Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) wants the country to repeal its criminal libel laws.

This comes after the association's president, a veteran Samoan journalist Lagi Keresoma, was charged by police under the law on Sunday.

Keresoma, a senior journalist for Talamua Media is facing one count of defamation.

The complaint was lodged by a former police officer in relation to an article she wrote on May 1, 2025.

In the article, she reported that a former police officer was seeking assistance from the Head of State to have charges against him withdrawn.

The former officer is currently facing two charges of forgery related to a loan application, which he has denied. His case is pending in the Supreme Court.

In a statement, JAWS said it stands in full solidarity with Keresoma, who is facing charges under the Crimes Act 2013.

It said Section 117A of the Crimes Act should not be used to silence journalists and discourage investigative reporting.

It said it is deeply concerning that Keresoma's integrity and professionalism are being prosecuted under a law that has long been criticized for its negative effect on media freedom.

It is also calling for Section 117A to be repealed and for Samoa to return to a legal framework that protects press freedom and resolves defamation through civil remedies.

JAWS said it stands with Keresoma and affirms her right to report freely and without fear of criminal prosecution.

(RNZ Pacific)

ALLEGED THREAT ON HAWAIIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT

A man was arrested and charged Tuesday after officials say he told a flight attendant the passenger next to him had a bomb.

It happened on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 15 at San Diego International Airport.

The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department arrested John Stea, 35, and charged him with Making a False Bomb Threat, California Penal Code (PC) 148.1, and False Report of a Security Threat, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Code 7.07.

He is a member of the military, port officials said.

Officials said the flight attendant informed the captain about the potential threat as the flight was pulling away from the jetway.

The plane did not leave the ground, and was surrounded by emergency vehicles on the tarmac.

The 283 passengers and 10 crew members were seen disembarking the aircraft, an Airbus A330-243, that was scheduled to depart at 8:28 a.m. HST for Honolulu.

One passenger on board who wanted to remain anonymous recounted what happened, saying shortly after the plane pushed back from the gate, crew members made an announcement over the plane’s PA system about a matter on board.

The passenger said the plane was then parked off to the side for over an hour before FBI agents got on board and headed to the back of the plane.

“At first I was like, kind of calm. I thought that it was just something wrong with the plane,” the passenger said. “But then as soon as I saw the FBI come in with their rifles and stuff, that’s when I was like getting kind of scared. And then I saw somebody getting handcuffed in that video, and then I was like, ‘Okay wait, this is kind of getting serious.’”

“The other passengers, they said that they had like two big black luggages [sic] that looked like toolboxes. And they were like already acting suspicious from the gate. I think they were acting like drunk, and they were saying some suspicious things,” the passenger added. “That kind of became a red flag that something suspicious was going on with them.”

(Hawaii News Now)

POLIO IN PNG: HEALTH EXPERT SAYS 'NO CAUSE FOR PANIC'

Papua New Guinea's government needs to focus on areas with very low vaccination coverage after the poliovirus was detected in the country, according to a population health academic.

Polio virus has been found in two healthy children in Lae during a routine screening, and the World Health Organization has declared an outbreak.

The government's planned response includes at least two rounds of nationwide vaccination.

Curtin University's international health professor Dr Jaya Dantas told Pacific Waves childhood vaccination rate in PNG sits at about 50 percent which she said is "extremely low".

"It should sit at anywhere between 85 to 94 percent for it to have herd immunity with those who are unvaccinated," she said.

She said it is important that the government focuses on areas where the coverage is very low.

"There are certain areas that have only eight to 10 percent coverage."

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious disease mainly affecting children under five years of age but also can affect older age groups.

Most infected people have no symptoms but can transmit infection to others by excreting the virus in their feces. It is estimated that one in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis.

She said the polio vaccine is given orally and is easy to give to children.

"Communities need to be committed and the government needs to be committed. And PNG's response has been swift now, but it's been reactive.

"You really need vaccination for all childhood illnesses to be intensified for all children under the age of five, to see that their vaccination is up to date."

(RNZ Pacific)

COOK ISLANDS MINIMUM WAGE SET TO RISE TO $10 PER HOUR

Cook Islands will increase its minimum wage by 50 cents to $10 per hour, a change welcomed by some workers and expats but considered insufficient by others and potentially impactful for small tourism businesses facing rising costs.

The Cook Islands' minimum wage will increase by 50 cents, from $9.50 to $10 per hour, effective 1 July 2025.

While some welcome the change, others argue it's insufficient given the rising cost of living, including soaring rental and food prices.

The Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council notes that smaller businesses may feel the impact of this increase.

The Employment Relations (Minimum Rate of Pay) Regulations, signed by the King's Representative on April 15, approved the proposed increase.

The new minimum wage was proposed following the annual review mandated by the Employment Relations Act 2012.

(RNZ Pacific)