Tongan Parliament rejects Police Minister’s bid to take oath in English

Cook Islands government is misleading the public into believing the country is undecided on whether to allow deep seabed mining, claims an advocate for ocean conservation and protection. Louisa Castledine’s comments come following a letter sent to...

Tonga eyes strategic Vava'u site for new humanitarian warehouse

When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted in 2021-2022, creating the largest underwater explosion ever recorded by modern science, it highlighted a crucial challenge for Tonga: getting emergency supplies quickly to communities spread...

Tonga Prime Minister ‘Aisake Eke unveils new cabinet

NUKU’ALOFA: Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Aisake Eke (pictured) has announced his new Cabinet, which unusually includes two women and only one noble. Eleven Cabinet ministers were selected instead of 12, with four of them elected by the PM under the...

China backs Tongan women leaders at embassy talanoa

China’s ambassador to Tonga has pledged support for women’s leadership during a cultural exchange with young Tongan women. Over 50 participants from the She Leads Fale Alea 2025 program gathered at the Chinese Embassy in Nukuʻalofa this week for a...

Queen Elizabeth II’s 2007 Range Rover estimated to go for up to £60k at auction

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...

Tonga Tourism lands Down Under: New Aussie rep to boost island paradise

The move aims to boost awareness and position the country as a must-visit destination for Australian and New Zealand travellers in the South Pacific, which is dominated by nearby Fiji. Led by Richard Skewes, PTM brings decades of expertise in...

Trump orders US officials to fast-track deepsea mining, stoking environmental debate

US President Donald Trump has ordered officials in his government to fast-track deepsea mining, leading to cheers from the nascent industry and concerns from environmental groups. In an executive order published by the White House late Thursday,...

Australia to form part of Pacific 'taskforce' set to stir regional controversy

South Pacific defence ministers want to transform a military disaster response group into a taskforce which could also conduct Pacific "stabilisation" missions, in a move which could stir controversy in the region. The shift, which was flagged at...

Letters to the Editor | October 25, 2025

Deputy PMs – RAJEND NAIDU SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA PM assumes role: ‘We can run without one deputy prime minister‘ (FT 24/10). Actually many Fijians believe the Rabuka government still has one extra deputy prime minister unnecessarily burdening the...

China defends Tonga loans amid rising debt concerns: A call for fair representation

China’s embassy in Tonga has taken to Facebook to defend its loans to the Kingdom, following fresh media coverage and concerns about the country’s rising debt. The Facebook post, shared on 24 April, says China gave the loans to help Tonga during a...

‘We just keep going’: The Tongan resort destroyed by nature’s fury – for the third time

When the Ha’atafu beach resort was levelled by the tsunami that hit Tonga last month, it was the third time that the family-run business had been completely destroyed by a natural disaster. In 1982, the resort was wiped out by Cyclone Isaac and 11...

Marshall Islands joins regional sustainability network, commits to renewable energy

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has officially joined the Green Growth movement and committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2045, marking another expansion of a sustainability network that Guam has been instrumental in building...

Project to safeguard Pacific biodiversity and oceans

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu (left), Founder and Chairman of the Waitt Institute Ted Waitt [Source: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change/Facebook] Fiji, Tonga and Nauru have launched a multi-country workshop...

Tonga and PIF set regional agenda ahead of Solomon Islands Summit

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Chair and Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Valu Eke, met with PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa here in Nuku’alofa yesterday to discuss key priorities ahead of the 54th PIF Leaders Meeting in September in Solomon...

Stay: A night at Ngā Manu Nature Reserve in Waikanae

This is just one stop in our tour, which ends in the kea aviary, where mum, dad, and baby have been spending some quality time away from the general public. The kea, said to have the intelligence of a 4-year-old human, are curious and not...

Climate change and China will define US relations with Pacific Islands under Donald Trump, security experts say

By Doug Dingwall (ABC-Australia) Soon after Donald Trump’s election victory in November, a leader from one of the world’s smallest nations voiced a hope to take him snorkelling. Palau’s president Surangel Whipps Jr, leading a Pacific Island nation...

Pacific leaders urge Trump to address tariffs and climate aid concerns in key letter

The leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Troika have reportedly written a letter to President Donald Trump, expressing their concerns about the impacts of US tariffs and climate change in the region. The leaders met in person in Fiji last...

Niue and Tonga see strong returns from smarter tourism planning - survey

Tourism is bouncing back across the Pacific, and two nations appear to be setting the pace with smart, data-led strategies. The latest International Visitor Survey (IVS) results from Niue and Tonga show strong tourism recovery and a shared focus...

Tonga’s new Prime Minister, Dr ‘Aisake Valu Eke

The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development is being held at one of the most difficult moments in recent history. At no time in post-Second World War history has the international environment been as challenging as it is...

Tama Tonga to introduce his 6’8’’ brother as his replacement in Bloodline on SmackDown? Exploring potential WWE debut

WWE RAW after WrestleMania 41 ended with a massive twist when Bron Breakker joined forces with Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins to destroy Roman Reigns and CM Punk. Now, we are moving towards the upcoming episode, which will mark the first edition of...