US Territories’ August 13-19, 2018 news week in tweets

by Aug 20, 2018News Week in Tweets0 comments

Puerto Rico Hits Lowest Unemployment in 50 Years

The unemployment rate in Puerto Rico reached 9.1% in July, which is the lowest unemployment the territory has had in 50 years. Puerto Rico’s population has also decreased significantly as people moved to the mainland over the past decade.

Former US Virgin Islands Senator Convicted of Wire Fraud and Theft

Wayne A.G. James, a former senator of the US Virgin Islands, was convicted of wired fraud and theft of federal funds. The former senator used some of the money for re-election campaigns and other personal expenses.

Support To Raise Marriage Age in American Samoa Expressed at Forum

Strong support for raising the marriage age from 14 to 18 was shown at a forum held by Pae ma le Auli, a women’s advocacy group. The bill to raise the age has passed the House of Representatives and is now on the Senate floor.

Missing Hiker Near Pago Bay Bridge Found

15-year-old Xavier Akima was reported missing on August 11 after being separated from a group on a river. On August 13, his body was found by volunteers near Leo Palace Resort.

15 CNMI Firefighters To Help Fight California Wildfires

A team of 15 CNMI firefighters have been deployed to California for 30 to 40 days to help fight the California wildfires. The firefighters will be able to gain experience handling wildfires and knowledge from the US Forest Service.