University Collaboration: NUS and Massey University renewed their MOU in Apia to expand staff and student exchanges, joint research, and collaborative teaching—aimed at strengthening higher education and research across Samoa and the wider Pacific. Nuclear Health Tech: The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center’s Body Composition Shared Resource Laboratory was designated an IAEA Collaborating Centre, joining a small global network to standardize body-composition assessment and train member states through 2030. Energy & Security: A Pacific peace and security report warns fuel shocks and rising costs could spill into wider instability, with Samoa urged to accelerate the shift away from imported fossil fuels. Bird Flu Preparedness: WHO is urging Pacific countries to prepare for avian influenza (H5N1) as detections in Australia and New Zealand raise the risk of spillover to humans. Samoa in the Vaccine Spotlight: New U.S. documents intensify calls for a criminal probe into Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over claims about a Samoa trip tied to measles deaths. Skills for Development: Five Samoans won 2026 JICA SDGs scholarships to study in Japan, building future leadership in areas like environmental science, public management, business, and policy. Digital Finance Launch: ZMO rolled out a simplified crypto and stock trading platform with “1-click” features, including futures and AI-assisted trading. Wayfinding Culture: Polynesian Voyaging Society inducted six new Pwo navigators in Hawaiʻi, highlighting leadership and stewardship in traditional navigation.