El Niño Watch for Samoa: Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment says El Niño is already bringing below-normal rainfall and hotter days, with 60–70% odds of drier weather from Aug 2026 to Jan 2027—raising risks for water supplies, farming, livestock stress, heat illness, and even wildfires, while cyclone risk stays elevated. Marine Protection in Action: Samoa’s new Marine Protected Area network is getting a four-week science push by National Geographic Pristine Seas, aiming to map reef, mid-ocean and deepwater biodiversity and build a baseline for long-term monitoring under Samoa’s Marine Spatial Plan. Whales Return, Protected: MNRE reports humpback whales migrating through Samoa’s warm waters (Aug–Nov) and reminds people they’re protected—no chasing, approaching, or interacting, and stay at least 100 metres away. Science for Tuna Management: Samoa is hosting the WCPFC Scientific Committee meeting, with leaders calling for stronger, credible science to guide sustainable tuna fisheries decisions that will affect coastal villages. Regional Environment Leadership: Samoa hosts SPREP’s Executive Board meeting as Pacific leaders push back on the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution—arguing small island communities are bearing the brunt. Ant-Plant Farming Breakthrough: USP research on Fiji’s ant-plant symbiosis could reshape sustainable agriculture across Samoa and the Pacific, but the study warns invasive ants linked to forest disturbance are displacing native farming ants.