Ocean Protection & Fisheries: Fiji and Panama launched the Mesopelagic Zone Conservation Challenge to safeguard the “twilight zone” (200–1,000m deep), warning of threats from fishing and deep-sea mining and pushing countries to protect and study this carbon- and food-web-critical layer. Renewables as Security: Pacific energy experts at the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue said the fuel crisis is now an economic security threat, urging faster, locally led renewable energy and cleaner shipping rather than repeating past emergency-only responses. Vanuatu in the Spotlight: Vanuatu was reportedly excluded from Australia’s Pacific Engagement Visa ballot, with critics calling it leverage tied to the Nakamal Agreement—while Vanuatu’s climate-and-mobility stance remains central. Climate Risk Signals: SPREP warned El Niño conditions are established, with Western Pacific countries likely to face drier-than-usual conditions and higher drought risk, alongside calls for proactive water planning. Coral Hope: A new AI-led study identified “coral havens” where cool currents and other factors may help reefs survive heat stress, mapping climate-resilient ocean areas to guide conservation. Maritime Crime Watch: Solomon Islands authorities intercepted the Belize-flagged MV Wealth, suspected in drug trafficking and tobacco smuggling, highlighting ongoing transnational risks across Pacific waters. Local Resilience Tech: Tuvalu completed first payouts under a high-tide parametric insurance scheme, sending money automatically to 409 households—an approach that could inspire wider Pacific climate finance tools.