An Otago Daily Times editor is facing backlash over a decision to publish a cartoon about the Samoan measles epidemic.

The death toll from Samoa’s measles epidemic has risen to 60, with five deaths recorded in the past 24 hours.

There have been another two deaths in Samoa’s measles epidemic, bringing the toll to 55.

There have been another five deaths in Samoa’s measles epidemic, bringing the toll to 53.

“I took them to the hospital, the vaccine is very important.”

Polling is winding down in the independence referendum in Papua New Guinea’s autonomous region of Bougainville.

Another six children have died due to measles in the last day, as a severe outbreak continues to spread in Samoa.

The University of the South Pacific’s Alafua Campus has been closed to members of the public and students until further notice.

Samoa’s measles epidemic has claimed the lives of 32 people, a sharp increase on a day ago.

Six thousand vaccines had to be destroyed because they were incorrectly stored.

The tiny South Pacific nation of Tuvalu has rejected offers from Chinese firms to build artificial islands that would help it deal with rising sea levels, its foreign minister says.

The Samoan government’s issued new orders in the state of the emergency over the measles outbreak that’s gripping the island nation.