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'Tongan Thor’ Taniela Tupou confirms he's leaving New Zealand rugby

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The schoolboy rugby sensation dubbed “the Tongan Thor” quashed some speculation about his future when he revealed he will leave at the end of this school year term and  play rugby for Australia.

The 18-year-old Taniela Tupou refused to sign a loyalty agreement with the New Zealand Rugby Union last weekend.

The agreement will allow him to be eligible for its Schoolboys team, after initially being blocked because he only carried a Tongan passport, The New Zealand Herald reported.

”If I signed it I wouldn’t be able to go to Australia,” he said.

The Tongan born 135kg prop told Herald he wanted to unite with his brother and sister who live in Australia.

As is the case with New Zealand selection for New Zealand National Rugby players, players must hold a New Zealand passport or a resident visa.

He told Herald how he was being treated after New Zealand rugby authorities found out he was not eligible to play for New Zealand national teams.

“They said that ‘if you’re not on a New Zealand passport and you’ve been here for four years, you can play for the team’,” Tupou said.

“But I’ve been here for four years and they said I can’t play for the New Zealand A team. It’s not fair. Maybe I’m not good enough to stay here.

“But that’s one of my goals this year — to play for the New Zealand A team. If I can play with them, then maybe I’ll change my mind from going to Australia. If I have the chance to play for the All Blacks, I’ll take it.”

Massive Faua Wharf extension plan revealed

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tonga’s Port of Authority will extend Faua harbour at the western side of Kuini Salote wharf starting next year.

The proposed plan involves expanding the wharf’s watrfront  operations areas by 250 m  from the wharf’s current locations which can cover sea areas up to Takaunove cemetery at Vuna rd.

The TP$60 million extension plan will be funded by the Japanese government and it is expected to be completed by 2018.

It will put Tonga in a better position to handle new services and the growing trend to more frequent visits from larger ships.

Only two ships at the size of MV ‘Otu Anga’ofa can berth at Faua at present but the extension when completed will allow up to 10 ships to dock at the port, Mosese Lavemai, Ports of Authority General Manager told Radio Tonga.

Parliament closes on September 11

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tongan Legislative Assembly of Tonga’s parliamentary term 2010-2014 will be officially closed next Thursday during a soft closing ceremony in Nuku‘alofa.

Reports from the Palace Office, it is His Majesty’s pleasure for a Commission of three Nobles to officially close the 2014 session of the Legislative Assembly.
Names of Nobles are yet to be confirmed.

The soft closing ceremony will not involve the usual fanfare of a State closing including school marching and parade.

Arrival of MPs will start at 10am before the arrival of the three Nobles to deliver the closing speech.

One of the nobles will deliver a closing speech from the throne on behalf of his Majesty King Tupou VI.

The closing of Parliament is to allow time for candidates to run for the next general election in November.

– Press Release

Fiji authority ‘very concerned’ after rebels pull out

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Fears are growing for the safety of 45 Fijian peacekeepers after the al-Nusra front had pulled out of United Nations-brokered negotiations with rebel agents.

The rebels al-Qaeda linked group claimed it was responsible for the capture of the 45 soldiers. At the sametime the Fijian and UN authorities could not be able to tell where exactly the soldiers are kept.

In a press conference, RFMF Commander Brigadier-General Mosese Tikoitoga has confirmed this to Fiji’s media saying there is still hope the rebels will “come back to the table very soon”.

“Now we have reached the ninth day of capture and we are very concerned”, Fiji Times Online quoted Tikoitonga as saying.

It has also been revealed the Land Force Commander Lieutenant Colonel Jone Kalouniwai and a team of three senior military officers will be flown to Syria next week to join the negotiators.

The ambassador at large, Major- General Ioane Naivalurua, is travelling to New York next week to help put pressure on the UN system, Times report says.

Tu'ikolongahau’s chair wins woodshow recognition

By
Kalino Latu
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A chair made by a Tongan student who is studying doctorate in architecture at the University of Hawaii won the Spirit of the Show at the Hawai‘i Woodshow Award 2014.

Mohuhano ‘Mo’ Tu’ikolongahau produced the piece, titled “Rise Chair,” while a graduate student in a DArch elective studio class, Arch 693-Advanced Furniture Design and Fabrication, taught by Assistant Professor Hongtao Zhou.

“It was challenging to balance the elements—structure, seating, backrest—to achieve a cohesive look that was functional at the same time,” said Tu‘ikolongahau, who spent two months working on “Rise Chair.”

“The Spirit of the Show Award recognizes the most creative use of underutilized Hawai‘i-grown non-native wood species”, a statement from the university says.

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“Mo’s design took advantage of the straight ash wood fiber to create a long spiral using a free-form laminating technique, combining both sculpture and structure elements to create an architecturally beautiful as well as functional chair,” said Zhou.

Tu‘ikolongahau studied at Tonga High School in Tonga and obtained his undergraduate degree in Architecture from University of Hawaii, Mānoa in 2012.

There are more than 80 entries from Hawai‘i, California and Japan in the HFIA’s 2014 Hawai‘i Woodshow.  UHM’s School of Architecture students and faculty contributed nine entries to showcase their design talents and woodworking skills.

Sponsored by the Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association (HFIA), the statewide juried wood show is being held at the Honolulu Museum of Art School at Linekona until Sunday, September 14. The show is free and open to the public.

