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King Tupou VI expressed his concern about government spending on business ventures and questioned whether the money was used transparently. He also urged government to put an end to illicit drugs use in Tonga, which along with climate change posed “great threats to our children and our lives.”

‘Etuate Siaosi Katoa (32) was jailed after pleading guilty to the falsification of accounts and theft of building supplies valued at $19,644 from his employer, while working as its delivery driver.

On April 20, 2024, the Tonga Ministry of Fisheries made the official handover of 12 boats equipped with Yamaha 60hp engines, and navigational and safety equipment to 12 Vava'u Special Management Area (SMA) communities, as part of the transformative Pathway to Sustainable Oceans Project (Tongafish Pathway) embedded in the Ministry of Fisheries.

A fall in the demand for seasonal workers through Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, is due to the growing number of backpackers seeking work in rural areas, and the new PALM Deed of Agreement, according to Research Associate and Pacific labour markets and migration expert, Richard Curtain.

Hemaloto Manukailea (50) was sentenced to 19-months imprisonment with part suspended for causing serious bodily harm, when he punched another man, fracturing his jaw, outside a bar in Nuku’alofa, on a night out of drinking alcohol. “The public must be protected from violence and the streets of Tonga must be safe places for the community. The custody threshold has been passed; this offence is so serious only a prison sentence is merited,” the judge said.

A father of four, Sosaia Fifita (36) was jailed for charges including possession of 1.16 grams of methamphetamine during a drug bust in Tofoa last year. A repeat offender, his problem with methamphetamine use dated back to 2009. The judge set the starting point at 24 months “in the light of his continued and determined drug dealing.”

An ash cloud was observed being emitted from the Tofua Volcano rising to a height of 4km - 6km on Sunday 29 April 2024 at 10:00pm, and recorded by the Japanese weather satellite HIMAWARI-9. Tonga Geological services reported that the volcanic activity, which commenced on Friday, 26 April, has exhibited an unusual pattern, with continuous monitoring revealing fluctuation in event frequency. A Marine Hazard Alert was issued today advising all Mariners to sail beyond 1.08 nautical miles from Tofua Volcano until further notice.

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga will hold a soft closing of its 2023-24 session on Thursday next week, 2 May, without much fanfare. Parliament will then take a break until the State Opening of the 2024-2025 Session on Thursday 16 May.

A total of 57 athletics records were entered in the Record Book at the national secondary schools athletic sports in Nuku'alofa this month. The large number of records for 2024 reflected a reset in over 90 years of sporting records in Tonga, after the setting of a new age limit, along with new events/categories introduced at the 97th Secondary Schools Athletic Sports, held at Teufaiva Stadium, over the week 2-5 April, and this year sponsored by TongaHealth.