Samoa

The former Samoa Olympic Committee boss Aveau was appointed in May.

The sports minister and chair of the Organising Committee, Loau Keneti Sio, said he asked Aveau to reconsider his decision when the former Manu Samoa player and coach informed him of his intention to quit a few weeks ago.

"He actually came down to the office and said that he was going to walk away," he said.

"I was caught by surprise with what he said. I think with the working relationship with the CEO - it seems that it's not in a comfortable way of working together."

The duo staged a protest during the launch of Samoa Airways flights to Brisbane.

They shouted abuse and threw items at the prime minister, including an uncooked pig's head.

Tuila'epa was unharmed.

He said the paramount concern was that Samoans "at home and abroad remain calm with peace and the rule of law prevailing".

The prime minister called the protest a "childish attempt to embarrass all Samoans which failed miserably".

Fepulea'i was charged after an incident last December in which he hit a security guard with a beer bottle.

He went before the District Court in July this year, when he pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm.

The District Court discharged him without conviction but the police appealed.

Last month, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal, quashing the suspended sentence verdict and sending the case back for retrial in the District Court.

The suspect was arrested on the evening of Friday, 23 November, hours after police discovered two badly slayed bodies in an open outdoor kitchen area.

Police said at 7:05am that morning, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) responded to a homicide case regarding two dead bodies located at Leulumoega-uta

The two deceased has been identified as a 69-year old man of Leulumoega uta/Lufilufi and New Zealand and his 42-year-old son in law of Savaia Lefaga and Leulumoega uta.

Evidence of alcohol was also found at the site with the bodies in badly slayed conditions.

Filifaatali recently accompanied Samoan officials from the Western United States Agriculture Trade Association on visits to large commercial plantations on Upolu and to the Fugalei market.

He said American Samoa's quota free status for exports to the US offered opportunities for crops like taro from Samoa to be sent to the US, using Pago Pago as a gateway.

He also said American Samoa didn't have the land resources of Samoa to grow the quantity of taro that would make such a venture commercially viable.

This comes after eight were charged last week.

The Samoa Observer, quoted the Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, as saying the government would not back down over the law requiring church ministers to pay taxes on their 'alofa' - the offerings they receive from church goers.

He said they were having to stagger the arrests because of court schedules.

In May, Samoa's largest church, the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, voted to defy the government's tax move.

The prosecution had pushed for a stay of the inquest hearing because of the pending trial of Leutogi Te'o and Luse Emo, where the police evidence on the charges will be heard.

The trial is scheduled for January next year.

He is the longest serving prime minister in the Pacific region.

In his weekly radio interview, Tuila'epa said doctors had reassured him he was in good health with a heart that beats like a jet engine.

He succeeded the former Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana.

Tuila'epa has been an MP since 1980 after working as a public servant and a diplomat.

The Minster of Health Tuitama Talalelei Tuitama said the government had also approved the relocation of the Foundation to bigger premises, the Samoa Observer reported.

The foundation now has 27 dialysis units following the presentation of five new units by the Rotary Club of Samoa this week.

Currently 110 patients need dialysis in Upolu alone, with another 12 patients in Savai'i.

The minister said there were approximately 300 people in the 'pre-dialysis' stage awaiting treatment.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour said Tuesday, 25 December and Wednesday, 26 December are to be treated as public holidays.

Tuesday, 1 January and Wednesday, 2 January are also designated public holidays.

Chief Executive Officer, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling said shops selling goods my open during the public holidays as stipulated in the Public Holidays Act 2008.

“However, employers are advised to comply with relevant provisions under the Labour and Employment Relations Act 2013 pertinent to employees working on Public Holidays,” Pulotu said in a statement.