Photo: Unsplash / Forest Katsch
Samoa - starlink
The Samoa Office of the Regulator has ordered the shutdown of Starlink satellite services.
This follows allegations of unauthorised use by Starlink in Samoa.
Samoa Observer reports it is understood the company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has not followed the required regulatory process.
The order is to immediately cease all use of unauthorised Starlink kits and services within Samoa.
According to the regulator, the service provider poses a risk to public safety, national security, and the integrity of Samoa's telecommunications infrastructure.
Samoa - vessel
Malaysian, Chinese and Filipino fishermen say they are "traumatised" after their fishing vessel, owned by Apia Deep Sea Fishing, flipped on its side while they were sleeping onboard.
The ship is lying on its side on Apia Beach.
One worker told the Samoa Observer, the incident was very chaotic and dangerous.
He said it left him traumatised because he has never seen a massive boat washed towards a seawall.
The workers have been keeping guard from a tent on the seawall to ensure the vessel is not targeted by thieves.
Tonga - housing
An affordable housing project aimed at poverty has been launched in Tonga.
The Tongan government has allocated about US$430,000 to initiate the Tapanekale Project.
The Poverty Report from the Tonga Statistics Department shows 3.1 percent of Tongans are in extreme poverty.
A total of 270 households in the Kingdom have been identified in the extremely poor category.
Cook Islands - remove
Stranded ship MV Grinna is a step closer to being removed from Manihiki's reef in the Cook Islands, after being there for nearly two years.
Cook Islands news reports the National Environment Service has completed its due diligence for removing the stranded vessel outside the harbour on Tukao Island.
The ship has been grounded since March 2022.
Two foreign fishing vessels attempted to tow the ship off the reef and sink it out at sea soon after it was grounded, but it was unable to be dislodged.
American Samoa - cables
American Samoa's LBJ Medical Centre is installing fibre optic internet.
In a statement, the hospital noted this is a departure from an outdated network that has been used for more than a decade.
Hospital board chairman Dr Malouamaua Tuiolosega said s the decision to replace their decade-old network is not just a technological leap, but it is a commitment to delivering the highest standard of care.
Guam - schools
The Guam Youth Congress has urged the education department and all schools on the island to work toward eliminating violence in schools.
The Youth Congress unanimously passed Representative Kyah Toh's resolution condemning acts of violence in schools.
Pacific Daily News reports Toh's resolution, co-sponsored by 17 other representatives, aims to advance conversations and find solutions to ending school violence, which has become increasingly prevalent.
Toh said he is willing and ready to work with local agencies and stakeholders.
He sid violence has no place in learning environments.
