Samoa has elected its first woman prime minister. Now an ongoing constitutional crisis, ironically centred around competing interpretations of Samoa’s parliamentary gender quota provisions, is preventing her from taking power. On Monday, it was not a glass ceiling that stopped Fiame Naomi Mata’afa – on track to become Samoa’s first woman prime minister – but a glass door.
By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong of the Samoa Observer
The Office of the Attorney General has withdrawn a recusal application to disallow Justices from hearing two controversial cases before the Court.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, Moliei Simi Vaai confirmed the application has been withdrawn.
On Thursday morning, the Attorney General s Office lawyer, Fuimaono Sefo Ainuu filed the applications before the Chief Justice, Satiu Simativa Perese to recuse the justices from hearing their appeal.
The AG is appealing the decision from the Supreme Court to void the additional seat awarded to Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuuau.
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The United States and European Union condemn plane ‘hijack’ and arrest of dissident Belarusian journalist. The Israel–Hamas ceasefire is holding as opposition leader Yair Lapid tries to form a coalition to lead Israel.
By
Jonathan Pearlman.
Samoa’s first woman PM sworn in despite standoff
Samoa’s new prime minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, addresses the media outside parliament in Apia on Monday.
Credit: AP
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Belarus: Last Sunday afternoon, Ryanair flight 4978 departed from Athens in Greece for Vilnius in Lithuania – a trip that crosses Belarus, whose longstanding ruler, Alexander Lukashenko, is often referred to as Europe’s last dictator.
Despite the constitutional crisis surrounding them, the people of Samoa are calm and collected – instilling their trust in the constitution and having faith that, in due course, they will have a government to lead them.