COVID-19

The Samoa and Tonga Under 20 teams were scheduled to contest the title on 22 May but, following consultation with Lakapi Samoa and Tonga Rugby Union, Oceania Rugby said the game will not go ahead.

Competitions Manger, Wayne Schuster, said the ongoing travel restrictions, advice from health authorities and the continued challenge in hosting tournaments in the Covid-19 landscape were the main factors in their decision.

"Unfortunately rescheduling or postponing this year's event would also not be realistic under the current circumstances."

The lockdown at Lae's University of Technology started on Sunday after the deaths of two academics - one the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Gabriel Arpa.

Unitech's administration said the cause of their deaths is yet to be confirmed but both people had Covid-19 symptoms, The National newspaper reported.

Unitech said as an interim precaution, they had decided to suspend all classes for two weeks and impose a total lockdown.

The relay, due to reach Osaka in mid-April, is seen as the first major test of Games organisers' abilities to hold a large event under strict coronavirus curbs. It features 10,000 runners carrying the torch through all Japan's 47 prefectures.

The western metropolis of Osaka is grappling with a spike in coronavirus cases and the governor of Osaka prefecture has called for cancelling the leg that takes place in the city.

Customers can ask for a refund if they can no longer travel due to ill health or financial hardship caused by the pandemic.

The policy has been in place since the start of the pandemic, and the airline said a large number of people had re-booked using their credits.

But it recognised travel was still out of reach for some people and wanted to remind them of potential refunds.

Macron said that schools would move to remote learning from next week.

Lockdown measures, introduced in some areas of France earlier this month, are also being extended to other districts.

All non-essential shops are to close from Saturday and there will be a ban on travelling more than 10km from home without good reason.

France's Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 59,038 new coronavirus cases.

The ministry added that 5053 patients were in intensive care units, down from a 2021 record of 5072 on Tuesday.

The 85% shortfall comes two days after Brisbane entered another snap lockdown to combat a small outbreak.

Last week the government said the vaccine rollout did not demand urgency given Australia's low infection rates.

The country has recorded 909 deaths and 29,300 cases since the pandemic began - far fewer than many other nations.

But sporadic outbreaks have led to six lockdowns in cities in recent months. Critics say situations like Brisbane's outbreak show why a quick vaccine programme is still needed.

With the assistance, Samoa will be able to procure medical equipment including ultra-low temperature freezers.

“Japan is very much committed to assist the Government of Samoa’s preparatory and response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of the international concerted efforts, we are glad to have this opportunity to support the Government of Samoa through UNICEF to provide transportation as ‘last one-mile support’ to ensure vaccination in Samoa,” said Genichi Terasawa, Japan’s Ambassador to Samoa.

Tendulkar, who will turn 48 next month, retired from the professional game in 2013 after notching a still unmatched 100 international centuries in a prolific 24-year career.

He returned to the crease recently as captain of the India Legends team in a promotional event called the Road Safety World Series in Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh.

"I have been testing myself and taking all the recommended precautions to ensure Covid is kept at bay. However, I have tested positive today following mild symptoms," Tendulkar said on his Twitter handle.

“Since the COVID lockdown in Samoa, WiBDi has actively been seeking new local markets to support families during this difficult time for regular income generation,” says Programme Manager, Gillian Stewart.

“Looking for opportunities within the local market is also critical and not just focusing on an export lens. There’s a high demand from businesses to source fresh, organic ingredients for their value-added products.”

The number of new deaths from the coronavirus levelled off after a six-week decrease, with just over 60,000 new deaths reported.

Europe and the Americas continued to account for nearly eight in 10 of all cases and deaths, while the only region to report a decline in fatalities was the Western Pacific, down nearly a third, compared to the previous week.

Infections rose notably in South East Asia, the Western Pacific, Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, according to the World Health Organisation’s Weekly Epidemiological Update.