PACIFIC NEWS BRIEFS
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Nevada National Guard was in Samoa for four days marking the first United States engagement after US President Donald Trump announced aid cuts.
They visited Samoa from February 17-21, 2025 to continue its ongoing collaboration with the Samoa Fire and Emergency...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — More than a dozen civil society groups are calling on Pacific governments to completely ban deep seabed mining (DSM) as regional leaders meet in Suva for a high-level meeting on deep-sea minerals on Friday.
Seabed mining is one of the most divisive regional issues, with...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Fiji's police chief says investigations are underway into allegations against his officers in the tourist town of Nadi — where they allegedly dumped a man's body after he died in custody.
The victim, Richard Mock, 35, a hotel worker, was found on a vacant lot in Nadi....
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Two former officials of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration will plead guilty in federal court for conspiracy around the secret retirement payout to former police chief Louis Kealoha.
Former top city lawyer Donna Leong, former police commission chair Max Sword...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The director of an Arizona burn center says its six patients injured in the Hawai'i New Years Eve fireworks explosion remain intubated and sedated but that's not unusual in these kinds of cases.
Hawaii News Now reported six patients had been airlifted to the center with...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Talofa Airways was the only connection between Samoa and American Samoa over the weekend as many travelers were stranded because of the cancellation of shipping and airline service.
The Chairman and Chief Executive of Talofa Airways, Toleafoa Captain Jeffrey Hunter has...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The amount of fuel removed from the sunken Manawanui cannot be confirmed until processing is complete.
The NZDF said the final volume of recovered fuel will be clearer after processing and seawater extraction.
NZDF's Commodore Andrew Brown said the recovery phase is...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Elections and motions of no confidence have abounded in the region this year.
Vanuatu will hold a snap election on 16 January. They've already had four prime ministers in three years, despite bringing in laws to try and calm the uncertainty.
The newly elected Solomon...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — 'Aisake Valu Eke won the secret ballot votes 16-8 at a special sitting on Tuesday.
Vote results announced by Lord Fakafanua saw 16 votes for Eke and 8 for the other nominee, Viliame Latu, from a total vote of 24.
King Tupou VI endorsed the result before the announcement...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Rescuers in Vanuatu will be under pressure to reach trapped people quickly, but there will be tough decisions if buildings aren't safe to enter, a structural engineer says.
Buildings have collapsed in the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Port Vila on Tuesday, killing...