American Samoa

This image taken by Himawari-8, a Japanese weather satellite, shows an undersea volcano eruption at the Pacific nation of Tonga.

World News

A massive volcano erupts near Tonga, causing tsunami waves as far as the West Coast

5:44pm January 15, 2022

by Becky Sullivan

An undersea volcano erupted near the Pacific nation of Tonga, sending tsunami waves crashing across the shore there and around the Pacific, including a surges along the U.S. West Coast.

John Fitisemanu, an American Samoan, filed the lawsuit against the U.S. government after he was denied the opportunity to apply for federal government jobs listing citizenship as a requirement.

National

American Samoans' Citizenship Status Still In Limbo After Judge Issues Stay

6:14pm December 13, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

After ruling on Thursday that anyone born in American Samoa should be recognized as a U.S. citizen, the same judge on Friday decided to put the order on hold until the issue is resolved on appeal.

Sandra King Young runs Medicaid in American Samoa, a U.S. territory that faces dramatic funding cuts to islanders' health care unless Congress acts. "This is the United States' shame in the islands," she says.

Health & Safety

America's 'Shame': Medicaid Funding Slashed In U.S. Territories

5:01am November 20, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Five U.S. territories say if Congress doesn't quickly allocate more funding for their Medicaid programs, they will be forced to make brutal triage decisions that will likely cost American lives.

Queue Listen Now

Afternoon traffic passes in front of a mural depicting the U.S. and Guam flags in the Tumon district on the island of Guam.

Citizenship Question To Be Removed From 2020 Census In U.S. Territories

4:23pm August 09, 2019

by Hansi Lo Wang

After courts permanently blocked the question from the 2020 count, the Census Bureau revealed plans to change forms for American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A citizenship question won't be included on 2020 census forms, but other Census Bureau surveys ask about a person's U.S. citizenship status.

Why Is The Census Bureau Still Asking A Citizenship Question On Forms?

4:20pm August 09, 2019

by Hansi Lo Wang

Courts have permanently blocked the Trump administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census. But the Census Bureau is continuing to send surveys that ask about citizenship status.

Queue Listen Now

A view of the lush Samoan vegetation in American Samoa, Tutuila Island.

Is Samoa's Obesity Epidemic A Harbinger For Other Developing Nations?

6:02pm April 07, 2016

by Maanvi Singh

Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are becoming more common all over the world. But the tiny Samoan islands now have the highest rates. An epidemiologist blames changes in diet brought on by globalization.

As regions of the world climb out of poverty, people eat more of whatever they'd been traditionally eating. Above: a scene from the market in Delhi, India.

A Global Alarm About Diabetes — And Don't Blame It All On Fast Food

4:07pm April 07, 2016

by Susan Brink

The results of the first coordinated global look at the disease show a dramatic increase, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes like these are known to carry the Zika virus â four cases of which have now been confirmed in American Samoa, according to officials.

American Samoa Says It Has 205 Suspected Cases Of Zika

3:03pm February 15, 2016

by Bill Chappell

The news was announced recently by health and government leaders in American Samoa, which has a population of around 54,000.