Regional
![Faleolo International Airport [photo: Samoa Observer]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/faleolo.jpg?itok=O-OJq_aB "Faleolo International Airport [photo: Samoa Observer]")
Apia, SAMOA — Construction work on the Faleolo International Airport’s arrival area has now been completed. A grand ceremony is planned for this Thursday afternoon to officially open the airport’s terminals, which also includes the departure area that was opened in November last year.
Prime...
![[SN file photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Samoa%20Central%20Bankweb_0.jpg?itok=L2pLPrTz "[SN file photo]")
Apia, SAMOA — The Central Bank of Samoa (CBS) is warning people to be careful when investing in cryptocurrency after it banned a company promoting it in the country.
The CBS issued a directive to all financial institutions to block foreign exchange transactions related to the OneCoin cryptocurrency...
![[SN file photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/samoa_police_13.jpeg?itok=_lwlgGGm "[SN file photo]")
Apia, SAMOA — A 75-year-old woman of Fagali’i has become the latest road fatality in Samoa.
The deceased is the victim of an alleged hit and run incident on Friday night.
A 19-year-old man allegedly struck the elderly woman when she was crossing the road.
The driver has since been found and...
![[courtesy: Paradise Helicopters]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Monday%20volcano%20pic.jpg?itok=tY4W8udR "[courtesy: Paradise Helicopters]")
PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano destroyed 26 homes and spewed lava hundreds of feet into the air, leaving evacuated residents unsure how long they might be displaced.
In revised figures Sunday, Hawaii County officials said another four unspecified structures were covered by lava....
![The Central Bank of Samoa, in the capital Apia. [photo: RNZI/ Koroi Hawkins]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Samoa%20Central%20Bankweb.jpg?itok=w7KSaqmS "The Central Bank of Samoa, in the capital Apia. [photo: RNZI/ Koroi Hawkins]")
SAMOA'S FOREIGN DEBT REACHES BILLION TALA MARK
Samoa's foreign debt reached the billion tala mark late last year according to a report.
The Samoa Observer newspaper reports the Chinese government is the biggest debtor with loans to Samoa worth more than $US160 million.
That's more than the...
![DEVELOPING LITERACY RATE: The Rotary Club of Apia donated 600 reading books for the Samoa Returnees Charitable Trust of Samoa to assist in their literacy program. [Samoa Observer]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/samoa%20rotaryweb.jpg?itok=soSL31oy "DEVELOPING LITERACY RATE: The Rotary Club of Apia donated 600 reading books for the Samoa Returnees Charitable Trust of Samoa to assist in their literacy program. [Samoa Observer]")
Apia, SAMOA — The Rotary Club of Apia has come to the assistance of the Samoa Returnees Charitable Trust (S.R.C.T.) in their request for educational material to complement their weekly literacy programmes targeting young offenders, and at risk group who needs special attention to prevent becoming...
![[RNZI]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_sunblock-1471393_1920.jpg?itok=l7fLppq7 "[RNZI]")
Honolulu, HAWAII — Hawaii has become the first American state to pass a bill banning the sale of any sunscreens that have chemicals known to harm coral reefs.
The bill bars the sale of sunscreens containing chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which some scientists say contribute to coral bleaching...
PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — The number of homes destroyed by lava shooting out of openings in the ground created by Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano climbed to five as some of the more than 1,700 people who evacuated prepared for the possibility they may not return for quite some time.
“I have no idea how soon we...
Saipan, CNMI — Consumers in the Northern Marianas have been warned against eating romaine lettuce due to the risk of bacterial infection and this warning could also apply to other Pacific islands that import romaine from the U.S.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, and the US...
![Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index map. The lighter you are, the more free are your media. [Photo: supplied / Reporters Without Borders]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_MEDIA_FREEDOM_RWP_2017_map.jpg?itok=jUKTyHRZ "Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index map. The lighter you are, the more free are your media. [Photo: supplied / Reporters Without Borders]")
PACIFIC ISLANDS — The media industry is said to be in crisis, with some leading Pacific journalists describing a dire state of affairs when it comes to media freedom in the region.
The United Nations sets 3 May as World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness about the importance of a free media.
The...