French Polynesia confirms Omicron cases
French Polynesia's health minister says there are now 20 Covid-19 cases of the Omicron variant.
Jacques Raynal says practically all cases are tourists who are in Tahiti and Bora Bora.
The minister says people are encouraged to get vaccinate and towear masks.
Covid-19 has infected almost 47,000 people and claimed more than 630 lives.
France cricticised for haste with New Caledonian referendum
A New Caledonian government minister Vaimua Muliava has written to the French president, saying the French government has made a mess out of New Caledonia's referendum process.
Amid a boycott by the indigenous Kanaks, fewer than two percent of eligible voters supported independence in the last plebiscite, which concluded a formal 30-year decolonisation process.
Vaimua Muliava is from the ethnic Wallisian community whose Pacific Awakening party won a kingmaker roll in the 2019 elections.
In what he said is a personal letter to Emmanuel Macron, Mr Muliava said acting in haste for political reasons the French government has only added a rupture to an already divided New Caledonia.
He said he wonders how the French government thought it could successfully conclude the Noumea Accord process while ignoring the indigenous people's call for it to be postponed because of the pandemic.
The French government set the December referendum date unilaterally after the previous French prime minister had agreed not to hold it before next April's French presidential election.
Air NZ flight cancelled due to volcanic ash cloud close to Tongatapu
Air New Zealand has cancelled its Auckland to Tonga flilght today due to concern over a volcanic ash cloud close to Tongatapu.
Tonga's head geologist Taaniela Kula, confirmed that an ash eruption from Hunga Tonga- Hunga Ha'apai started yesterday morning and continued overnight.
Hunga Tonga- Hunga Ha'apai is about about 65km from the capital, Nuku'alofa.
The funeral cortege of Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister, the late Lord Ma'afu, were to be on the Air New Zealand flight.
Matangi Tonga online reports the cancellation of the flight means the funeral programme for Lord Ma'afu is postponed.
Impeachment resolution against CNMI governor readied
A lawmaker in the Northern Marianas has drawn up a resolution impeaching the governor Ralph Torres.
Celina Babauta, who chairs the House's Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee, said the impeachment is over alleged felonies, corruption and neglect of duty.
The governor of the Northern Marianas, Ralph Torres. Photo: CNMI Republican Facebook
So far, 11 representatives have supported the House resolution to impeach Mr Torres.
The 20-member chamber needs two-third of votes to impeach him.
Mr Torres said the impeachment resolution was a dark day for the CNMI, and lawmakers should instead be working together to help people during the unprecedented global crisis.
Samoa extends SOE
Samoa has announced an extension of the Covid-19 state of emergency until 16 January.
The prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said cabinet approved changes to allow for some recreational activities.
All small shops and supermarkets can now be open from 6am and hotel bars and restaurants will be allowed to open from 12noon
Fiame says the cabinet has also approved the annual week of fasting and prayers, starting 2 January, under the auspices of the National Council of Churches.
The Samoa Tourism Authority has been granted permission to have the annual New Year's fireworks display which this year has been relocated to Mt Vaea.