The President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWC) has reportedly denied a claim that he lost his wallet and posted a status on Facebook thanking a student for returning it.
FWC President Tēvita Koloa’ia Havea. Photo/Facebook
The online community has responded with a mix of emotions and suspicions about the post.
It appeared to show that FWC President Dr Tevita Havea was writing to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints’ Liahona High School principal, thanking him for educating an excellent and honest student.
The post claimed the President and his wife were at one of the restaurants in Nuku’alofa.
Unbeknown to the couple, the president’s wallet fell off before the girl who was at the scene at the time discovered it and returned it to the President, the post read.
The wallet allegedly contained TOP$1,000, and the President reportedly gifted the girl with $100, but she did not accept it.
The post praised the girl for having the courage to share her spiritual experience about the Lord Jesu Christ with the couple during the alleged handover of the wallet.
“She was so brave kene share kiate kimaua fekau’aki mo e ‘Alo ko Sisu Kalaisi mo ‘ene ongoongolelei kae pehe kihe fakalelei a Kalaisi”, the post read.
The post ended with Dr Tevita Havea’s name as signatory.
It has been widely shared on Facebook which racked up hundreds of reactions and shares.
Commenters on Facebook had a variety of reactions to the discovery, ranging from the wary to the wondrous.
“Wonderful words from the President of FWC church,” one said.
“We need students like this girl”, said another.
Some, however, were suspicious and questioned the authenticity of the post, saying it did not reflect the type of logical writing the President normally had.
However, the President reportedly told local reporters this morning he did not write the post.
He said he was thankful that the post was attempting to send out a good message to the community.
“But I did not write it, and my wife and I have never been to a restaurant as shown in the post,” he said.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that Starlink internet services were now operational in 102 countries after launching services in the island nation of Tonga.
Vicky Hau. Photo/Facebook (Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board )
Musk posted the announcement on his social platform X, previously known as Twitter.
The Tonga government granted Starlink a provisional temporary permit to operate for six months beginning last month.
The service is not yet available to new customers, and few could afford it, apart from businesses.
“Starlink’s website sales have not kicked off yet. It is still working on activating the Tongan currency so people here can buy the service”, Stan ‘Ahio, Tongan government’s acting communications director said.
“It’s up to Starlink to get it up and running as soon as possible.”
A third of Tonga’s population has had no internet for over a month now, and officials are blaming an earthquake.
A cable ship is expected to arrive in Tonga next week to fix the damage.
The government previously deactivated Starlink shortly after the blackout, saying the service was illegal as a licence was needed to operate in the country.
Musk’s satellite venture launched a free high-speed internet service to connect remote villages in Tonga that have been cut off since a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami in January 2022.
50 VSAT terminals provided free of charge by Musk’s SpaceX were distributed to the outlying islands worst hit by the tsunami.
NSW Waratahs sign Wallaby Taniela Tupou
The NSW Waratahs have continued their off-season signing spree by adding yet another Wallaby to their squad for 2025. Former Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels prop Taniela Tupou will wear sky blue in Super Rugby Pacific next season.
Tupou, 28, is the latest Test-level player to sign with the Sydney-based club. The world-class prop joins fellow Australian internationals Andrew Kellaway, Darby Lancaster and Rob Leota by signing with the Waratahs.
For a player of Tupou’s class and reputation, there’s almost no reputation needed. The man is known globally as ‘The Tongan Thor’ after having his rugby highlights go viral online while he was in high school, and then he made a near-seamless transition to the pros.
Since making the move across the ditch and signing with the Reds, Tupou has played more than 100 Super Rugby matches across stints out of Ballymore and with the Rebels in Melbourne. Tupou has also represented the Wallabies in more than 50 Test matches.
Tongan appointed manager of Mangere Town Centre, New Zealand
A Tongan – New Zealand-born woman has been appointed as boss of the Mangere Town centre, Auckland, New Zealand.
Vicky Hau’s appointment was recently announced on Mangere’s official Facebook account.
“Here’s some exciting news: Vicky Hau is now the Māngere Town Centre manager”, the post read.
It said Hau was a proud Tongan, born and raised here in New Zealand.
“She will be taking the lead for the town centre. A warm welcome to Vicky! We’re sharing this to keep our community informed”.
Hau was a member of the Māngere Housing Community Reference Group, which advocated on behalf of locals with Kāinga Ora.
In a previous interview with Radio New Zealand, she said: “I was born and bred here and lived and worked here my whole life.
“One of the things that got me is seeing how dense the housing is and it concerns me how this will affect our families. I know we need more affordable homes but they also need to be suitable for families.”
