Samoa

Samoa temporarily blocked workers coming to Australia and New Zealand around concerns the programme was eroding local businesses, but is planning to resume the program later this month. 

ABC Pacific reports Steve Burdette, executive officer of the group, Approved Employers Australia, has said Australian farms need more clarity around Samoa's plans.

"You plan well in advance to get workers in, and having these kinds of disruptions interrupts business continuity and it lets a lot of people down in the process," he said.

The Blues utility back was the only All Black for his team to run out against the Hurricanes last weekend in their first pre-season fixture of the year. It’s an opportunity that Tuivasa is appreciative of.

“I think making it through the first 40 minutes was the box I wanted to tick,” he says.

“It was good to get some fitness into my game and have some time to watch the clips after to see where I can grow from today.”

Fa'alavaau Vaotuua Auleoleo Neemia, 69, told the court that one of the victims, Utufua Voi, swore at him, formed a roadblock with his friends to stop his car, approached him while holding a beer bottle, and punched him.

An angry Neemia walked over to the home of Utufua and saw the other victim, Elisara Fata, running toward him, and shot him.

Then on his way home Neemia saw Utufua and shot him too.

The accused said he was provoked.

It follows a confirmed case of the disease in New Zealand.

The person was infected overseas, however, they did not become infectious until after their arrival in New Zealand. The confirmed case is now isolating at home in Auckland and contact tracing is underway.

Fola Samoa supervises a group of 12 men who work at a Johnny Appleseed orchard in Pakowhai.

He said they were eating breakfast when they realised how bad the flooding had become.

"One of the men, came to me and said 'boss, there's a river come through to our house'," Fola said.

"I walked through to the front door and I was shocked, because our driveway was like a, like a river."

Samoa said it was "like a tsunami" - and reminded them of the devastating tsunami that wreaked havoc in Samoa in 2009.

TV1Samoa reports the recent death of a man serving life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, allegedly from consuming paraquat, has prompted the ban.

The Coroner wants an inquiry into how the paraquat found its way into the Tanumalala Prison and into the possession of the prisoner.

She wants the inquiry to be handled by an independent person, or maybe an organization like the Ombudsman's Office.

The beetle is known to be native to Southeast Asia.

The beetle has devastated Samoa’s coconut resources and industry as it bores into the crown of coconut trees, damaging growing tissue and feed on coconut sap, ultimately killing the coconut and thus reducing commercial production.

With the elimination efforts in mind, the Crops Division conducted a sanitation and collection programmes in the village of Sa’anapu last week to continue its collaboration from last year when the village received support from the Ministry.

According to a statement, Australia is proud to support the growth of opportunities for women in STEM. With only 28 per cent of the global STEM workforce comprised of women, Samoa is challenging these global statistics with its high number of women in STEM.

Samoan women across many STEM fields are making significant contributions to their country, breaking down barriers in what is normally a male-dominated field.

Two such Samoan trailblazers are Australia Awards alumni Saouila Tolovaa and Sheena Uputaua Lesa.

Representatives from both islands signed the grants in a ceremony at the Japanese Embassy in Apia.

RNZ Pacific reports the grant is for the construction of a safe house on Apolima to support residents in the event of natural disaster, and to renovate Salua Primary School on Manono Island.

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Alalatoa told Police in a letter, obtained by Samoa Observer, that she cannot brush aside a number of key issues that have arisen including the possible negligence on the part of prison authorities in not providing proper supervision to prisoners working unsupervised at prison plantations.

She has also ordered a post-mortem be performed on the body.

The letter also states the possible failure of the prison authorities at Tanumalala to exercise reasonable care and attention to prevent those in custody from hurting themselves.