OFC U-19 Football: The OFC U-19 Men’s Championship kicks off in Samoa with eight teams chasing FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027 qualification, with Samoa in Group A against New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Pacific Islands Forum in Palau: The 55th PIF leaders meeting begins in Koror, but a major shadow hangs over unity as several heads of government—including Samoa’s PM—are absent or represented by ministers, while Solomon Islands’ outgoing chair Matthew Wale abruptly left after a no-confidence motion. Cost-of-living and security: A new regional peace and security report warns fuel shocks and rising living costs could spill into wider social and political instability, with Samoa flagged as vulnerable due to heavy import reliance. Human rights in schools: Samoa’s Ombudsman met the Education and Culture Minister to strengthen the Friendly Schools Programme, aiming to boost student awareness of rights, safety and education. Culture and community: Government donates $30,000 to support the Miss Samoa Pageant as part of the Measina Arts and Cultural Festival, while Japan approved $357,797 for the Samoa Victim Support Group to expand school facilities. Health science: The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center’s Body Composition Shared Resource Laboratory received an IAEA Collaborating Centre designation, supporting cancer and nutrition-related assessment training for Pacific and wider member states. Sports and identity: Toa Samoa named a powerful Rugby League World Cup squad packed with NRL stars, with fans watching for an upset.