Regional
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...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Latte Quarry at As Nieves on Rota is one of 19 new 'National Historic Landmarks' (NHLs) recently designated by the United States Department of the Interior.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said the 19 new NHLs reflects the importance of the sites in sharing...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Paying respect to Samoan cultural practices, a Karakia Whakawhetai (a prayer of thanks) blessing was held on Saturday afternoon in Samoa, to clear the way and provide spiritual safety to those about to conduct work on HMNZS Manawanui.
The blessing was attended by senior...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tuvalu's first international underwater communications cable landed in the tiny island nation's capital Funafuti this past week. "It sets the stage for Tuvalu's transformation into a digital nation," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"This is a significant step forward,...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The New Zealand Defense Force will aid the Science and Research Organization of Samoa (SROS) to commence a further round of seawater sampling and monitoring in the precautionary area created following the grounding and sinking of HMNZS Manawanui.
NZDF said they were...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “They look like chocolate truffles, just don’t eat them,” jokes Jean Mason, the curator of the Cook Islands Library and Museum as she reaches into a display cabinet and pulls out a black, knobbly rock.
The “rock” she is holding may well determine the future of this...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Social media giant Facebook along with Whatsapp and Instagram were hit by an outage earlier today affecting some users, including Samoa News.
According to detection services, the issue across sites owned by Meta began about 6.40am on Thursday (NZT).
Social media users...
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming the announcement of Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL) as the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) in the 119th Congress starting in January. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) is term limited under Republican rules after...
Manila, PHILIPPINES — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a transaction advisory services agreement with Samoa’s Electric Power Corporation (EPC) to support the development of a solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage systems with installations planned for the country’s two largest...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Depending on who you ask, Donald Trump's impending return to the White House holds a promise or poses a threat. Trump is one of the world's most polarizing figures. He can bring excitement; he can trigger anxiety.
Even Pacific island leaders can't be indifferent to the...

![Rescuers search for trapped people after the 7.3 earthquake in Vanuatu. [photo: Supplied / Vanuatu Police Force] RECUERS LOOK FOR SURVIVORS](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/finding_survivors.jpg?itok=89WnsVnU)
![The Latte Quarry at As Nieves on Rota, Northern Marianas. [photo: Mark Rabago] Latte quarry](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/latte_quarry.jpg?itok=0NhDIvQ5)
![Paying respect to Samoan cultural practices, a Karakia Whakawhetai blessing (a prayer of thanks) was carried out ‘clearing the way’ to conduct salvage work on the HMNZS Manawanui. [NZDF photo] Karakia Whakawhetai blessing (a prayer of thanks)](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/blessing_of_salvage_operation.jpg?itok=T7VLdK6I)
![The Vaka Cable is Tuvalu's first cable connection. [Photo: X / @Simon_Kofe]P Vaka Cable](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/vaka_cable_jpg.jpg?itok=JYgnkL6M)
![New Zealand Defense Force will help SROS to take samples of the contaminated sea. [photo: Junior S. Ami] New Zealand Defense Force MEMBERS](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/nz_takes_samples.jpeg?itok=N9WM0yYb)
![Packed full of cobalt, nickel and manganese, these ancient formations are now valuable: the metals go into batteries that power modern life, from electric cars to mobile phones. [courtesy photo] sea nodules](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/sea_nodules.jpg?itok=F8zHFoAc)



