PACIFIC NEWS BRIEFS
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A large, luxury yacht owned by a Japanese billionaire has been traveling around the islands over the past few days, leaving a trail of curiosity in its wake.
Multiple boating websites reported the vessel is the 375-foot German- made yacht Nausicaa, owned by Japanese...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Pasifika unemployment in New Zealand remains over double that of the general population, even as the nationwide unemployment rate reaches a near-11 year high.
Figures released by Statistics NZ on Wednesday put the unemployment rate for Pacific peoples at 11.6 percent in...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Prime Minister La'aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt is in New Zealand this week to meet seasonal workers and their families.
He and Labor Minister Fata Ryan Schuster met Samoan Recognized Seasonal Employer workers near Napier on Sunday.
While in Napier, La'auli heard from...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Videos are circulating on Facebook where local people are recording themselves admitting the legitimacy of the cryptocurrency scam and encouraging friends and family to sign up.
As the internet has progressed over time, the various methods of fraud have grown and evolved...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — US National Weather Service issued a warning to residents of the Northern Marianas to prepare for super typhoon Bavi, before storm force winds hit the area on Sunday night.
The category five typhoon was expected to make landfall on Monday morning.
However, seas were...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A Safata MP says compensation for the sinking of HMNZ Manawanui is on its way.
Nearly two years on from the sinking of the New Zealand Navy vessel on Safata reef in Smaoa, residents say compensation has still not been paid.
Residents have told the Samoan Observer that no...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Samoa's national hospital is rationing critical medicine due to a low supply, with outside help offering temporary relief.
Last week, the Health Ministry received an urgent air freight shipment from Fiji-based Pacific Specialist Healthcare (PSH), covering only about half...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Latu has been acquitted in an electoral bribery case.
Kaniva Tonga reports that a former cabinet minister alleged he paid a town officer a substantial sum during the election campaign last November.
However, the Supreme Court...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Samoa Police Commissioner has announced a strong police presence for this year's Independence celebrations, which began Friday.
The Samoa Observer reports acting Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga saying 400 officers will be deployed across all events.
He said...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Pacific Security College says a regional strategy is needed to combat the growing methamphetamine crisis in the region.
The Australia-based college has released a new report proposing a regional summit to address the crisis.
The Turning the Tide Together report says...