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New York Times reporting: More than 50,000 New Zealanders have flocked home during the pandemic, offering the country a rare opportunity to win back some of its best and brightest. The question is how long the edge will last. The Ardern government has announced no specific measures aimed at retaining citizens who return. But it is using its border shutdown as a moment to “reset” its immigration priorities, saying last week that it would loosen controls for wealthy investors while curtailing temporary visas for the migrants the country has long relied on as citizens moved away.

Tupou Saulala Haupeakui (27) was sentenced today to a suspended sentence of nine-months imprisonment for possessing 0.46 grams of methamphetamine, seized at Kolomotu'a in 2020. The judge said the producers, suppliers and dealers of the drugs needed “young foolish persons like you to sell the drugs for them”.

New York Times reporting: Fiame Naomi Mata’afa walked toward Samoa’s beehive-shaped Parliament House on Monday morning intending to be sworn in as the first female prime minister in the Pacific Island nation’s 56-year history. What she and her fellow party members found instead were locked doors. The speaker of parliament had issued orders to keep them out. And so deepened a constitutional crisis that has convulsed this long-stable nation and thrown into doubt whether Mata’afa, whose party won the April 9 election, would actually take office.

A National Budget of $618.3 million pa'anga, an increase of $28.7 million on the previous year, was tabled into parliament, by the Tonga government this morning, 24 May. The PM said they have only three weeks to pass the budget before they go away to 'Eua for the opening of a military camp, church conferences and feasting. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Viliami Na’a was sentenced to serve one-month imprisonment for possession of 0.99 grams of cannabis. He is currently serving six-years nine-months imprisonment for grievous bodily harm.

Tonga’s first batch of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines is almost finished with 93% used so far, the Ministry of Health confirmed this afternoon, 21 May. Around 25,970 people have been vaccinated so far.

Maka Latu (35) was sentenced today to eight-years imprisonment for 16 offences, including possession of 50.22 grams of methamphetamine. In one incident he had resisted arrest and Police shot the tyres of his vehicle. "In my view, those who import, manufacture, distribute or supply illicit drugs are currently one of the greatest threats to the physical, mental and spiritual health of the people of Tonga and its social fabric and cohesion." said the Chief Justice.

The response of the Tongan Parliament to King Tupou VI’s speech to open parliament on May 6, was delivered to the Palace Office today by the Speaker and the Prime Minister. They were not granted an audience with the King.

New medical equipment, including thermography cameras to improve Tonga's border control against COVID-19, was handed over to the Ministry of Health from the Government of Japan. “We also hope that Tonga could open the border even only a day sooner through our various assistances, including vaccinations,” he said.