Topic: Samoa

Change Agent US Navy ship to sail the Pacific on a humanitarian mission

The US Navy has been sending its vessels on humanitarian missions since 2006, when it sent the hospital ship USNS Mercy to the Philippines, Indonesia, and other Asian countries.

Face-sized tarantula lives in trees in Sri Lanka

Face-sized tarantula: With a leg span of up to 8 inches across, the Poecilotheria rajaei, is one of the larger species of tarantula.

Samoa skips Friday in leap across international dateline

The time jump means that Samoa's 186,000 citizens will now be the first in the world to ring in the new year, rather than the last.

Samoa to skip Friday, lose December 30th 2011 forever

As China’s influence in the Pacific rises, Samoa is planning to cancel Friday, going directly from Thursday to Saturday, to synchronize trade with China.

Rugby World Cup: US starts play Sunday, as part of pool stage action

The Pool Stage is the initial round of competition in the Rugby World Cup. At the conclusion of this round, two teams (a winner and a runner-up) will advance to the next stage, or "quarter-finals." There are four pools - A, B, C and D, and it is widely anticipated that the top seeds in those pools: New Zealand, England, Australia and South Africa respectively, will move to the next round.

Rugby World Cup, including US, kicks off Friday

The Rugby World Cup, which takes place every four years, commences in New Zealand Friday. It is being broadcast by NBC/Universal and can also be streamed on the internet at RugbyWorldCup.com

Why Tuesday's New Zealand earthquake was deadlier than previous one

A magnitude 6.3 New Zealand earthquake destroyed local landmarks and killed 65, according to local reports. A nearby magnitude 7.0 earthquake in September 2010 killed none.

Commonwealth Games 2010: Spotlight turns to sports

Commonwealth Games 2010: Swimming was the first sport to get going in New Delhi on Monday, the morning after the games officially opened with a spectacular ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Why entrepreneurs are the real victims of the recession

Heavy handed economic reforms like raising the minimum wage keep entrepreneurs from pursuing projects that would lift the economy.

Theories that travel well

For the ancient Greeks, "theory" was grounded in direct observation.

Hawaii under tsunami warning after massive Chile earthquake

Hawaii is under a tsunami warning following an earthquake in Chile Saturday morning.

The A to A of Government Inefficiency

Tsunami hits Solomon Islands village

A 6- to 10-foot wall of water – a tsunami – crashed into at least one village of 3,600 people in the Solomon Islands. Initial reports said no one was seriously hurt. A series of major quakes have rocked the South Pacific region since Sunday, with three temblors striking Monday.

Opinion: The ultimate Christmas gift

In an age of instant gratification, Advent’s penitential design trains our hearts and minds for the bigger hope to come.

Combating compassion fatigue in times of crisis

A Christian Science perspective.

Obama pushes gay rights, but not without criticism from activists

Many gay rights activists think Obama isn’t doing enough. But he’s in no rush on same-sex marriage or the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.

To comfort those touched by the tsunami

A Christian Science perspective.

How to help in Indonesia, Samoa, and Tonga

A list of some of the relief organizations working in Indonesia, Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga.

Philippines dodges typhoon Parma, but typhoon Melor is coming

The Philippines capital, Manila, still flooded from last week’s hurricane, was spared a second major disaster when typhoon Parma veered north.

Samoa tsunami: Islands assess how quickly they can recover

Samoa was hit harder than American Samoa, but damage is confined to one area. Another challenge will be convincing tourists – a major revenue source – to return.

Amid Samoa tsunami's devastation, tales of survival

One group of surfers rode out the massive waves that struck Samoa this week and killed 169 people. A woman whose two-day-old baby survived named her boy "Tsunami."

The indestructible forces of goodness

A Christian Science perspective.

Indonesia earthquake toll rises as survivors await relief

A second Indonesian earthquake struck near the city of Padang Thursday as the death toll rose to at least 529. Some residents, fearing aftershocks, sought safety outside despite monsoon rains.

Samoa tsunami lesson: Early warning system too slow

The Samoa tsunami demonstrates a problem for early warning systems - massive waves crashed ashore before researchers could analyze the earthquake and sound the alarm. A second earthquake struck near Samoa Wednesday, where the death toll has topped 150.