Māngere, a suburb of significant historical and cultural importance in New Zealand, is particularly renowned for its rich Māori heritage. One of the most prominent landmarks in Māngere is the Māngere Mountain, known in Māori as Te Pane-o-Mataaho.
Ethnicities were 11.6% European/Pākehā, 16.1% Māori, 68.1% Pacific peoples, 17.5% Asian, and 1.0% other ethnicities.
By Margot Staunton, Senior Journalist, rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
An Invercargill motorist may have saved lives, Police say, by reporting a speeding driver swerving through traffic on a busy State Highway.
Photo: Lucinda Rees
The motorist called 111 to report a car going at least 50kmh over the open road limit, overtaking multiple vehicles and weaving in the lane as it drove north towards Gore on State Highway 1 around 11:10am on Saturday.
Constable Mel Isaacs was one of the Gore units dispatched, and she said she didn’t have to wait long to spot the red Audi coming toward her.
And when the police car’s radar locked on to the 18-year-old’s car, it showed the speed was more than twice the open road limit.
“I didn’t quite believe it when I saw the speed on the radar – I thought ‘is that right?’.”
But it was right.
It also turned out the 18-year-old behind the wheel is faster at driving than he is at learning; just last week, Constable Isaacs had pulled him over for going 30km/h above the 100km/h limit.
“When he pulled over for me this time, he was more concerned with the speed I had to do to catch up to him than anything he had done wrong.
“I’ve never seen a car doing the speeds he was, and if it went wrong, it would have been catastrophic.
“Unfortunately, there are some drivers who shrug at the road safety message, and that puts everyone around them at risk.”
The teen now faces two charges of dangerous driving, relating to the speed and the manner of driving, and will be summonsed to appear in court.
His licence has been suspended for 28 days and the car was towed away.
“We’re unapologetic about targeting speeding drivers.
“High-velocity crashes are horrific events to attend and we will do everything we can to prevent them.
“The motorist who called 111 today potentially saved lives by picking up the phone and giving us the chance to act.
“If you see dangerous driving on the road, please call 111 as soon as you can – don’t assume someone else will make that call.”
Traditional voyaging canoe known as Hinemoana has arrived in Tonga’s Nuku’alofa capital city yesterday.
Hinemoana II co-captains: Fealofani Bruun and Aunofo Havea. Photo: Tongan Voyaging Society
The all-female crew vaka docked at the Inter-island Ferry Terminal after a 10-day voyage from New Zealand.
The Hinemoana II left the Bay of Plenty in July after conducting research on whale populations.
The crew used traditional knowledge in their research practices, blending science and cultural wisdom to help advance their understanding of marine environments.
Aunofo Havea, who is co-leading the voyage, says this unique voyage is “a chance to weave together ancestral wisdom with scientific research to ensure the health of our oceans and the whales that grace them”.
Partnering with Aunofo to lead the voyage is co-captain Fealofani Bruun, who is the first Sāmoan woman ever to attain a yacht master qualification.
Fealofani says the expedition is “groundbreaking on multiple levels”.
“We are not only an all-female Pacific crew, but we are also forging a path for future generations of ocean guardians by combining indigenous knowledge with modern science to protect our whales. I am humbled to be a part of this historic voyage.”
Research on rheumatic fever and gout
Two young Pacific researchers have teamed up with the South Auckland community to address two major health issues facing Māori and Pacific peoples.
Dr. Siobhan Tu’akoi and Dr. Samuela ‘Ofanoa have two key research questions to answer regarding: improving the uptake of urate-lowering therapy for gout patients and reducing the rheumatic fever burden.
Gout and rheumatic fever both disproportionately affect Pacific people, with the highest rates among all ethnic groups in Aotearoa.
The research projects are both in progress and have implications for clinical practice and public health.
They aim to co-design an approach that will work for Pacific people, enhance health and well-being and empower Pacific communities to lead solutions.
Meth dealer handed four-year imprisonment
A Tongatapu man has been jailed for four years after pleading guilty to three counts of possession of 5.04g of methamphetamine, ammunition and utensils.
A total of $436.00 was also seized from his property.
The last two years have been suspended for three years on conditions.
The court was told the police searched Mr Okona ‘One’one’s property on 30 July 2023 after receiving a tip off.
Mr ‘One’one, 31,is married with four children, ages 11 to 2.
His wife is pregnant and expecting twins. He came from a good family and was given a stable, caring upbringing.
The judgement said his parents were deeply saddened by the change that has come over him and led to this offending.
Two men were allegedly caught “red handed” during a botched assassination attempt in which a loaded gun was aimed at the wrong person.