Mo Award
Mohuhano ‘Mo’ Tu’ikolongahau, in middle, with his professor, Hongtao Zhou, at right. UHM School of Architecture faculty and students at the 2014 Hawaiʻi Woodshow, from left: Woodshop Supervisor Steve Hill, students Landon Hamada, Mohuhano Tu‘ikolongahau and Christopher Songvilay, and Assistant Professor Hongtao Zhou.
'Rise Chair,' which won the Spirit of the Show Award at the 2014 Hawaii Woodshow.
‘Rise Chair,’ which won the Spirit of the Show Award at the 2014 Hawaii Woodshow.

Peacekeepers captors threaten trial of captive Fijians

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The Syrian terrorist group which seized 45 Fijian peacekeepers since last week has threatened to try the captured soldiers by Sharia law unless their demands are met.

The Al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front wants to be taken off the United Nations (UN) terrorist list, wants humanitarian aid delivered to parts of the Syrian capital Damascus, and wants compensation for three of its fighters it says were killed in a shootout with UN officers, said Brig. Gen. Mosese Tikoitoga.

“Tikoitoga didn’t say if the demands would be seriously considered. He said the U.N. had sent hostage negotiators to Syria to take over discussions from military leaders”.

“Negotiations have moved up to another level with the professional negotiators now in place,” he said.

The Nusra Front accused the UN of doing nothing to help the Syrian people since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011, Times of Israel report says.

“It said the Fijians were seized in retaliation for the UN’s ignoring “the daily shedding of the Muslims’ blood in Syria” and even colluding with Assad’s army “to facilitate its movement to strike the vulnerable Muslims” through a buffer zone in the Golan Heights”.

The demand release came one day before Fiji’s Former Prime Minister Steven Rabuka told Radio New Zealand on Wednesday “Fiji’s Muslim community could face a serious backlash if the peacekeepers were harmed by their captors”.

The comments prompted probe by Fijian authority.

Radio New Zealand quoted Fiji’s Broadcating Commission as saying, “chief operations officer assistant commissioner of police, Rusiate Tudravu, has confirmed a directive has been issued to look into Rabuka’s comments”.

Mr Rabuka stands by his comments saying he was pointing out something that could potentially happen, the Radio said.

Vakaafi to represent Tonga in 2016 Olympic Games

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The first Tongan marathoner to compete in the Commonwealth Games has confirmed he will represent the kingdom in 2016 Olympic Games.

As part of his preparation for the Olympics, Tongia ‘Toni’ Vakaafi will be in Papua New Guinea next year to take part in the 2015 Pacific Games.

Known to many of his friends by the nickname,  “Toni the Tongan Tornado”, he represented Tonga in the last Commonwealth Games.

The 39 year-old long-distance runner said: “he is grateful to his family for their faith in him and to the Kingdom of Tonga for giving him this opportunity to represent them and to realize his boyhood dream of competing in the Olympic Games”.

Toni from Vava’u group, Tonga’s second largest islands,  is now living in Orem, Utah with wife Monica and they have five children.

Tongan man dies in Arizona house fire rescue

By
Kaniva Pacific
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A 40-year-old man died in Mesa, Arizona, in the United States after he was injured in a house fire near Second Street and Stapley Drive on August 20 .  

Ben Maile, an operator with Dunn Transportation, died and his wife Sela Maile was severely burned in the fire that destroyed their house. 

Eight people in the house including Maile’s five children got out of the house unharmed.

Abc15 news report says “when Maile noticed smoke coming from his home, he rushed to get all seven people out safely”.

Maile rushed back to the house to rescue his wife.

Maile’s sister-in-law Stefanie Tai told the news, "He's the one who got everybody out of the house…and ultimately passed away from it."

Mesa Fire Cpt. Bob Tribbensee said, "The fire was in the carport and the rear of the house".

The deceased and his wife have two young kids.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Earthquake felt in Tongatapu

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tongans have reported feeling a magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck the eastern side of Tongatapu yesterday at 6.33pm.

It was centred about 175km east of ‘Ohonua, ‘Eua and 203 km east of Nuku’alofa.

Radio and Television Tonga news updates on Facebook says: “an earthquake, a bit shaky for several seconds”.

A commentator responded and said: "didn't even notice, cos i was on the road".

The Watchers website says “A strong and shallow earthquake measuring M6.0 on the Richter scale hit Tonga region on September 4, 2014”.  

Two Tongan inmates currently on death row

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Two Tongan men are awaiting execution in the State of California, USA, after they were convicted on two separate murder incidents decades ago, says recent report.

Siaosi Vanisi, 45, was found guilty and sentenced to death for killing a University of Nevada, Reno police officer in 1998.

Witnesses told the judge Vanisi repeatedly told them he wanted to kill a cop in the days before he hack to death Sgt. George Sullivan, a 19-year veteran of the force who left behind five children and a widow.

Vanisi struck Sullivan with a hatchet more than 20 blows while the officer sat doing paperwork in his squad car shortly before 1 a.m. on Jan. 13, 1998.

Tupoutoe Mataele, 41, was convicted in August, 2005 for the shooting death of Danell Johnson on Nov. 12, 1997, and the attempted murder of John Matsubayashi, Johnson's roommate.

Court document says Mataele and the victim, Danell Johnson, were involved in a group that was committing identity theft and drug dealing. 

Deputy District Attorney Mike Murray said that Mataele and a friend lured Johnson outside his Anaheim apartment and shot him in the head.

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