Fakatapu ki he Tu’i ‘o e ‘Otu Tonga moe Fale ‘o Ha’a-Moheofo, Hou’eiki Nōpele, Fale Alea mo e Pule’anga ka e ‘um’aa ‘a e kakai ‘o e fonuā. Kae ‘ataa mu’a ke fai ha tānaki ki he fakatalanoa kuo feia meihe pāengani. Kuo mahino ko e sino pule ‘o e Pule’anga Fakavahe ‘oku taki ‘e he Pule-Fakavahe, memipa ‘a e kau ‘Ofisakolo, Fakafofonga Fale Alea, Pule ‘o e Va’a Pulengāue (Pa’anga, Tauhitohi, Ngāue Faka-Kalake moe Pule ‘o e Va’a Ngāue (Ako, Ngoue, Mo’ui, Langa, Kelekele, Sipoti). - ‘Inoke Hu'akau.

When you look at a building, you can see its walls, windows, and decorative flourishes but not the hidden structure that holds everything together. Yet during an earthquake, or after years of strain, that unseen framework can suddenly collapse. The same is true of the fragile political structures that support much of the developing world. By Ricardo Hausmann

On 24 April 2025, the Trump administration issued Executive Order 14285 mandating federal agencies to expedite permits for seabed mining under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980. Trump wants to establish the United States as a global leader in seabed exploitation and loosen China’s grip on the critical minerals market. This helps explain why The Metals Company (TMC) recently announced plans to apply for seabed exploration and commercial recovery permits under this relatively old act. These developments could undermine international law, commitments to peaceful use of the Area Beyond National Jurisdiction and environmental protections. It could also sideline TMC’s Pacific partners. Nauru and Tonga are currently sponsoring TMC’s activities in the Area, but it’s not clear what it’s in it for them if TMC secures a permit for seabed mining under US law. By Nicholas Bainton and Philippa Louey

Researchers have calculated that the 2022 explosive eruption of Tonga's Hunga volcano emitted almost 19 million tonnes of sulfur dioxide, but because the eruption started at least 400 m below sea level, most of the sulfur was erupted into the ocean. The submarine explosions injected an unprecedented amount of seawater into the atmosphere, while sulfur and other volcanic products went into the sea. The researchers say this raises questions about the impact on marine life, and that the long-term effects of seawater on the atmosphere are also unclear.

A high-level advocacy mission to the United States this week, is led by Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Dr ‘Aisake Eke, and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General. Baron Waqa, who are seeking to secure capitalisation pledges for the new Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF).

BSP Tonga, BSP Financial Group Limited, the South Pacific’s International Bank, on 2 April 2025  proudly unveiled its revitalised brand identity. The brand’s stylised Kundu symbolises the strength of connection, shared heritage, and unity across diverse island nations and reinforces BSP’s strong connection to the communities it serves across Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific.