Highlights from Tonga's newspapers, January 14-17, 2008. An English translation summary by Tevita Fonua.

The Kalonikali on January 17 reports that Prime Minister Feleti Sevele, while addressing a conference attended by fellow ministers and department CEOs, had encouraged those who are interested in politics to contemplate a future in the Legislative Assembly, as the current members are aged.

The Kalonikali reported that Sean Le'o, a Samoan, is the new director of the Ministry of Transport. An experienced pilot, Sean is married to Michelle, daughter of former parliamentarian Laki Niu.

The Taimi on January 14 reports that an assistant secretary at the Prime Minister's office is being investigated by police for writing letters without authorization to a local motor vehicle dealer, pledging that vehicles imported for use at the Forum meeting would be exempted from customs duties.

The jury trial of Soane Kohinoa (37), accused of attempting to kill his wife, featured on the front page of the Talaki on January 16. Soane faces six other counts including the discharge of a .22 calibre rifle, wounding his wife Laukau on the chin and striking her with a firearm, inflicting serious injuries to her forehead and nose. The incident took place at the house, where Laukau cohabits with a male friend.

The Taimion December 17 reports that Hingano Tupou, whose husband is in New Zealand, pleaded guilty at the Nuku'alofa Police Magistrate's Court after she abandoned her young children, the eldest of whom is 11-years old and youngest only 22 months, and followed a man to Vava'u. On being asked the reason for her trip to Vava'u, she laughingly told the court that she went on an excursion. The presiding magistrate Salesi Mafi commented, that this is the kind of stupidity that warrants the application of the maximum punitive sentence.

The Kele'a on January 16 interprets the spending during the Vava'u Tourism Festival as a government drive to lavishly woo the voters of Vava'u before this year's Legislative Assembly election.