Education & Safety: Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission is calling for a prompt, impartial police and Ministry of Education investigation after a 16-year-old student was allegedly slapped and prevented from leaving a classroom at Gospel High School, stressing schools must be safe spaces with clear reporting and child protection support. HIV & Youth Health: UniFiji has launched a new HIV Prevention, Care and Awareness Campaign, urging young people to “Know Your Status” as Fiji’s diagnoses rise, while officials also reiterated that a Needle and Syringe Programme is harm-reduction aimed at stopping HIV transmission. Community Health Training: Fiji’s first Certificate in Community Health (Addressing HIV and AIDS in Fiji) Level 3 cohort has graduated 52 learners, trained to lead stigma reduction, prevention and community education. Skills & Funding Pressure: Pacific Polytech says its Government grant was cut from about $7m to $500,000, warning this could threaten campuses and staff, and demanding the funding allocation formula be made public. Culture & Belonging: International School Suva’s ISS Fun Day celebrated diversity with a community weaving project, meke performances and sustainability-focused activities. Independence Day in the Pacific: India’s 80th Independence Day relay, Suryapath Tiranga, began with a tricolour hoist in Suva and moved across dozens of missions worldwide, turning the sunrise into a shared cultural moment.