Digital Tourism Support: Te Pa’ata is rolling out a digital help programme for Cook Islands holiday home owners, offering practical info, expert advice and business tools to strengthen resilience. Youth & Leadership: A young Cook Islander is urging traditional leaders to engage more directly with youth, arguing culture survives only when the next generation understands its role. Public Finance Scrutiny: A letter to the editor questions “budget blind spots” and points to constitutional rules on unauthorised public spending. Payments Upgrade: BSP Cook Islands has replaced 100+ EFTPoS terminals with upgraded 4G Verifone units, cutting wait times and improving merchant and customer transactions. Water Tariff Misinformation: To Tatou Vai says social media claims about residential water tariffs rising are wrong; the 2026 annual review kept the $1.40 per cubic metre rate. Trade & Local Business: Bank of the Cook Islands Trade Days opened with a record 111 vendors (and 93 vendors in the lead-up coverage), spotlighting local food, crafts and services, plus new digital payment tools. Deep-Sea Mining Watch: NOAA-backed ROV work in Cook Islands waters continues as the UN seabed mining regulator still lacks a Mining Code, while a US-backed exploration proposal for the region is open for public comment. Offshore Wealth Demand: Southpac Group reports a 290% rise in US clients seeking Cook Islands and Nevis asset protection as AI, cybersecurity and data privacy disputes increase litigation risk.