Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata' afa told the summit....

Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, the leader of the newcomer party FAST, was to be sworn in as prime minister

In a boost for Pacific Islands such as Tuvalu under threat from rising seas, Commonwealth nations agreed on Saturday that a nation's maritime boundaries should remain fixed even if climate change causes small island states to be submerged. The 56 countries with roots in Britain's empire issued the Commonwealth's first Ocean Declaration at the end of a summit of the group in Samoa. The declaration says the Commonwealth leaders" affirm that members can maintain their maritime zones" under the law

The individual is isolating, and the government is conducting contact tracing, she said. The prime minister said the cabinet would continue to assess the situation throughout the lockdown.On Friday, the country closed all schools, bars, fitness centers and nightclubs.... Under the lockdown, churches are closed and other services are not permitted unless they are essential.... The case reported on Thursday was believed to be the first that the country of about 200, 000 people has found without

WELLINGTON, New Zealand— Samoa will go into lockdown from Saturday as it faces its first coronavirus outbreak, two years into the pandemic. The move comes after a woman who was about to leave the Pacific island nation tested positive for the coronavirus.... It is the first time Samoa has found any unexplained cases in the community and likely points to an undetected outbreak that has been going on for days or even weeks.... Samoa and several neighboring island nations were among the last place

The Pacific Islands region hasn't had so much international attention since World War II.... The deal authorizes China to regularly make warship visits and provide training and assistance for Solomon Islands policing.... Worried that Beijing might leverage the deal to acquire its first military base in Oceania, the United States and Australia quickly dispatched envoys to dissuade Solomon Islander Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare from signing the agreement....

Officials are pledging to ramp up vaccinations to protect New Delhi’s more than 20 million people. Some residents are skeptical: This weekend, city officials had to close vaccination centers for lack of supply, a problem plaguing the entire country.... “ The only answer is vaccination, ” said Dr.... Anand Krishnan of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. Details: Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, announced on Sunday that the city would start “ unlocking ” gradually next