CoveragePost
January 11, 2026
RNZ Pacific Sāmoa is set to become the third Pacific nation to have an embassy in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Schmidt told a gathering of the Sāmoa branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem on Tuesday he had instructed the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin work on the opening of an office ... <a title="Sāmoa set to become third Pacific nation to open Jerusalem embassy" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/11/samoa-set-to-become-third-pacific-nation-to-open-jerusalem-embassy/" aria-label="Read more about Sāmoa set to become third Pacific nation to open Jerusalem embassy">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 24, 2025
Pacific Media Watch Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has defended his decision to ban the Samoa Observer in response to a joint letter from the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF). In a statement issued by the Press Secretary, Nanai Lave Tuiletufuga yesterday, the office of the Prime Minister acknowledged ... <a title="PM hits back at PINA and PFF over Samoa Observer ‘ethics’ ban" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/24/pm-hits-back-at-pina-and-pff-over-samoa-observer-ethics-ban/" aria-label="Read more about PM hits back at PINA and PFF over Samoa Observer ‘ethics’ ban">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 22, 2025
By Sulamanaia Manaui Faulalo of the Samoa Observer Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt says international media are “in the dark” about the reasons behind his decision to ban the Samoa Observer from government press conferences, arguing that overseas attention has created “support for one newspaper at the expense of the entire country.” He also addressed concerns ... <a title="Samoan PM takes aim at local journalists, claims overseas media ‘in the dark’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/22/samoan-pm-takes-aim-at-local-journalists-claims-overseas-media-in-the-dark/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan PM takes aim at local journalists, claims overseas media ‘in the dark’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 18, 2025
EDITORIAL: By the Samoa Observer They say the march toward authoritarian rule begins with one simple act: taking control of the narrative and silencing the independent press. Yesterday, Samoa witnessed a step in that direction. Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, elected by the people to serve them, has already moved to weaken one of democracy’s ... <a title="Samoa Observer: The PM’s wish and our promise" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/18/samoa-observer-the-pms-wish-and-our-promise/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa Observer: The PM’s wish and our promise">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 18, 2025
By Renate Rivers of PMN News Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt has banned the country’s only daily newspaper, the Samoa Observer, from all ministerial press conferences. The move has raised serious concerns among industry stakeholders about media freedom as he faces growing political and legal pressure. La’aulialemalietoa announced the ban on Monday at ... <a title="Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/18/samoan-pm-bans-nations-only-newspaper-from-government-access/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access">Read more</a>
