Samoa

New Zealand investigates Samoan church with cryptocurrency links

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) probe into the Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church (SISDAC) - which has branches in New Zealand, Australia and Samoa - comes amid a seperate investigation by Samoa's Central Bank into the church.

While the DIA investigation, which is being conducted under the Charities Act 2005, is not focused on the church's links to the cryptocurrency OneCoin - which US and Samoan authorities have labelled a "hybrid ponzi-pyramid scheme" - it has uncovered information about OneCoin, the department said.

Shooters reminded to handle guns with care

There will be eight countries competing in five medal events for shooting. The competition will take place in the second week of the Games, from 15-19 July.

"The main priority of shooting is safety," said Technical Delegate from Australia, Judith Kent.

The shooting venue is Tafaigata Shooting Range, built in 2007 when Samoa last hosted the Pacific Games. 

It is located 15 minutes from Apia CBD and can hold 200-300 specatators.

"I had a look at the pistol range to see that everything has been in place, which was great.

Preparations continue at the Games Village

The work, led by the Ministry of Heath, took place early June.

"Fumigation is one of the main priorities of the Ministry of Health and it is also a way we could show support to the Government of Samoa as we prepare for the Games," said Sapati Vasa, Ministry of Health Senior Sanitation Surveillance Officer.

The Games Village will host more than 4,000 athletes and preparation is going well.

"Fumigation deals with the elimination of unwanted pests such as mosquitoes which carry diseases. We are looking at getting rid of their breeding areas," Sapati continued.

Tickets for Samoa 2019 XVI Pacific Games on sale soon

With prices ranging from SAT$5.00 - SAT$50.00, and a limit of about 6,000 tickets for each show available, tickets will be in hot demand.

“Ticket pricing has been set to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to witness one or both shows,” said Leasiosiofa’asisina Oscar Malielegaoi, Games Organising Committee Director of Finance.

St. George-based educational nonprofit School of Life set to launch in Samoa

Founded eight years ago by Jack Rolfe and his wife, the School of Life Foundation teaches junior high and high school students – most of whom have been identified as at-risk of not advancing to the next grade and/or graduating – to “school” their toughest opponent using a largely character-based training program.

The program was first implemented eight years ago at Desert Hills High School, Rolfe said, and has since grown  to several school districts across Utah.

Samoans could soon be building electric motorcycle

Peeq Samoa recently set up the country's first call centre utilising the country's Tui Samoa submarine cable, and it is keen to set up a manufacturing unit too.

The company's executive trustee, Graham Liao, told the Samoa Observer the company was currently in negotiations with government to set up the factory.

He said the company was looking to open the manufacturing plant at the building that once housed Samoa's biggest private employer, Yazaki Samoa.

Samoa Fa'afafine Association protests censor of Elton John film

Samoa's only cinema revealed the ban on Friday on its Facebook page and employees told local media it was due to the portrayal of gay sex in the film.

In conservative Samoa - where around 98 percent of people identify as Christian - same-sex sexual relations are criminalised, although related laws are unenforced.

Churches also wield considerable influence on communities and institutions.

REACH project, much-needed for Samoa

The rural population is reported at about 81 per cent of the total population in 2016, according to the World Bank.

This means that the majority of the population live outside of the main hubs of Apia and Salelologa where most of the Government and civil society services are centered. As a result, many of them miss out on the opportunity to access or make the most of these services.

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World Bank to help Samoa fight lifestyle disease crisis

The bank has offered to fund research, which would enable data collection to help the government improve its taxation policy on tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food.

Lifestyle diseases are a major problem in Samoa with diabetes, heart disease, and strokes now accounting for almost half of all deaths.

Samoa also has one of the highest obesity rates in the Pacific at 54 per cent, while obesity rates among Samoan women are 66 per cent.

The World Health Organisation says those rates have increased in Samoa over the last decade.

The Rock's fight scene in Hobbs & Shaw was so violent, it got cut by the censors

The film censors refused to allow it in the final release of the film, which is due in August.

Johnson shared a sequence from the filming in Samoa, where Hobbs & Shaw is taking place, saying: "A lil' behind the scenes taste of the HOBBS & SHAW savagery that takes place in SAMOA.

"This bludgeoning will be in the film, but unfortunately the scene where I bite the bad guy's eye out and spit it on the dirt didn't make it."

"MPAA ratings board forbid us to show it because it was too violent", he added. 

"True story.