Te Mire Ura Nui Spotlight: Three young Cook Islands dancers from small-town Aotearoa are set to take the “biggest stage” in Rarotonga at the Te Mire Ura Nui International Dancer of the Year competition (28–29 May), representing Team Waikato with dance, costume, drumming and storytelling rooted in family and community training. Regional Climate Leadership: PM Mark Brown used the UN ESCAP opening in Bangkok to push climate action that starts with protecting the most vulnerable, stressing finance as the key barrier. Trade & Connectivity: Cook Islands delegates joined PACER Plus budget and joint committee meetings in Tonga, shaping proposals on trade facilitation, customs, standards and biosecurity. Air Links for Islanders: Air New Zealand launches a seasonal direct Christchurch–Rarotonga service (up to three times weekly), adding easier winter travel. Sport & Youth Excellence: Cook Islands golfers Tane Wichman and Tahitoa Webb head to the AAC Academy in New Zealand, while Team Cook Islands continues medal and record momentum at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin. Women in Maritime: Amy Ngatamaine becomes the first Cook Islander to chair PACWIMA, highlighting leadership pathways for Pacific women at sea. Culture on the Move: Cook Islands artists feature at the Aotearoa Art Fair in Auckland, with the fair positioning Indigenous contemporary art as a growing Pacific platform. Domestic Shipping Milestone: PM Brown will travel to China for the official launch of the MV Tuitui Moana, a new inter-island vessel built to strengthen links with the Pa Enua.