsewhere. Its impacts could threaten agriculture, food security and public health well into 2027.

The notice, released through the Minister’s Facebook account, highlights concerns about water sources and drinking-water levels in storage tanks.

The Minister said in Tongan: “The Ministry of Lands, through its Natural Resources Division, will issue a notice today concerning the current water situation, water sources and the need to use water wisely because of the Super El Niño conditions and prolonged drought currently affecting us. The notice will also cover the levels of drinking water available in water storage tanks.”

It comes as photographs of withered crops and plants in Tonga have been shared on Facebook, highlighting the damage already caused to plantations by the prolonged drought.

According to the Australian Government’s Smartraveller advisory, drought conditions have been declared in Tongatapu, ʻEua and Haʻapai, while the Niuas are under a drought warning.

The advisory also warns that dry conditions could spread to other island groups.

Strong El Niño raises concerns

International climate assessments indicate that El Niño conditions are intensifying, with potentially significant consequences for Pacific island countries.

The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported in its October assessment a high probability of strong to very strong El Niño conditions continuing into early 2027.

The World Meteorological Organisation has also warned that the event could peak towards the end of 2026, affecting rainfall and temperature patterns across the region.

El Niño is commonly associated with reduced rainfall and increased drought risks in parts of the southwest Pacific, although its effects vary between countries and seasons.

Other Pacific nations face similar threats

Several Pacific countries have already taken measures in response to worsening dry conditions.

In Samoa, authorities have warned about declining rainfall and potential effects on agriculture.

The Solomon Islands has issued meteorological drought warnings, while Palau has activated the first stage of its national drought response plan.

El Niño can influence cyclone activity and tracks across the South Pacific, meaning communities may face both drought and severe storms during the same season.

Editor’s Note: What is El Niño?

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon caused by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, disrupting weather patterns worldwide.

It can bring prolonged drought, extreme heat and water shortages to parts of the Pacific, including Tonga, while increasing the risk of heavy rainfall and flooding elsewhere.

The name El Niño, Spanish for “the Christ Child”, originated with fishermen along the coasts of Peru and Ecuador who observed unusually warm ocean waters around Christmas. Scientists later adopted the term to describe this recurring climate phenomenon.

Construction of Tonga’s new Parliament building has advanced from its early foundations to the installation of its distinctive sweeping timber roof, with a recent aerial photograph revealing the emerging architectural design of the NZ$60 million complex.

The new parliamentary complex at Talangaholo is being built to replace the former Parliament House and Legislative Assembly offices destroyed by Cyclone Gita in February 2018, leaving Tonga without permanent facilities for its national legislature for more than eight years.

The photograph, shared by the Facebook page Tonga Parliament Building Updates, shows workers installing large curved timber frames above the central parliamentary chamber, while adjoining sections are already partially roofed.

Workers can also be seen on elevated platforms, with construction equipment positioned around the site to support the installation.

The roof design draws inspiration from traditional Tongan fale architecture, incorporating cultural elements into the modern parliamentary complex.

The latest image marks a significant change since Kaniva Tonga News reported in April on the project’s early structural development, when photographs released by the New Zealand High Commission showed steel reinforcements, timber formwork and foundation work.

However, the photograph does not establish how much of the overall project has been completed or whether construction is proceeding according to schedule.

In August, senior project adviser Dr Fakaʻiloatonga Taumoefolau told University of the South Pacific students and staff in Tonga that the building was expected to be completed by early 2028, provided work proceeded smoothly.

The revised timeframe extends beyond the 2027 completion date previously reported.

New Zealand and Australia are jointly financing the reconstruction in partnership with the Government of Tonga, with New Zealand managing procurement and construction.

Westland Construction is the main contractor, working alongside Ca’Bella Pacific Construction Tonga as the prime subcontractor.

The building is designed to withstand cyclones, storm surges and earthquakes, with plans also including a public gallery, dedicated media facilities and an education centre to improve public access to parliamentary activities.

The status of interior installations and finishing work remains unknown.