Are you in sticky situation with the law? Or have you suddenly found yourself on the other side of the thin blue line? Whether you are guilty or not, here’s what to expect when you are facing criminal proceedings.
Two men have been refused bail after they were allegedly “caught red handed” during a botched assassination attempt in which a loaded gun was pointed at the wrong person.
Police were called to a street in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, about 8.20am on Thursday after a balaclava-clad man was seen carrying a pistol.
Police allege Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulahi, 24, had covered his head and was wearing all black when he approached a car and pointed the loaded gun at the person in the driver’s seat.
The court heard Mr Tupoulahi held a gun at the driver, who raised their hands in supplication, for ten seconds.
The 24-year-old then allegedly got into a stolen rental car driven by Yousif Zrayka, 20, before the pair fled the scene.
Two men have been refused bail after an alleged assassination attempt in Sydney’s east. Picture: Channel 7
Mr Zrayka allegedly reached speeds of 45 km/hr in peak hour traffic along Old South Head Rd in Bondi as he refused to stop the grey Cupra Leon during a dramatic police chase.
The 20-year-old was arrested when the vehicle finally came to a stop on the main road, but Mr Tupoulahi allegedly tussled with two officers when he resisted arrest.
The court heard he fled the scene on foot and managed to evade police for 30 minutes before he was tasered by officers in the area.
When searching the rental car, police claim they discovered a loaded black revolver and a loaded semi automatic Glock pistol.
The court heard the serial numbers had been filed off the guns and there were two jerry cans full of fuel inside the allegedly stolen car, which was wearing cloned registration plates.
Police allege the men were loitering in the residential street in order to assassinate the owner of a luxury SUV, but they had mistakenly approached the wrong car.
The identity of the alleged target has been suppressed by the Local Court out of concern for their safety.
Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi spent the weekend behind bars on remand before their lawyer Ertunç Özen SC appeared before Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Monday to apply for their release.
The two men allegedly initiated a pursuit in peak hour traffic when they refused to stop for police. Picture: Channel 7
He argued his clients’ alleged actions were “quite amateurish” and there was no evidence that either man had been the mastermind behind the alleged assassination attempt.
To find the men guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, Mr Özen said all other reasonable explanations for their actions would have to be excluded.
“There remain evidentiary hurdles in relation to the conspiracy (to commit murder) offence,” he told the court.
Mr Özen proposed the men be granted bail under strict conditions including electronic monitoring, hefty sureties, and a ban on entering the area where the alleged incident occurred.
However, Crown prosecutor Adrian Walsh said Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi had been “caught red handed” and the case against them was a strong one.
“It’s a well planned but poorly executed attempt,” he said.
He asserted the “nature and seriousness of the offences” would give the magistrate “serious concerns” about releasing the men on bail.
If granted bail, Mr Walsh said police were concerned Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi would endanger the safety of the community, commit further offences, interfere with witnesses and fail to appear in court.
“None of the bail conditions would ameliorate the concerns the court would have,” he submitted.
“The seriousness of the offending outweighs the general right to liberty.”
Deputy Chief Magistrate Sharon Freund found the men had not sufficiently demonstrated why their detention was unjustified given the “seriousness of the offending”.
They were arrested on July 25. Picture: Channel 7
She noted police allege Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi had planned the attack and were “walking around with loaded firearms in the middle of the day” before initiating a police chase through peak hour traffic.
Ms Freund refused to grant the men bail.
The alleged would-be assassins will remain behind bars on remand for nearly two months before they return to court in September.
Mr Tupoulahi is facing 14 charges, including conspiring to murder any person, possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, and assaulting a police officer in the execution of their duty.
Meanwhile Mr Zrayka has been charged with 11 offences, including conspiring to murder any person, possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, and take and drive conveyance without consent of owner.
He will celebrate his 21st birthday while in custody on remand after being refused bail.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed this week by a sophisticated, remote-controlled bomb that was smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse he was staying in, not a missile as has been widely reported, according to the New York Times.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
According to the report, which cites seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and a US official, the explosive device was covertly smuggled into the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps building in Tehran about two months ago.
The Iranian officials, who are members of the IRGC, say the precision of the hit was reminiscent of the remote-operated machine gun that a Mossad team used to kill top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020.
There has been no official comment from Israel on Haniyeh’s assassination, though it has been widely attributed to Jerusalem.
The Times report cites five Middle Eastern officials saying that “Israeli intelligence officials briefed the United States and other Western governments on the details of the operation in the immediate aftermath.”
Moreover, it says, “several US officials who requested anonymity” have reached the “assessment” that Israel was responsible for the assassination.
