Under the initiative, part of the price of non-winning digital lottery tickets will be redirected into a personal savings account. The funds will be locked in until participants reach the age of 55, similar to the structure of a Retirement Mutual Fund. Those aged 56 and older will be allowed to continue saving for a further five years.

The accumulated balance can also be pledged as collateral for loans , offering participants a degree of financial flexibility.

“This ‘Lottery Savings’ scheme isn’t formally named yet, and it is entirely separate from the ‘Lottery Pension’ scheme run by the National Savings Fund (NSF),” Ekniti said. “The money will be segmented from the ticket price and held under principles similar to a Retirement Mutual Fund (RMF).”

Officials said the scheme will apply only to tickets purchased through the government ’s Pao Tang app, which enables transactions to be tracked and linked to individual accounts.

The Finance Ministry also intends to roll out monthly government bond offerings with 1% interest, specifically targeting elderly and retired citizens to encourage wider participation in retail investment.

Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit stressed the project was designed to promote saving, not gambling. He said the aim is safety and capital preservation, noting that funds will likely be managed through a highly secure structure.

The scheme will draw from the 17% of lottery revenue currently under the Finance Minister’s discretion, earmarking part of that pool to seed the savings mechanism.

Lottery revenues are a significant source of state income in Thailand, where gambling beyond the official lottery and horse racing is largely illegal. 

Activists say the benefit is excessive, amounting to about 20 times the minimum wage in poorer regions of the country.

Although Indonesia is Southeast Asia ’s largest economy, the figure is far higher than the national average income of 3.1 million rupiah ($190).

Banners at the rally called for a 20% to 30% reduction in officials’ pay and the eradication of corruption .

“Hope in the future is that actions like this can improve the welfare of the workers, and the demands of the workers can be realised by the government ,” said Wardono, a protester.

The protests also follow President Prabowo Subianto’s plan to reduce regional funding by 25% as part of austerity measures.

Many demonstrators argue that the funding cuts are in sharp contrast with the generous benefits allocated to parliamentarians.

Tonga became the first Pacific Island country to host a Climate Finance Readiness Writeshop and Validation Exercise (4–7 March 2025), marking a major step in boosting its capacity to access climate finance. Co-hosted by the Pacific Community (SPC) and MEIDECC, the event trained 42 participants from government, civil society, and private sectors on developing quality funding proposals using tools like the Woven Logical Framework and PINT. The programme included a field visit to a mangrove restoration project and concluded with a Validation Exercise refining Tonga’s Climate Change Fund proposal. Lu’isa Tu’iafitu Malolo, MEIDECC’s Climate Change Director, emphasised that the workshop strengthens Tonga’s capacity to develop, implement, and monitor effective climate projects—a model for other Pacific nations.

PM presents Tonga's biggest budget $992.8 million

Tonga’s largest budget yet— $992.8 million for 2025-26 —was presented by Prime Minister Hon. Dr 'Aisake Eke to Parliament on 3 June. This includes $748.9 million in cash and $243.9 million in in-kind aid from development partners. Dr. Eke said the budget aligns with His Majesty’s address, the National Development Summit, and government strategic plans, aiming to address Tonga’s economic and social challenges and enhance prosperity. A $29.1 million deficit is projected, mainly due to infrastructure investments, and will be financed by $30 million in local bonds.

Key priorities include:

Samoa and Tonga ready for clash

Oceania Rugby and the Samoan and Tongan Under-20 teams are set to clash at Apia Park on Saturday , June 7, despite heavy rain from Tropical Disturbance 07F. Oceania Rugby’s Wayne Schuster said preparations are on track and alternative plans are in place if needed. If the match is cancelled, Tonga would be awarded the trophy. The winner qualifies for the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy in Spain. Samoa’s captain, East Timor Xanana Viliamu, said the team is prepared for Tonga’s physicality, having practised against local teams using Tonga’s style. “It’s an honour to lead the team,” Viliamu said.

Pacific Central Bankers and Alliance for Financial Inclusion meet in Tonga

Six Pacific central banks are meeting in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, this week to discuss how financial inclusion can boost economic resilience and social equity. Prime Minister Hon. ‘Aisake Eke opened the meeting on 3 June 2025, hosted by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), with over 70 participants from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Tonga, plus guest delegates from Seychelles and Kenya. Topics include digital innovation, cross-sector collaboration, data governance, and the launch of Tonga’s Fintech Regulatory Sandbox. Tonga’s Reserve Bank Governor, Tatafu Moeaki, emphasised its role in fostering safe testing of digital financial solutions. On 6 June, PIRI governors will endorse the Nuku’alofa Pledge for inclusive and climate-resilient financial systems.

