Samoa

But the decision by the International Weightlifting Federation has come too late for the 24-year-old to compete at the Commonwealth Games.

Iuniarra Sipaia was originally banned for using triamcinolone acetonide at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in September.

The Samoa Weightifting Federation appealed, saying they had been using the drug to treat injuries for years and were not made aware the rules had changed.

Federation President Jerry Wallwork said it was a relief Sipaia's name had been cleared.

According to Talamua Online, the unnamed prisoner was granted parole but declined, saying he did not want to be obligated to certain parole conditions after being released.

The Parole Board met last week to deliberate on 42 applications and granted parole to 21 prisoners.

Convicted rapists were among those released as well as some convicted of robbery, theft and attempted murder.

The Board sits three times a year and is chaired by the Chief Justice.

The Women in Leadership in Samoa project also seeks to improve women's leadership in the country

Samoa has taken significant steps towards gender equality and women now hold five of the 50 seats in Parliament, in accordance with a constitutional amendment in 2013 to ensure 10 percent of the seats are held by women.

A record 24 women stood in the 2016 election, three times as many as in the previous poll.

Despite these developments organisers of the WILS project said barriers remained which prevented women from engaging in political leadership.

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has also declared a Public Holiday for the same day in honour Tuiloma who passed away last weekend.

Tuiloma was a Member of the Council of Deputies since February 2016.

He has served as a Member of Parliament for 31 years, representing the Safata District from 1979 to 1995, and as Falealili's Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2015.

He was also a Cabinet Minister for Sports and Culture Affairs and as the Minister for Revenue.

He served in the public service for sixty years.

Often reserved for the select few, the tradition is slowly gaining popularity with Samoans living abroad.

Now the Malofie exhibition in Porirua has brought Samoa's most famous tattoo artist to our shores, in a bid to reconnect people with their culture.

The saying goes: if there's no pain, there's no gain. And Tafaoali'i Tuna Talamaivao's body is proof he's committed to getting his pe'a.

"It's very painful aye, very painful, it's not easy," he told Newshub.

Tuiloma, 83, passed away on Saturday at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital at Motootua.

He was appointed as Member of the Council of Deputies in February 2016 after serving as a Member of Parliament for 31 years, representing the Safata District from 1979 to 1995, and as Falealili's Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2015.

Tuiloma was a Cabinet Minister for Sports and Culture Affairs and as the Minister for Revenue while in Parliament.

He served in the public service for sixty years.

The Blacknose Bar was closed last August after the Board investigated an incident where a security guard for the bar assaulted a customer.

Olo claimed the board breached the Liquor Board Act by not having consultations with him on the matter.

He said the board did not follow process.

The board has sought an adjournment and the matter will now return to court on 9 April.

Shalom Senara has resigned from the role due to family reasons.

He took up the position in October, having spent the previous two years as the Samoa Rugby Union's Development Manager.

"Shalom has informed SRU that whilst he understood and enjoyed the role and worked well with the management team, ultimately the time away from his young family swayed his decision to step down," said Chief Executive Officer Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told news media on Wednesday that it would be his government's last resort if bloggers using social media to attack government did not start revealing their identities.

Tuilaepa again warned that the bloggers were stirring up violence amongst people of the country.

He said there are a lot of people angered by some of the accusations on social media.

The mass at Mulivai Catholic Cathedral was attended by His Highness the Head of State Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II and Masiofo Faamausili Leinafo, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, families, friends, admirers and hundreds more whose lives were touched by this Son of Samoa.

Son of the legendary Aggie Grey, the humble Alan was widely acknowledged as the mastermind behind the famed hotel brand.