NRLW & Pacific pride: Cook Islands heritage Warriors captain Apii Nicholls was among Pacific stars honoured at the 2026 Dally M Awards in Sydney, as the awards spotlighted women’s rugby league talent and culture. Youth sport on the move: Cook Islands, Fiji and others are finalising teams for the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, with Cook Islands beach handball set to make history. Women’s wellbeing through culture: CC Tamure Fitness is helping Cook Islands women stay active by pairing tamure dance with cardio, building a supportive, culturally grounded space. Mental health, island-wide: Limitless Academy’s “Run the 5 Islands” will link Rarotonga, Mauke, Atiu, Mangaia and Aitutaki over 122km to spark mental health conversations. Tourism pathways: Te Mato Manava Tūroto is opening Expressions of Interest for the 2027 Te Arata’a youth tourism scholarship intake. CEDAW advocacy: Punanga Turuturu Vaine (PTI) is heading to Geneva with a shadow report on gender-based violence for the Cook Islands CEDAW review. Suicide prevention: Te Marae Ora and Police stress help-seeking as an ongoing priority after recorded suicide-related callouts and deaths since 2025. Deep-sea mining debate: Youth voices are weighing economic hopes against cultural and environmental risks as Cook Islands considers deep-sea mining prospects. Geospatial governance: Cook Islands will action all nine UN-IGIF strategic pathways to strengthen geospatial information for better decisions on infrastructure, climate resilience and ocean governance. Basketball spotlight: The Cook Islands women’s team heads to Tahiti for the FIBA Women’s Polynesian Cup 2026, with players framing it as both personal and national pride. Plastic pollution action: Te Ipukarea Society convened Pa Enua and sector partners to push practical, coordinated steps to cut plastic pollution.