Haniyeh had arrived in Tehran on Tuesday to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian. The officials quoted by the Times say the bomb that killed Haniyeh and his bodyguard was detonated remotely.
The report notes that the guesthouse is used for retreats, secret meetings, and “housing prominent guests” such as Haniyeh.
The officials cited by the Times note that while the explosion shattered windows and collapsed a portion of the wall of the compound, there was minimal damage to the building itself, indicating that it was unlikely to have been a missile strike.
Israel had vowed to kill Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas after the Gaza-based terror group’s devastating October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.
Former Minister of Finance Tevita Lavemaau has been appointed as ‘Eua government representative.
Tēvita Lavemaau. Photo/Kalino Lātū
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku appointed Lavemaau this week.
The appointment came after the Minister of Infrastructure, Sevenitiini Toumo’ua, previously warned Lavemaau, of a possible investigation into his role in the former government.
The threat came after Lavemaau accused the Ministry of being slow in building houses for the 2021 tsunami victims.
He proposed that a commission should investigate the Ministry’s handling the housing projects.
Former government
Lavemaau was the Minister of Finance in the government of Late Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa which launched the TOP$450 million roading project. The former PM said it was the biggest budget ever allocated for roading works in Tonga.
The project, set to run from 2020 until 2023, attracted a lot of criticisms after what appeared to be favouritism and nepotism, including how the construction contracts were awarded to the Cabinet Ministers’ close friends and blood relatives. Only roads in villages and electorates of the Cabinet Ministers were constructed and repaired.
The Tu’i’onetoa government was ousted in 2022’s premiership election.
As Kaniva News reported previously, the current Hu’akavameiliku government has dumped the roading project together with other community housing projects.
Toumo’ua claimed earlier this year that contractors who supplied rocks for Tu’i’onetoa’s government road maintenance had falsified records to obtain millions of pa’anga monthly.
Minister of Infrastructure and Civil Aviation Seventeen Toumo’ua
Toumo’ua claimed that records of loads carried under the roading contract were falsified in one month to obtain TOP$1 million.
He alleged that trucks transporting rocks for the roading site used two different registration plate numbers.
He said TP$18 million of taxpayers’ had already been paid. He described this as “imprudent.”
Toumo’ua previously launched another attack against the unfinished roading project and other related schemes by telling Lavemaau he should be arrested and investigated.
He said Lavemaau should be investigated for several contracts he was involved with but did not give further details.
The Minister also questioned Lavemaau about a project in which an impact crusher appeared to have been given to his constituency. He also asked Lavemaau about a voucher which he claimed was paid for a service by a truck he owned.
“What about the ($12 million) vessel which could not travel to Ha’apai and Vava’u”, Toumo’ua asked in Tongan of Lavemaau.
Housing projects
The Minister of Infrastructure’s sudden angry outburst on Facebook in December 2023 appeared to have been triggered by a comment by Lavemaau criticising the Ministry’s poor handling of the new housing projects for the 2021 tsunami victims.
The post in question on the Ministry’s Facebook page said 28 houses were meant to be built at Nomuka, but only 12 had been built. It said the Ministry planned to finish three more houses before the end of this year and the remainder would be completed by next year.
In response, Lavemaau wrote under the comment section that he felt for the pitiful state of the people in the outer islands who were victims of the tsunami nearly two years after the tragedy and construction had yet to be completed.
“What is your problem, MOI?” Lavemaau asked of the Ministry of Infrastructure.
He said the funds had long been in the Treasury for the work.
“It is about time for a commission to investigate the work you are doing,” he said.
A Ministry of Infrastructure online administrator told Lavemaau off.
“Tevita Lavemaau you should be the one to be arrested and investigated first to find out the country’s money, your contracts”, it said in Tongan.
“How about Lavulavu’s road construction contract?
“How about the impact crusher for ‘Eua?
“How about the voucher which was paid for your truck?
“How about the $12M for the vessel which could not travel to Ha’apai and Vava’u?”
Lavemaau told the administrator to come clean and show his true identity.
In response, the admin said he was the Minister of Infrastructure Sevenitiini Toumo’ua.
In Tongan he wrote: “ Ko au Sevenitiini Toumo’ua”.
Kava and food on planes from Tonga to Fiji require permit
Travellers carrying more than 2kg kava and other food items with them from Tonga to Fiji are now required to show permits.
Tonga’s Quarantine Division reportedly said that only yams are allowed into Fiji without a permit.
Travellers to Fiji can carry only 2kg of kava into the country.
For amounts of more than 2kg, importers must obtain a licence and a permit for each consignment of kava.