Seabased secures 10MW wave energy project in Tonga

Seabased has signed an MoU with Tonga and SIDS DOCK to build a 10MW wave energy plant offshore Tonga. The project will start with a 2MW phase, expected to save $2 million, displace 2 million litres of fuel, and power 2,800 homes. The second phase will add 8MW, saving up to $10.5 million and 42 million litres of fuel. The plant aims to meet half of Tonga’s energy needs and cut emissions by 20%. Tonga’s minister, Albert Vaea, emphasised the relief renewable energy could bring to high-cost island economies. Seabased CEO Laurent Albert highlighted additional benefits like desalination and green hydrogen production.

Some UK business sectors are really gonna be struggling on the back of this budget, including hospitality, leisure and retail, which generally employ staff around the minimum wage, which is being forced up and much larger cost to businesses might mean empty properties and less leisure choices for the population there.

The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.

Adam Lawrence is an economist and housing provider who has been involved in over 700 property transactions in the UK over the past 15 years. He blogs weekly about the UK economy and property market and has built asset-backed businesses which provide housing for multiple segments of the UK market from the private sector to residential care.

The U.S. has approved the sale of Basler BT-67 aircraft to Argentina , including logistical support, at an estimated cost of $143 million. The sale aims to improve Argentina's security and national defence without affecting the military balance in the region.  The Latin American nation is seeking several Basler BT-67 aircraft, spare engines, parts, repair services, and major modifications. The package includes support services like aircraft and ground handling equipment, technical documentation, personnel training, and U.S. Government engineering services. The aircraft will enhance Argentina's airdrop and airlift operations, particularly in Antarctica.

‘Covid-like' flu affects dozens

A mystery flu-like illness in Argentina with symptoms similar to Covid-19 has left dozens critically ill with 60 cases reported in Buenos Aires. According to the Mirror , ProMed, the international public health surveillance system, issued an alert on April 17, stating an increase in severe atypical pneumonia requiring critical care. While no official reports have been made by Argentine officials, reports indicate that some have required mechanical ventilation. Most affected individuals are young without major risk factors. Over a third of those affected showed symptoms of psittacosis, a bird-borne disease, although many had no history of contact with birds, the Mirror reports.

President Milei eyes NATO partnership

Argentina has submitted a request to join NATO to deepen political and security collaboration with Western powers. The request was put forward during a discussion on regional security problems between Argentina's Defense Minister Luis Petri and NATO Deputy General Secretary Mircea Geoana in Brussels. Geoana welcomed Argentina’s bid to become an accredited partner in the alliance stating “Argentina plays an important role in Latin America,” she said at NATO headquarters. President Milei's administration is seeking to secure advanced technology, security systems, and training through the partnership. The request requires consensus from all 32 NATO members, and if approved, Argentina would become a global partner of the alliance.

Dispute as Brazil 'helps UK' get tourists to Falkands

Argentina has issued a furious complaint to Brazil over the UK's promotion of tourism to the Falkland Islands. The diplomatic dispute started when the UK was granted permission to have a display at the WTM Latin America trade show in São Paulo that promoted travel to the Falklands, the Express reports. Argentina's Secretary for the Malvinas, Andres Dachary accused the British government of attempting to gain support for its sovereignty over the disputed islands in the South Atlantic in a letter to the Brazilian ambassador in Buenos Aires. Dachary stated that Argentina has rejected "this new provocation," which he defined as an attempt to use economic measures to "consolidate the illegal British presence in our Islands."

La Rioja province sued in New York over missed bond payment

Creditors filed a lawsuit in a U.S. court against the Argentine province of La Rioja located in northwestern Argentina, intensifying the legal dispute over almost $10 million in missed bond payments. The province missed a main payment on its 8.5% dollar note due in 2028 on February 24. This is the subject of the action, which was filed on April 18 in a federal court in New York. The majority of the interest that was due in late March was paid by provincial officials, but the bond trustee kept some of that money, Bloomberg reports.

The Presidential Aircraft Fleet (PAF) of six jets and four helicopters is set to experience downsizing to reduce the fleet to just seven aircraft. This move is part of efforts to streamline operations, reduce government expenditure, and cut maintenance costs.

“The President is uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintaining the planes. Three planes have been pencilled down for disposal. The main reason is cutting down high maintenance costs. I think officers in PAF were particularly concerned about the frequency of maintenance and how much it costs the nation ," a source told The Nation

“The President decided to let off the aircraft that constitute the most burdensome ," the source added.

During President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in 2016, attempts to sell two aircraft faced some challenges. The government rejected initial offers of $24 million for a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet, which deemed a reduced bid of $11 million unacceptable.

The current PAF lineup includes Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7X, HS 4000, two Agusta 139, and two Agusta 101. Of note, the BBJ 737 exclusively serves as the Nigerian Air Force One, catering solely to the President's travel needs.