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The New Zealand Government will purchase COVID-19 vaccines from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax, meaning every New Zealander will be able to be vaccinated, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We have secured more than enough doses to cover our entire population plus the Pacific,” she said. Vaccinations for the public are on track to start in mid-2021.

New York Times reporting: While many poor nations may be able to vaccinate at most 20% of their populations in 2021, some of the world’s richest countries have reserved enough doses to immunize their own multiple times over. “The high-income countries have gotten to the front of the line and cleared the shelves,” said Andrea Taylor, a Duke researcher who is studying the coronavirus vaccines contracts. But the outlook for most of the developing world is dire. Because of manufacturing limits, it could take until 2024 for many low-income countries to obtain enough vaccines to fully immunize their populations.

As Fiji braces for severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa (Cat. 5), Tonga Met. Director ‘Ofa Fa’anunu advises that Tonga should prepare too for a potentially severe cyclone over the weekend. Meanwhile, TC Zazu has moved away from Tonga.

Petroleum and LP gas prices have increased starting today, 16 December, as approved by the Tonga Competent Authority.

Kuliti Tongamoa, aka “Creed”, who supplied cocaine to a former international rugby player 'Epeli Taione (41) at 'Umusi in January, was found guilty on two counts of supplying illicit drugs; while Taione was found guilty of possession of illicit drugs, in a verdict delivered in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on December 11. They will be sentenced on 19 February, 2021.

Four new community projects will be funded under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP) after grant contracts were signed today. They include a new classroom for Kolomotu’a Government Primary School, a water supply system for Vaini, a vehicle for the OTA Center, and waste collection vehicles for Ha'apai.

We are all dealing with the impacts of emissions and climate change—in Australia, in Tonga and everywhere else in the world. To support others around the world, at the PIF High-Level Roundtable in December, Prime Minister Morrison announced Australia’s new global climate finance pledge of at least $1.5 billion over the period 2020 to 2025. This includes a $500 million investment in the Pacific to support renewable energy deployment and climate and disaster resilience. This is a 50 per cent increase on Australia’s previous pledge. By H.E. Adrian Morrison, the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga

The environmental roots of the COVID-19 pandemic need to be addressed to further protect people's health and the planet, the sixth session of the Committee on Environment and Development (UN-ESCAP) decided, because the destruction of the living world undermines our only support system and makes pandemics more likely.

Tonga’s Minister of Justice and Deputy PM, Hon. Vuna Fa’otusia, resigned from Cabinet on Friday, 11 December, according to a reliable government source. The resignation comes during a political leadership upheaval, with a letter to parliament last week for a Vote of No Confidence against the Prime Minister.