NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga — Leaders of Samoa and Tonga appealed for help this week as the import-reliant Pacific nations raised fears over possible fuel shortages and escalating costs caused by war in the Middle East. Oil prices have surged to nearly $110 a barrel following strikes against energy infrastructure in Iran and the Gulf states. The crisis in global energy markets has been felt as far away as the south Pacific, where nations like Samoa and Tonga are heavily reliant on imported petroleum. READ: Oil crunch, its next impact: Prices, cargo, air travel In Samoa, about two thirds of the country’s […]... Keep on reading: Pacific nations fear fuel shortages as Mideast war pushes oil prices up