INSIDER
Blinken visits tiny Tonga as US continues diplomatic push to counter China in the Pacific
Read full article: Blinken visits tiny Tonga as US continues diplomatic push to counter China in the PacificSecretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting the tiny kingdom of Tonga as the United States continues to increase its diplomatic efforts in the Pacific while Chinaโs influence in the region grows.
Blinken heads to Tonga, New Zealand, Australia as US shifts Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive
Read full article: Blinken heads to Tonga, New Zealand, Australia as US shifts Indo-Pacific strategy into overdriveSecretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Tonga, New Zealand and Australia next week as the Biden administration shifts its Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive in part to counter Chinaโs growing influence in the region.
China and Australia's dueling Pacific tours make final stops
Read full article: China and Australia's dueling Pacific tours make final stopsThe foreign ministers of Australia and China were both making their final stops Friday on what has become an island-hopping diplomatic duel in the South Pacific.
Tonga's virus outbreak growing rapidly; omicron confirmed
Read full article: Tonga's virus outbreak growing rapidly; omicron confirmedCoronavirus cases continue to rise rapidly in Tonga, and tests have confirmed that the particularly contagious omicron variant is behind the isolated Pacific island nationโs first community outbreak since the start of the pandemic.
Virus enters Tonga along with disaster aid, lockdown planned
Read full article: Virus enters Tonga along with disaster aid, lockdown plannedTonga will enter a lockdown Wednesday evening after finding coronavirus infections in two port workers helping distribute aid arriving in the Pacific nation after a volcanic eruption and tsunami.
Peru: 21 beaches polluted by spill linked to Tonga eruption
Read full article: Peru: 21 beaches polluted by spill linked to Tonga eruptionPeru has declared an environmental emergency after announcing that 21 beaches on the Pacific coast were contaminated by an oil spill at a refinery run by Spain-based Repsol, following surging waves caused by the eruption of an underwater volcano near Tonga.
Fishermen protest after eruption causes oil spill in Peru
Read full article: Fishermen protest after eruption causes oil spill in PeruAn oil spill on the Peruvian coast caused by the waves from an eruption of an undersea volcano in the South Pacific nation of Tonga has prompted dozens of fishermen to protest outside the South American countryโs main oil refinery.
Think tank finds Chinese aid to Pacific nations has declined
Read full article: Think tank finds Chinese aid to Pacific nations has declinedA think tank says China gave significantly less aid to Pacific island nations in recent years despite Beijingโs diplomatic efforts to increase its influence in the region.
More than a shirtless flag bearer: How this Tongan athlete has made Olympic history
Read full article: More than a shirtless flag bearer: How this Tongan athlete has made Olympic historyIt will nearly impossible for Pita Taufatofua to outlast his original claim to fame as โthe shirtless flag bearer,โ which made him a legend on social media.
Pacific isles, secretive states among last virus-free places
Read full article: Pacific isles, secretive states among last virus-free placesThe largest cluster of places without the coronavirus can be found in the scattered islands of the South Pacific. Here's a closer look:PACIFIC ISLANDS: The largest cluster of countries without the coronavirus is in the South Pacific. Much of the South Pacific is relatively poor and has basic health systems that would be ill-equipped to deal with major outbreaks. Not everywhere in the South Pacific has been spared, either. ___Associated Press reporters Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Daria Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report.
England begins World Cup campaign with battling victory against Tonga
Read full article: England begins World Cup campaign with battling victory against TongaDavid Halaifonua of Tonga is tackled by Anthony Watson and Manu Tuilagi of England during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group C game between England and Tonga at Sapporo Dome on Sept. 22 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)(CNN) - England began its 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 35-3 win over Tonga to fire a warning to the tournament's other top teams. However, Tonga proved it can compete with any team in the world on a physical level, after a crunching tackle on England's Billy Vunipola heated up the affair. The almighty hit seemed to inspire the underdogs who equaled the score with a penalty of their own shortly after. Farrel fired over another penalty shortly after the restart, before Jamie George and Luke-Cowan Dickie charged over the line to put the game to bed.