- Mozambique vote: no suspense but some disillusion
- Austrian rapper channels anti-racist rage in Romani hip-hop songs
- Ohtani magic powers Dodgers over Padres in MLB playoff thriller
- Five of the best: Pakistan-England Test thrillers
- Man sets arm on fire as marches across US mark Gaza war anniversary
- Vietnam's young coffee entrepreneurs brew up a revolution
- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says 'very violent' Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Guardians maul Tigers, miracle Mets rally in MLB series openers
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Madrid beat Villarreal but Carvajal suffers knee injury
- Madrid beat Villarreal to move level with Liga leaders Barcelona
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- French rugby player on rape charge whistled but 'serene' on return
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Toddler among 3 dead in migrant Channel crossings
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Kovacic stars as Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Thousands march for Palestinians ahead of Oct 7 anniversary
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
Tonga virus cases surge in wake of eruption
The Omicron variant coronavirus entered Tonga for the first time in the wake of last month's volcanic eruption, officials confirmed Thursday, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the kingdom almost doubled to 64.
Health Minister Saia Piukala said 31 new cases had been detected in the previous 24 hours, a record for the island nation which was virus-free until last month's blast.
Piukala said samples sent to Australia confirmed the variant of the virus spreading in Tonga was the highly transmissible Omicron strain.
The source of the coronavirus infection remains unknown, but suspicion has fallen on ships delivering aid from countries including Australia, China, France, Japan and New Zealand despite strict quarantine rules on the handling of goods.
Australian defence chiefs have denied it came from the Covid-hit warship HMAS Adelaide, saying the vessel did not unload its humanitarian supplies at the wharf in Nuku'alofa, where the virus was first detected.
The nation of about 100,000 remains in lockdown, with stay-at-home orders meaning all businesses and schools are closed and only essential services are allowed to operate.
The restrictions are hampering disaster relief efforts after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted with a force scientists said was more powerful than a nuclear bomb.
The blast generated massive tsunami waves and blanketed the island nation in toxic ash, claiming three lives.
Some 87 percent of eligible Tongans have received two vaccine doses, according to UN data.
Communications remain a problem in the kingdom after the eruption cut the undersea cable linking Tonga to the rest of the world.
Tonga Cable Limited said this week that a cable repair ship had found the broken ends of the link but damage was worse than expected, meaning it was unlikely to be fixed before February 20.
In the meantime, backup satellite links are being used but bandwidth is limited and international communications remain difficult for most Tongans.
M.A.Colin--AMWN