Netball World Cup Qualification: Tonga Tala claimed the Oceania title and a 2027 Netball World Cup invite after beating Samoa 71-63 in Nuku’alofa, finishing undefeated; Samoa still booked its own World Cup spot with wins over PNG (72-56), Fiji (56-50) and the Cook Islands (72-50). Sports – Youth Football: Samoa finished fifth at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship, beating Solomon Islands 2-0 in Honiara with goals from captain Taimane Devoux (34’, 57’). Climate Science Partnership: Samoa signed a long-term MoU with the Pacific Community (SPC) to boost climate research and data work through SROS, including loss-and-damage methods and environmental monitoring. Ombudsman on Child Privacy: Samoa’s Ombudsman raised concerns about the Samoa Observer naming two children in Nofoali‘i deaths while police investigations were still ongoing, warning this could breach rights to privacy and dignity. Visa-Waiver Push: Labour says it will expand visa-waiver travel for Pacific Islands Forum citizens to help families reconnect for weddings, funerals and major cultural events. Health Education Boost: Samoa and Japan broke ground on a major upgrade to the National University of Samoa’s Faculty of Health Science facilities. Money Alert: Samoa’s Central Bank warned of continued counterfeit 100 tala notes in circulation and urged people to check security features and report suspicious cash.