Regional
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The 3.6 million residents of U.S. territories are among the communities in the United States most impacted by climate change. Yet without voting representation in Congress, a vote for President, or representation in regional and international bodies, their ability to...
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – The official opening of the state-of-the-art Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF) on April 25, 2025, marks a new chapter for Veterinary Readiness Activity, Hawaii (VRA, H). The organization, composed of just 45 Soldiers and Civilians, is responsible for all...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A well-placed source in the Samoa police says officers want their power to carry firearms widened.
The senior police officer says the fatal shooting of the former head of homicide last year sparked concern within the force.
However, a formal proposal has yet to be put...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — New Zealand women and South Africa men were crowned HSBC SVNS 2025 champions after securing stirring victories at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles.
South Africa claimed their fifth men’s Series title, and first since 2021 by beating a valiant Spanish side...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Criminal Investigations Department has taken over the investigation of the case that surfaced over the weekend, where a missing teenager was found gagged and tied, and now Samoa Observer is reporting that a suspect has been identified.
Deputy Commissioner Papalii...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Lawmakers representing New Zealand's ethnic communities have condemned critics for focusing on their ethnicity when disagreeing with policies they are proposing.
The remarks follow the torrent of abuse on social media that ACT lawmaker Parmjeet Parmar received after she...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Latest data from Stats NZ reveals that 17.2 percent of New Zealand households had at least one person belonging to the Asian ethnic group in 2023.
Data from 2018 shows such households making up 15.1 percent of total households in the country, according to Stats NZ.
There...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Sister Susana Vaifale of the Missionaries of Faith has lived in Rome for more than ten years and worked at the Vatican's St Peter's parish office.
She told Pacific Waves that when she met the Pope in 2022 for an "ad limina" visit with the bishops from Papua New Guinea...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —American Samoans in Alaska are being criminally targeted based on confusion related to Alaska’s election administration system and because they are labeled so-called “non-citizen” U.S. Nationals by the federal government. On Friday, May 2nd, ten American Samoans will be...
Honolulu, HAWAII — Recent media responses to President Trump’s April 17, Proclamation to restore access for American fishermen to the waters between 50 to 200 nautical miles (nm) offshore within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIHMNM) have raised questions and some confusion...

![Participants of Right to Democracy’s Summit on U.S. Colonialism convened in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands to focus on the intersection of climate change and the democracy deficit in U.S. territories. [photo: Jasmarie Hernández-Cañuelas] Participants of Right to Democracy’s Summit](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/environment_and_democracy_fellowship_.jpg?itok=V_6Bo1xR)
![The new Veterinary Treatment Facility’s surgical suite features modern equipment. [US Army photo: Robert Haynes] The new Veterinary Treatment Facility’s surgical suite](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/va_veterinary_hospital.jpg?itok=xYWq7d7p)
![Samoa police outside headquarters. [SN file photo] SAMOA POLICE](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/samoa_police_64.jpeg?itok=ABP2hsXs)
![The New Zealand Black Fern Women defeated Australia 31-7, the South African Blitz Bok Men defeated Spain 19-5 to both become HSBC LA 7's World Championship Cup Final Champions on Day 2, at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA [Photo by Barry Markowitz] New Zealand Black Fern Women AT Dignity Health Sports Park](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/la_7s_world_championship_2025.jpg?itok=_RXDNjXc)
![Tonga Ministry of Health personnel work to prevent the spread of dengue fever, after an alert was issued in February. [photo: via RNZ] SPRAYING TO PREVENT DENGUE FEVER](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/tonga_spray_jpg_copy.jpg?itok=HCq0PkgQ)
![Clockwise from top left: ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar; National MP Nancy Lu; Labour MP Jenny Salesa; Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March [Courtesy photo] Clockwise from top left: ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar; National MP Nancy Lu; Labour MP Jenny Salesa; Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ethnic_mps_copy.jpg?itok=ZWLDwoad)
![Latest data from Stats NZ reveals that 17.2 percent of New Zealand households had at least one person belonging to the Asian ethnic group in 2023. "Being able to analyze family and household data through an ethnicity lens provides a richer understanding of the families and households New Zealanders live in," said Rosemary Goodyear, principal analyst at Stats NZ. [photo: RNZ / ZIMING LI] diverse ethnicity](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/diverse_increase.jpg?itok=4Bv6lJcm)
![Leung Wai siblings in St Peter's Basilica were among the thousands paying their final respects to Pope Francis. [Photo: Leung Wai family] Leung Wai siblings in St Peter's Basilica](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/leung_wai_siblings_at_st_peters.jpg?itok=CuATWX8A)
![Michael Pese, Tupe Smith, and their children in Whittier, Alaska. [Photo: Right to Democracy] Michael Pese, Tupe Smith, and their children](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/whittier_family.png?itok=9M09fyiH)
![A U.S. longline fishing vessel, the F/V Kawaiola, based out of Hawaii in transit to fishing grounds beyond 50 nm from islands within U.S. jurisdiction in the Pacific. [Photo: Caleb McMahan] F/V Kawaiola](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/u.s._longliner.png?itok=ul4-BydT)