CoveragePost
January 26, 2026
RNZ Pacific Samoan playwright, author and poet Papali’i Sia Figiel has died in prison, according to local media reports. Local media, citing sources at the country’s main correctional facility in Apia, are reporting that Papali’i, 58, was found dead in her prison cell on Monday. She was being held at Tanumalala Prison, awaiting her next ... <a title="Samoan playwright found dead in prison, local media report" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/26/samoan-playwright-found-dead-in-prison-local-media-report/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan playwright found dead in prison, local media report">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 23, 2026
By Kaya Selby, RNZ Pacific journalist New Zealand has scrapped a project to build an airport in Tokelau after sinking NZ$3 million into the design phase. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told RNZ Pacific that the Tokelau government had been advised of their decision. Tokelau is completely inaccessible by plane, ... <a title="Tokelau airport project scrapped despite multi-million dollar design" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/23/tokelau-airport-project-scrapped-despite-multi-million-dollar-design/" aria-label="Read more about Tokelau airport project scrapped despite multi-million dollar design">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 21, 2026
By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor In an otherwise mixed month for the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), its leadership is hailing a win for Pacific conservation efforts with the UN Treaty on the High Seas coming into effect. The legally binding UN High Seas Treaty officially received more than 60 ratifications, and following ... <a title="High Seas Treaty welcome news for SPREP in uncertain times" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/21/high-seas-treaty-welcome-news-for-sprep-in-uncertain-times/" aria-label="Read more about High Seas Treaty welcome news for SPREP in uncertain times">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 17, 2026
By Kaya Selby, RNZ Pacific journalist From heavy visa bonds to suspended applications to straight-up travel bans, the United States has implemented or announced sweeping restrictions on Pacific travel in just the first two weeks of 2026. Confirmed on Thursday, Fiji is among a list of 75 countries for which the US will suspend the ... <a title="Bonds, blockings and bans – a massive new-year US shakeup for Pacific travel" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/17/bonds-blockings-and-bans-a-massive-new-year-us-shakeup-for-pacific-travel/" aria-label="Read more about Bonds, blockings and bans – a massive new-year US shakeup for Pacific travel">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 15, 2026
By Kaya Selby, RNZ Pacific journalist Just over a week after the United States announced its withdrawal from the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) — China has stepped in to fill the funding gap. President Donald Trump included the scientific organisation among a list of others that US government officials were ordered to withdraw from. ... <a title="China matches US contribution to Pacific environmental body a week after Trump pulls out" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/15/china-matches-us-contribution-to-pacific-environmental-body-a-week-after-trump-pulls-out/" aria-label="Read more about China matches US contribution to Pacific environmental body a week after Trump pulls out">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 12, 2026
RNZ Pacific A proposal by Sāmoa’s Prime Minister to ban all non-Christian religions from the country is being met with mixed reactions. The Samoa Observer reported church ministers and members of the public voicing views both for and against the proposal. Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Polataivao Schmidt said he raised the issue with Samoa’s Council of ... <a title="Mixed reactions over Samoan PM’s proposal to ban non-Christian religions" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/12/mixed-reactions-over-samoan-pms-proposal-to-ban-non-christian-religions/" aria-label="Read more about Mixed reactions over Samoan PM’s proposal to ban non-Christian religions">Read more</a>
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 26, 2025
Asia Pacific Report The global civil society alliance Civicus has called on eight Pacific governments to do more to respect civic freedoms and strengthen institutions to protect these rights. It is especially concerned over the threats to press freedom, the use of laws to criminalise online expression, and failure to establish national human rights institutions ... <a title="Civicus raps 8 Pacific countries for ‘not doing enough’ to protect civic rights, press freedom" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/civicus-raps-8-pacific-countries-for-not-doing-enough-to-protect-civic-rights-press-freedom/" aria-label="Read more about Civicus raps 8 Pacific countries for ‘not doing enough’ to protect civic rights, press freedom">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 23, 2025
Asia Pacific Report Māngere East community stalwarts and activists from across Tamaki Makaurau Auckland have gathered at the local Village Green to pay tribute to their popular ‘power couple’ and entertainers Roger Fowler and Lyn Doherty with their whānau. MC Emily Worman of Science in a Van summed it up best yesterday morning by declaring ... <a title="Showing their aroha for the activist ‘power couple’ of Māngere East" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/23/showing-their-aroha-for-the-activist-power-couple-of-mangere-east/" aria-label="Read more about Showing their aroha for the activist ‘power couple’ of Māngere East">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 20, 2025
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called on the Samoan Prime Minister to lift the ban preventing the daily newspaper Samoa Observer from attending government press conferences. “The measure is totally unacceptable — it comes after one of its journalists filed a complaint over violence committed by the ... <a title="RSF calls on Samoan PM to lift ‘unacceptable’ ban on Samoa Observer" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/20/rsf-calls-on-samoan-pm-to-lift-unacceptable-ban-on-samoa-observer/" aria-label="Read more about RSF calls on Samoan PM to lift ‘unacceptable’ ban on Samoa Observer">Read more</a>
