Niue in US spotlight: At a second White House summit with Pacific leaders, President Biden announced US diplomatic recognition of Niue and the Cook Islands, alongside new US$40 million for regional “secure, sustainable, and resilient” infrastructure, including undersea cable connectivity. Climate diplomacy: Australia’s A$20m bill to host a Fiji Pre-COP31 climate meeting is sparking a political fight in Canberra, with the Opposition arguing it should not come at a cost-of-living time. Pacific climate push: Forum foreign ministers backed stronger COP31 momentum, endorsing the Pacific Partnership and Envoys and calling for more climate finance and renewable energy, with Niue listed among senior officials attending. Environment governance in the region: Wallis-et-Futuna chairs the SPREP Executive Board meeting in Samoa, focusing on how smaller territories’ concerns are represented amid climate, biodiversity and pollution pressures. Fisheries and security: Samoa is urging tighter monitoring of fish stocks and “E-Zones” security at the WCPFC, coordinating operations with Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji and working on EEZ boundary coordination involving Niue. Local culture: A Niuean artist, Susannah Sionetuato, brings contemporary Niuean storytelling and hiapo-inspired work to Auckland in her first Aotearoa exhibition.