New study shows Tonga’s Hunga eruption produced the most intense lightning ever recorded

The 15 January2022, eruption of Hunga Volcano in Tonga continues to break records. According to a new study, the eruption created a “supercharged” thunderstorm that produced the most intense lightning ever recorded. There were nearly 200,000...

Our Changing World: SAR4SaR - The folding, floating search and rescue device

Dr Tom Dowling with the latest SAR4SaR prototype at Mission Bay beach in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Claire Concannon Imagine you're on a boat lost at sea, too far from the coast for a VHF radio or mobile phone to work. Maybe you've got a personal...

How Kiwi-Tongan actress Luciane Buchanan became one of Netflix's biggest stars

The Night Agent. Luciane Buchanan as Rose Larkin in episode 103 of The Night Agent. Cr. Dan Power/Netflix © 2023 Photo: © 2023 Netflix, Inc. Thanks to her starring role in the hit Netflix series The Night Agent, Kiwi-Tongan actress Luciane...

AUSTRAC steps up Pacific partnership to tackle financial crime threats

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) says it is intensifying collaboration with Pacific nations to stay ahead of fast-evolving financial crime threats, including child sexual exploitation, cryptocurrency abuse, and...

Patriots reportedly trade Keion White to 49ers for two draft picks

New England Patriots Keion White is heading to the Bay Area. AP Photo/Stew Milne By Conor Ryan October 28, 2025 | 7:34 PM 2 minutes to read Share Close Send this article to your social connections. Share Send this article to your social...

Global FinTech Resilience: Building Financial Systems For Climate Shocks And Crises

The 21st century is characterized by both rapid technological advancement and a concerning increase in global shocks. Climate disasters are happening more often and with more force, pandemics are still showing how weak systems are, and...

Shaun Wane promises England-Australia ‘smash-up’ in long-awaited rugby league Ashes

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...

Safer, smarter schools: $21M boost for Tonga Education Project

Tongan students are set to benefit from safer, more resilient schools, thanks to an additional $21 million in funding for the Tonga Safe and Resilient Schools Project. This expansion aims to reach 8,000 students, ensuring disaster-resilient...

Dr Paula Vivili appointed SPC Director-General

The South Pacific Community (SPC) new incoming Director-General is Dr Paula Vivili His appointment was announced at the conclusion of the 14th Conference of the Pacific Community recently, in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Dr Vivili, will be the 23rd...

Underwater volcano off Oregon Coast could erupt by 2025, scientists warn

Axial Seamount, a 3,600-foot-tall underwater volcano located 300 miles off Oregon's coast, is showing signs of an impending eruption, with a forecast window between July 2024 and the end of 2025. Axial Seamount is one of the most monitored...

Survey finds mental health challenges in Tonga, calls for urgent action

A groundbreaking mental health survey in Tonga, funded by the New Zealand government, has revealed significant levels of psychological distress, highlighting an urgent need for improved mental health services in the country and across the Pacific....

Surveys Find Significant Mental Distress In Samoa And Tonga

University of Auckland Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga / Supplied Research in Samoa and Tonga highlights an urgent need to improve mental health services in the Pacific, says University of Auckland Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga. Surveys...

Parents key to tackling hearing loss in children says NZ-born Tongan scholar

Parental involvement is critical to addressing hearing loss in Pacific children, according to a groundbreaking study by University of Auckland researchers. The review, led by PhD candidate Linda Palavi, along with Dr. Elizabeth Holt and Professor...

9 Of The Best ‘Ocean Views’ From The Nature’s Best Photography 2025 Awards

Dive beneath the surface with 2025’s best ocean photography, and get a glimpse into the hidden lives of sharks, whales and sea dragons. © Nicolas & Léna REMY Since 1995, the annual Nature’s Best Photography Awards strive to bring together some of...

BSP, banking tech firm NCR Atleos to roll out new ATMs in region

NEW deposit automatic transaction machines (ATMs) will be installed throughout the country after the Bank South Pacific Financial Group Limited signed a K90 million investment deal with a banking technology company last week. The machines will be...

Bureau of Meteorology's new website is slammed for 'putting lives at risk' during catastrophic storms - as millions of Aussies unleash on the 'confusing' $4million redesign

The Bureau of Meteorology has come under fire for 'putting lives at risk' by launching a 'flawed' website redesign ahead of a severe thunderstorm in Queensland. Changes to the Bureau's website went live on Wednesday, days before about 120,000...

Gregor Townsend vehemently defends controversial second job with Red Bull

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...

Rare Pacific Sleeper shark filmed in Tonga Trench

Researchers from the University of Western Australia have captured rare footage of a Pacific sleeper shark in the Tonga Trench, the world’s second-deepest marine trench. In September 2024, a camera deployed at a depth of approximately 1,400 meters...

15-Minute Countdown: The Hidden Warning Before Tonga’s Volcano Exploded

The 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai was not only massive but also a scientific milestone with the detection of seismic waves 15 minutes before the visible eruption, offering new insights into volcanic forecasting. (Artist’s concept.)...

Meghan Did Research Prince Harry and the Royal Family Same Way She ‘Checks Out the Menu Before Going to a Restaurant,’ Insiders Say

Royal family Here's the reason why people who know the Duchess of Sussex believe she did Google Prince Harry before they got together. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are making headlines again and not for any reasons they want. The Duke of Sussex...