Critical Minerals & Deep-Sea Minerals: A new U.S. defense supply-chain Executive Order is pushing faster development of critical minerals, and American Samoa’s “No” stance on a potential BOEM lease sale is framed as a way to steer investment, jobs, and training toward other U.S. options while keeping local influence in the process. Fisheries & Maritime Security: Samoa is using the WCPFC scientific session in Apia to press for stronger fish stock monitoring and tighter protection of EEZs, warning that without surveillance only a few countries benefit; Samoa is also coordinating Blue Pacific operations with Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji against illegal fishing, drugs, and trafficking, and working on EEZ boundary coordination involving Niue. Pacific Climate Diplomacy: Forum foreign ministers backed a stronger regional push ahead of COP31, endorsing Pre-COP31 meetings to boost Pacific leadership, climate finance access, renewable energy investment, and ocean-climate priorities, with Niue attending senior-official level. Niue Consumer/Heritage: Niue’s new silver coin story blends legal-tender status with Jewish history, featuring Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson and themed “Spreading the Light.”