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Wellington, NEW ZEALAND — The unemployment rate for Pacific people is 12.1 percent, more than double the national average, and the Salvation Army says it may get worse.
Stats NZ released its quarterly labor market figures on Wednesday (6 August- NZT), according to RNZ Pacific.
For the June quarter...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 2-year-old boy died just days after his 9-year-old brother, the fifth recent death from the disease at the Pacific island nation, all of whom have been children.
A family member paid tribute on social media, with the boy's aunt posting the word “Aisea?” - Why?
Samoa...
(Pacific RNZ) — Monday, August 4, 2025 — Authorities in French Polynesia are claiming another "historic" drug haul for a total €331 million street value.
The catch initially took place on 14 July in Nuku Hiva (Marquesas Islands, about 1,400km North of Tahiti), aboard a transiting sailboat traveling...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Pacific Islands still face tariffs from the United States, but some rates are lower than originally announced in April.
The White House announced last week that the "universal" tariff for goods coming into the US will remain at 10 percent the same level that was...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The ceremony and fanfare for the new Fono building set for September of this year has once again been delayed — this time to October 3, 2025, according to an unconfirmed report.
The delay is said to be due to unfinished interior projects, such as bathrooms, lighting,...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Samoa media outlets are reporting a fourth child has died of dengue fever. A nine-year-old boy from Mulifanua is the latest confirmed fatality in the current outbreak affecting Samoa.
The child died at the Faleolo District Hospital around 2 am on Thursday, July 31....
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Samoa’s Acting Director General of Health Ulugia Dr. Tito Kamu, confirmed to TV-1 that a 5-year-old girl died Wednesday (Samoa time) at the Pediatric Ward after being referred from Lufilufi District Hospital.
The 5 year-old is the youngest victim of the outbreak in Samoa...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Mormon Church claims it is unclear whether an American missionary — who allegedly sexually abused boys in Tonga — did so under their roof.
William James Purdy was indicted by a federal grand jury in Utah on July 16, on charges related to the exploitation of 14 boys...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A trailblazing church leader from American Samoa received a warm welcome last month as he spent several days with Hawaii’s Samoan Catholic Community, filling a week with fellowship, conversation and a final Mass and celebration.
Bishop Kolio Etuale Tumanuvao of the...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — With rain pouring water down in both Samoas, an unusual occurrence in Samoa happened earlier this week, with locals excitedly posting videos on line — showing them dancing outdoors as hailstones fell around them.
A video of a family in Lotofaga, Upolu showed youngsters...

![Areas like construction in New Zealand, where a lot of Pacific people are employed, have been stagnating or declining in terms of job opportunities, a social policy analyst at the NZ Salvation Army says. Unemployment rate for Pacific people is more than double national average highlighting the difficulties around finding work and education opportunities in the current climate. The analyst says it may get worse. [Photo: 123rf] carpenter at work](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/carpentry_jpg_copy.jpg?itok=hlbkt_D2)

![Seized drugs — 1,646kg of cocaine and 232kg of methamphetamine — part of the drug haul found onboard a transiting sailboat traveling from Mexico and believed to be headed to Australia via the Kingdom of Tonga. French Polynesia, as well as other Pacific countries and territories (Samoa, Fiji, Tonga), has been identified as a major transit point of the so-called “Drugs Highway” from North and South America (the United States, Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama) to major markets such as Australia, New Zealand and Asia. [Photo: Comgend Polynésie française OFAST] SEIZED DRUGS](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/seized_drugs.jpeg?itok=INeHMuf8)

![Congresswoman Amata with Admiral Kevin Lunday, acting Commandant of the US Coast Guard. [courtesy photo] Congresswoman Amata with Admiral Kevin Lunday](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/amata_with_admiral_kevin_lunday_photo.jpg?itok=Fd-7YlJv)




