Niue Budget Watch: MPs are grilling the newly re-elected government over its first budget since the election, with community development and social welfare missing from stated priorities even as spending rises and a widening deficit draws scrutiny; the 2026/27 Appropriation Annual Bill sets out $83.4m spending against $65.8m revenue and now heads to the Public Accounts Committee for detailed review. LGBTQ Rights Backslide: Niger has joined a growing list of countries tightening anti-gay laws, pushing the count to 66 nations where same-sex relations are illegal and highlighting a wider regional reversal after recent moves in parts of Africa and the Caribbean. Stage & Story: Auckland Theatre Company debuts “Sons of Vao,” a new Niuean play rooted in one man’s long journey to write, create, and make peace with the past. Ocean Funding Gap: As leaders meet for Our Ocean (16–18 June) in Mombasa, attention turns to the big conservation shortfall, with only about 14% of needed international funding reaching ocean protection. Climate & Food Security: Pacific nations are rolling out an Advanced Warning System to help governments respond as climate change shifts tuna stocks beyond national waters. Youth Opportunity: A 13-year-old Braxton Matene has been selected for a basketball development tournament in America and is seeking community support to cover about $8,500 in costs. Culture in Practice: Niuean-Māori tattoo artist Iata Peautolu returns to Niue to run a Tātatau Art Workshop, aiming to document stories and village knowledge that can shape a deeper Niuean tātatau for future generations.