Regional
Nuku'alofa, TONGA — Poor weather conditions are preventing a team of engineers from repairing a damaged microwave link on the uninhabited island of Kao in Tonga.
The microwave link would restore telecommunications in the Vava'u and Ha'apai group of islands, which have been cut-off from the outside...
Apia, SAMOA — Samoa lifted the nationwide lockdown at 6 o'clock last night (Friday in Samoa) with a new level of restriction in place with no community transmission of COVID-19 yesterday.
In announcing the move Friday morning, Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa confirmed that work and businesses...
Nuku'alofa, TONGA — Tonga's King Tupou VI is urging his people to unify and rise from the ashes of the volcanic eruption and tsunami which devastated the country two weeks ago.
"Where there's a will, there's a way," the King said.
The King was evacuated to his residence inland at 'Eua, just moments...
Apia, SAMOA — Samoa extended its nationwide lockdown on Wednesday for another 24 hours as a precautionary measure with the 26 positive COVID-19 cases in managed isolation.
The Samoa Observer is reporting today that Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa announced the government decision after a...
Apia, SAMOA — As of Jan 25, (yesterday in Samoa), 26 positive cases have been confirmed by the Ministry of Health for Samoa.
All of them are being managed and controlled in quarantine. Currently there is no evidence of a community transmission.
All passengers and frontline workers were swabbed...
Apia, SAMOA — A doctor says Samoa is well-prepared to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the community.
Samoa went into a two-day lockdown on Saturday after 15 people on a flight from Brisbane tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival.
University of Otago Pacific health director professor Faumuina...
Nuku'alofa, TONGA — Tonga faces a long road to recovery, with most of the population affected by the violent eruption and tsunami that followed, and many areas still scrambling to restore basic necessities.
Almost 85 percent of the country's population of about 105,000 people has been affected by...
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND — There is an overwhelming sense relief in Tonga with people thankful the death toll is low following last Saturday's volcanic eruption and tsunami.
A journalist in Nuku'alofa, Pesi Fonua, has described the event as apocalyptic.
He is the father of RNZ Pacific reporter Finau...
APIA, Samoa — Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa has declared a nation-wide lockdown starting today, Saturday, Jan. 22 in Apia (Friday in American Samoa) from 6p.m. until 6.p.m. on Monday, Jan. 24 (Sunday in American Samoa) — after 15 passengers who arrived earlier this week on a flight from...
Apia, SAMOA — Samoa is gearing up for a nationwide lockdown after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases off a flight from Brisbane, on Wednesday increased from 10 to 15.
Chairman of the ruling FAST Party and Minister of Agriculture, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, revealed the increase in positive...