Penrhyn Port Upgrade: The US and New Zealand have pledged over NZ$100m to upgrade Penrhyn (Tongareva) port on the northern Cook Islands, with the US contributing about US$50m and NZ about NZ$17.5m, aimed at safer landings, better access to services, and stronger trade links—announced at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau and tied to a wider critical minerals push. Seabed Mining Caution: Cook Islands PM Mark Brown says the country will stick to science and won’t move from exploration to extraction until answers are in, even as Pacific leaders face mounting legal and environmental concerns around deep-sea mining. Investor-State Dispute Warning: A new report warns Pacific governments, including the Cook Islands, could face costly investor claims if they tighten environmental rules or change mining licences—raising fears of a “chilling effect” on regulation. Pa Enua Shipping Model: After a three-year transition to gather operating data, the government will decide the long-term management approach for new state-run domestic vessels serving the Pa Enua. Local Business Support: BTIB’s free three-day business workshop returns to Mangaia (Sept 15–17), helping Pa Enua entrepreneurs with planning, costing/pricing, forecasting and bookkeeping. Banking Disruption: Customers report online banking outages and security issues at a regional bank in the Cook Islands, while the bank says funds are safe after a manual password reset error. Domestic Security: Police arrested two people after a weekend crime wave in Rarotonga, including burglaries and stolen motorbikes.