Regional
![[Photo: RNZI Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Samoa%20election%20office.JPG?itok=j_dezI4M "[Photo: RNZI Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia]")
Samoa hopes to introduce electronic voting at the next election in 2021.
The electoral commissioner, Faimalōmatumua Mathew Lemisio told Talamua Online the new voting system would solve the delays in obtaining preliminary election results on polling day.
He said a voter's fingerprint will be scanned...
![Big Island volunteers Karen Kane (left) and Susan Hicks (right). [Courtesy photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Red-Cross-Volunteers-747x1024.jpg?itok=zE2f59QP "Big Island volunteers Karen Kane (left) and Susan Hicks (right). [Courtesy photo]")
Two Hawai‘i Red Cross volunteers from the Big Island, Karen Kane and Susan Hicks, are deploying to American Samoa today to help with the Red Cross response to Tropical Cyclone Gita. Both volunteers will be assisting with casework.
The American Red Cross is providing assistance to families affected...
![[screen shot from live report at Newshub.co.nz]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Screen%20Shot%202018-02-20%20at%207.47.38%20AM.png?itok=cG8rPaO5 "[screen shot from live report at Newshub.co.nz]")
Seven provinces of New Zealand are in a state of emergency as the remnants of Cyclone Gita bear down, bringing howling winds and torrential rain.
Here's what we know:
State of emergency declared in Christchurch, Buller District, Grey District, Selwyn, Westland, Tasman and Taranaki
Civil Defence...
![Cyclone Gita is set to lash New Zealand on Tuesday [image: Express UK]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/cyclone-gita-920862.jpg?itok=Dgr1cmV6 "Cyclone Gita is set to lash New Zealand on Tuesday [image: Express UK]")
Weather bosses warn that Cyclone Gita has the south island of New Zealand in the “firing line” before the storm makes landfall in the northwest tip of the island on Tuesday evening.
The latest update from the MetService said the storm was “expected to bring a period of high-impact severe weather...
![O Le Palemia [Photo: Supplied to RNZI]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_Palemia.jpg?itok=SylPhxpo "O Le Palemia [Photo: Supplied to RNZI]")
A blogger known for criticising the Samoan government has been shut out of Facebook.
'O Le Palemia' had been using the social media platform for scathing attacks and allegations of corruption against the government of Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
The government had unsuccessfully...
![Part I of the Pacific Law, Custom and Constitutionalism Conference 2018 - Aotearoa NZ and Samoa in Dialogue [Photo: RNZ Pacific / Sela Jane Hopgood]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/NZ%20pac%20conference.jpg?itok=WBfHW27v "Part I of the Pacific Law, Custom and Constitutionalism Conference 2018 - Aotearoa NZ and Samoa in Dialogue [Photo: RNZ Pacific / Sela Jane Hopgood]")
Maua Faleauto, who has conducted extensive research on customary land rights, was among the attendees at the Pacific Law, Custom and Constitutionalism conference this month in Auckland.
According to him, Samoa's former head of state Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi signed the Land Title Registration...
It's been a week since Tonga's worst storm in decades, Cyclone Gita, hit the islands leaving hundreds homeless and others still struggling without power.
Despite this, Tongans everywhere gathered in church on Sunday in a show of unity and thanksgiving.
Bells echoed across the island yesterday...
![Hans Dalton [News Hub file photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/hansdaltonsamoa-1120web.jpg?itok=9OAFPVoq "Hans Dalton [News Hub file photo]")
A family whose son was killed in a Samoan prison has had a chance for closure snatched away at the last second.
A coroner's inquest into the death of 28-year-old Hans Dalton was set to begin today.
The formal inquest has been postponed several times over the past five years, and today was no...
![Prisoner, Tagaloasa Filipaina and LAWYER: Pa’u Tafaogalupe Mulitalo. [Samoa Observer]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/images%7Ccms-image-000038674.jpg?itok=g5KfY9jC "Prisoner, Tagaloasa Filipaina and LAWYER: Pa’u Tafaogalupe Mulitalo. [Samoa Observer]")
The lawyer representing two prisoners accused of masterminding the failed mass prison break last week has called on the Police to treat his clients “as human beings".
Lawyer Pa’u Tafaogalupe Mulitalo has asked the Police to give them “clothing and amenities for their state of wellbeing".
The...
Most travelers have time to get the new high-security driver’s licenses needed to fly in the future. As reported in the Total Security Daily Advisor back in November, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) planned to impose the REAL ID Act in early 2018, but the new deadline is now late...