A Radio Tonga report this week quoted Senior Quarantine officer Peioneti Lui as saying: “There have been numerous complaints from Fiji about passengers not adhering to their import policies. We urge everyone to comply with these regulations to maintain good cooperation between our two countries.”
New arrival date for Cable ship
Alcatel’s cable ship CSLodbrogis set to arrive in Tonga on Tuesday, 6 August.
It was delayed in Fiji for over a week due to an issue with its right-hand propeller.
The Tonga Domestic Cable Extension (TDCE), which connects the main island of Tongatapu with the northern islands of Vava’u and Ha’apai, has been down since June 29.
Stan Ahio, acting communications director for the government of Tonga, said the drive shaft was damaged after a fishing net became wrapped around one of the ship’s propellers.
The new arrival date for the ship means a new repair timeline is set for mid-August.
Tongan authorities said the fix will depend “on how easily they can find the damaged cable, and also, they have yet to determine how big the damages are.”
Parliament pauses to mourn former MP Lord Matoto ‘O Tu‘anekivale
Members of the Legislative Assembly today observed a minute of silence in honour of the late Lord Matoto of Tu’anekivale, former parliamentarian and Minister of Finance, who passed away last month.
The Speaker of Parliament, Lord Fakafanua, also conveyed a condolence message and love to the family from the Legislative Assembly during this difficult time.
The late Lord Matoto was a civil servant, politician, and Cabinet Minister. He was the Minister of Finance during Lord Sevele’s government and administration from 2008 to 2011.
He was one of the first Tongans to be named a Life Peer in Tonga’s hereditary nobility by King George Tupou V.
Hundreds of travellers at Auckland International Airport are stranded after flight check-ins were suspended this evening due to a computer glitch.
Hundreds of travellers at Auckland International Airport are stranded after flight check-ins were suspended this evening due to a computer glitch. Photo / Matt Anderson
One traveller told the Herald an announcement was being repeated over the public address system saying check-in was temporarily closed just after 7pm.
“It’s a bit chaotic,” Matt Anderson said.
“There are hundreds of people and none of them are moving.
“I was meant to be heading to Melbourne for the weekend, but it doesn’t look that’s going to happen now.”
Anderson, who was due to be flying with Jetstar, said customers of other airlines were also being stopped from checking in.
Anderson said he spoke with an airline staff member to find out when he could fly, and she said there had been an issue with Microsoft 365.
“The repeated message just keeps saying, ‘Due to a computer malfunction, check-in has been temporarily suspended’.”
In a statement the airport said: “The check in system at Auckland Airport is currently experiencing technical difficulties, meaning check-in is slower than usual. Our technical teams are investigating, and we are working hard to resolve the issue as soon as possible. We appreciate delays can be frustrating, and we apologise to anyone who has been impacted.”
Former South Pacific Games silver medallist and New Zealand heavyweight boxing title holder Fonomanu Sēkona dies aged 72.
Fonomanu ‘Young’ Sēkona
A post on Facebook this morning confirmed his death.
His son Hano Sēkona said: “I really idolize and adore this man. Sorry, Dad. I’ve yet to cry. I’m just trying to stay strong for Mom. I’m concerned for her well-being and don’t want her to see me break down.”
It is understood, the former heavy weight champion was recently admitted to a hospital in New Zealand.
Known by the ring name “Young” Sēkona, he was described as difficult to easily beat because “his left was too quick and feet too fast”. Some commentators compared him to former Tongan “Torpedo, Kitione Lave – the big heavyweight star of the 1950s”.
Sēkona, from Tonga’s Fo’ui village, won nine professional matches in Fiji and Tonga by that stage, after a very good amateur record, according to a report by the Magazine Fight Time.
He won silver for Tonga at the South Pacific Games 1969 in Papua, New Guinea.
He beat some tough ones such as Charlie Dunn, Tommy Mears, England, George Jerome, Canada, Maile Haumona, another Tongan, tough Mani Vaka, and Randy Stevens, U.S.A. Hartmut Sasse, German Champion.
His first loss came in a big outdoor promotion at Carlaw Park, when he faced the Jamaican-born Englishman Bunny Johnson, who had a great record and was British and Commonwealth Champion. Johnson caught Sekona in the second with a beautiful left hook, and it was all over, ending his unbeaten record.
Sekona lived in Hawaii briefly and fought there and in mainland U.S.A. He lost in The United States to Mike Weaver, who was a top-rated fighter at one stage. His other losses were to top fighters Tony Moore, a top-rated British contender, and to tough as teak Aussie fighter Steve Aczel.
His name has been listed as holder of the New Zealand Professional Heavyweight Championship title in March 1982.
