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Around 83% of eligible population in Tonga have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 up to January 6, the Ministry of Health confirmed today. (This represents about 60% of the total population.)

Tomorrow's official opening of Tonga's new parliamentary session for 2022, by King Tupou VI, has been postponed to Tuesday January 11. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Fiji is experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases with 580 new cases over two days January 2-3. Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services confirmed community transmission of both the Omicron and Delta variants of the virus in the country. “As with previous variants, unvaccinated people are at higher risk of severe disease,” stated Fiji's Health Ministry. Fiji has recorded a total of 702 deaths from COVID-19. By Eleanor Gee.

A gale warning was upgraded to a storm warning for all Tongan coastal waters this afternoon. Extreme high tides at 8:50pm tonight are forecast to bring a heavy damaging swell up to 4-6 metres, driven by storm force winds, as an active trough continues to move slowly over Tonga.

New York Times reporting: Goro, is the largest nickel mine on a tiny French territory suspended between Australia and Fiji that may hold up to one-quarter of the world’s nickel reserves. It also poses a critical test for Tesla, the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, which wants to take control of its supply chain and ensure that the minerals used for its car batteries are mined in an environmentally and socially responsible fashion. Because of its nickel industry, New Caledonia is one of the world’s largest carbon emitters per capita. And mining, which began soon after New Caledonia was colonized in 1853, is intimately linked to the exploitation of its Indigenous Kanak people. The legacy of more than a century of stolen land and crushed traditions has left Goro’s nickel output at the mercy of frequent labour strikes and political protests.

The funeral programme for the late Lord Ma’afu, is proceeding in Tonga after an Air New Zealand cargo flight landed at Fua'amotu Airport this afternoon, repatriating his remains from New Zealand. Mourners wearing funeral mats, lined the roadside at the estate of Vaini. Photos by Pesi Fonua and Eleanor Gee.

A man from Pea, named as Tali Fatafehi (39), drowned at White Sands Beach on Monday, 27 December, Tonga Police have confirmed today. The victim was swimming with his son and a friend, when strong currents swept the three away from the beach, at around midday on the public holiday. The other two swimmers were rescued.

The Ports Authority Tonga (PAT) will partner with a new society to import ferronickel slag from New Caledonia for major infrastructure projects.

HM King Tupou VI this morning, 28 Dec., presented Tonga’s newly elected Prime Minister, Hon. Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni (51) with a Royal Warrant of Appointment at the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa. He will hold the office of Prime Minister from 27 Dec. 2021 for four years. Meanwhile, the King has approved a new 12-member Cabinet and two Governors for Vava'u and Ha'apai, and the Warrants of Appointment were read and returned to the Legislative Assembly this afternoon. The names of the new government ministers are expected to be announced by the new Prime Minister soon.