Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Elections and motions of no confidence have abounded in the region this year.

Vanuatu will hold a snap election on 16 January. They've already had four prime ministers in three years, despite bringing in laws to try and calm the uncertainty.

The newly elected Solomon Islands prime minister had a motion moved against him, but it was withdrawn.

Tonga elected a new prime minister on Christmas Eve after the incumbent, Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, resigned ahead of a motion of no confidence.

Tuvalu elected Feleti Teo as their new prime minister.

Palauan incumbent Surangel Whipps Jr and Kiribati's Taneti Maamau both returned to office.

(RNZ Pacific)

VANUATU EARTHQUAKE

On December 17, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake shook Port Vila and surrounding areas.

Fourteen people were killed just before Christmas. More than 200 others were injured and 80,000 impacted. Power and water remained off for days in some places.

Strong aftershocks meant dozens were too scared to go back into their homes and opted to camp in the open instead.

One survivor told RNZ Pacific he was trying to get out of the Billabong building when it came down.

"We did not manage to reach the door and then the building fell down.

"There was a huge cement post that had fallen down just a few centimetres away from me."

Recovery continues, with aid and support coming in from New Zealand, Australia, and France.

(RNZ Pacific)

ILLEGAL FIREWORKS EXPLOSION

A New Year’s celebration took a tragic turn after a massive explosion, caused by what officials confirmed were illegal fireworks, killed three people and sent more than 20 to the hospital in critical and serious condition.

First responders raced to a home on Keaka Drive on Oahu shortly after midnight.

Police said two women were pronounced dead at the scene, and a third woman, 23, later died from her injuries. Their identities have not been released.

Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan said police are conducting a preliminary investigation.

“Based on the preliminary review and nearby surveillance footage, evidence from the scene and witness statements, it appears that shortly after midnight, a person who attended the party lit an aerial cake, which is a container containing multiple aerial fireworks in the driveway at the carport,” he said. “The cake fell to the side and the aerial shot into crates that contained additional fireworks, setting off what is the explosion that you saw on multiple media outlets and social media posts at this time.”

HPD’s Specialized Services Division Bomb Unit recovered additional fireworks that did not explode, Logan said.

(Hawaii News Now)

PALAU DIVERS FOUND

Authorities in Palau say the divers who went missing on Boxing Day have been found and are safe.

The group were found in an area about 48kms from Peleliu Corner, where they went diving and failed to surface on December 26, prompting a search and rescue effort.

The seven tourists and a dive guide were found by a local who was on his way to fish outside the reef.

Chief Temedik Ngireblekuu of Marine Law confirmed that they were all safe.

(RNZ Pacific)

VANUATU SCHOOL DAMAGE

Vanuatu's Ministry of Education says 45 schools have sustained damage with some classified as major following the 7-point-3 earthquake.

The ministry carried out an assessment of school buildings in Port Villa and surrounding areas after the massive earthquake.

The acting director of the Education Services, Jean Jacques Tari told VBTC the ministry will be working to support the worst affected schools in the new year.

(RNZ Pacific)

SAMOA ARRESTS

In Samoa, two men from the village Afega are in custody and facing charges after 10 illegal power rifles were confiscated together with substantial cash following two separate police raids on Christmas Eve.

Hugo Fata and Fata Voi Selafi, both of Afega, are the suspects in the police raid that swept through a business in Matautu and the village of Afega.

A boxer by profession and gold medalist in previous Pacific Games Hugo Fata was taken by Police from a business in Matautu.

The Samoa Observer said the second raid was in Afega where Fata Voi Selafi was arrested at the discovery of 10 illegal and unregistered power rifles and a pistol.

(RNZ Pacific)

FIJI TROPICAL DISTURBANCE

The Fiji Meteorological Office says a topical disturbance in Fiji waters has a low chance of turning into a tropical cyclone when it passes Fiji.

It says TD01F was about 430km west of Yasawa-i-rara at 9am on December 29 and continues to move southeast at about 15km/hr.

The Met Service told Fiji Village people should still take precautionary measures as more rain is expected over the Fiji group.

It said the associated trough of low pressure with clouds and rain will continue to affect the country.

A flood alert remains in force for flood-prone areas adjacent to and downstream of all major rivers in Fiji.

(RNZ Pacific)

RECORD COCAINE BUST IN FRENCH POLYNESIA

Authorities in French Polynesia have seized a record 524 Kg of cocaine aboard a Spanish-flagged vessel on Christmas Eve.

The operation was conducted by French Navy Overseas support and assistance vessel Bougainville, in co-ordination with French Gendarmerie and the OFAST (anti-narcotics office), the French High commission said in a release.

The Australian Federal Police was also involved in what is described as an international intelligence co-operation.

The fishing vessel, identified as Raymi, was intercepted and boarded South of French Polynesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), about 700 nautical miles South of Papeete, with 14 crew members from Columbia and Ecuador aboard.

They have been remanded in custody pending a planned appearance before a local Court, deputy public prosecutor Yann Hausner said.

A total of 524 Kg of cocaine were immediately found inside 11 packs.

It has not been established as yet where the vessel was heading.

The estimated street value of the seized shipment stands at around 122 million US dollars.

The Raymi was then escorted back to French Polynesia's capital Papeete, where it was subjected to further searches.

"It's the kind of operation for which we are also trained", Bougainville Commander Mathieu Leman told local public broadcaster Polynésie La Première.

PACIFIC "DRUGS HIGHWAY"

French Polynesia, as well as other Pacific countries and territories (Samoa, Fiji, Tonga), has been identified as a major transit points of the so-called "Drugs Highway" from North and South America (the United States, Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama) to major markets such as Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

In March 2019, another French Navy vessel, Prairial, in collaboration with the US Joint Interagency Task Force — South had intercepted a fishing vessel off the coast of Nicaragua with 766 Kg of cocaine onboard.

In the other direction, labs in South-east Asia are also using Pacific islands such as Palau or Papua New Guinea as transit points to ship opium-based and methamphetamines to the US market.

(RNZ Pacific)