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Consolidators International Inc (CII) has expanded its services to American Samoa by opening a local office at the Pago Plaza and Irene Kane has been named the company's new Vice President. The announcement was made by CII CEO Julian Keeling in an interview with Samoa News last week.

"CII has the knowledge and experienced staffing that present consolidators as 'an operator with a difference'... and that difference is reflected in the quality and level of service we supply." he noted.

It has been three days since a Polynesian Airline plane left the Fagali’i Airport for PagoPago and the delay is frustrating hundreds of passengers who are running out of patience.

Polynesian Airline Chief Executive Officer, Taua Fatu Tielu told the Samoa Observer they had to stop flights to PagoPago on Tuesday because there was a problem in one of the plane’s engines.

He said the engine is needed to be “carefully inspected and tested several times” before it can take off. Their second plane cannot be used because it is being repainted.

NEW YORK (AP) -- I bet the iPad Mini is going to be on a lot of wish lists this holiday season. I also bet that for a lot of people, it's not going to be the best choice. It's beautiful and light, but Apple made a big compromise in the design, one that means that buyers should look closely at the competition before deciding.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- New Zealand's government said Friday that it would not sign on for a second stage of the Kyoto Protocol climate treaty, a stance that angered environmentalists and political opponents.

The announcement came the same day that Australia said it would stay the course and commit to "Kyoto 2."

The treaty aims to curb international greenhouse gas emissions through binding national reductions. But some question its effectiveness after many of the world's biggest polluters, including the United States and China, did not sign on.

Many thought it was going to be a repeat of last year’s final, with BBE Vaiala Ulalei taking home the cup for the second consecutive year. But Marist St. Joseph’s made sure it was only wishful thinking by exploding into the game and taking the defending champions completely unawares, with three unanswered tries by halftime.

Faoa and Lolo finished in what amounts to a tie, separated by less than 60 votes out of 13,054 votes cast. Lolo ended up slightly ahead with 4,372 votes (33.5%) compared to Faoa with 4,315 votes (33.1%).

But there were also 4,367 voters (33.4%) who chose a different candidate on November 6.

To win on November 20, Faoa or Lolo will have to persuade a majority of those 4,367 voters to support their respective candidacies. Whichever candidate manages that feat will lead the territory for the next four years.

Voters in the territory have once again rejected a proposed amendment to the Revised Constitution of American Samoa which would have given the Fono the power to override the governor’s veto, rather than the U.S. Secretary of Interior.

Of the total 13,031 ballots counted for the referendum vote, 7,177 voted “no” to reject while 5,854 voted “yes” in support of the amendment. The same referendum was also on the 2008 general election, where it was  narrowly defeated with 6,137 supporting the measure and 6,159 opposing it.

O le te’a o le itula e 2:00 i le vaveao ananafi na tuu aloaia mai ai se saunoaga a le Komesina o le Ofisa o Palotaga a le atunuu, le afioga i le Maopu ia Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono, e faafetai aloaia ai le atunuu e tusa ai o le sailiga tofi sa alo atu i ai mo lenei tausaga, ina ua maea le tolaulauina o faaiuga o le palota.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has asked the federal court in Washington D.C. to dismiss the citizenship lawsuit against Hillary Rodham Clinton in her capacity U.S. Secretary of State, the State Department, and Janice L. Jacobs, in her official capacity as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs.

Lead plaintiff in the suit is Leneuoti F. Tuaua, a local resident joined by five individuals and the Samoan Federation of America, a California based organization.

More than 7,000 ballots were cast Tuesday in the general election to return Congressman Faleomavaega Eni as the territory’s non voting Delegate to the U.S. House for a 13th consecutive two year term, and when the new U.S. Congress  is sworn in next January, there will be two American Samoans who are members of the U.S. House.

Faleomavaega will be joined by Tulsi Gabbard, who was elected Tuesday night from Hawai’i’s Second District. The pair are both Democrats.