Cabinet & Health Funding: Samoa Cabinet approved about $360,000 tālā to cover Minister Ale Vena Ale’s medical treatment in New Zealand after Parliament was dissolved, following his later revelation that one leg was amputated. Health Care Access: A Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital registrar says children needing complex surgery can wait years and often must travel overseas because Samoa lacks a paediatric surgeon and dedicated paediatric ICU; a visiting Royal Australasian College of Surgeons team assessed 50+ children and performed 26 operations. Education & Skills: Five Samoans received JICA SDG Global Leader Programme scholarships to study in Japan, with recipients set for degrees and masters across environmental science, social development, public management, business administration and policy science. Sports — Rugby & Sevens: Manu Samoa Sevens have left for New Zealand for training before the European leg, with the team chasing a top-four finish to secure Olympic qualification points. Sports — Football: Delon Shankar captains Fiji at the OFC U19 Men’s Championship in Samoa, with Samoa hosting and the winner/runner-up qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Local Governance & Trust: A ship mystery at Aleipata highlights how missing public information can fuel rumours, with residents questioning what a Chinese-operated, ADB-funded port expansion vessel was doing. Invasive Species Research: Fiji scientists are testing two biological control agents against the invasive African tulip tree under strict containment, aiming for a long-term solution.