Commonwealth Games in Glasgow: Pacific nations are front and centre as the 2026 Commonwealth Games officially begin, with 11 Pacific teams (including Niue) among about 3,000 athletes from 74 countries, after Victoria dropped out over costs and Glasgow stepped in with a smaller, more financially constrained programme. Niue & Pacific representation: Niue’s Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi is not on the floor this year, but Niue’s presence continues the island’s Commonwealth legacy alongside teams from Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Day 1 sport focus: Bowls kicked off early (“day zero” added due to higher entries), with the first medal expected in para weightlifting as athletes chase medals across multiple venues. Regional governance & fisheries: Tokelau’s access to a major tuna revenue scheme is in dispute after leaked correspondence raised questions about fisheries oversight and New Zealand’s role; NZ says Tokelau remains responsible for managing offshore fisheries even as the loss of scheme access creates financial uncertainty. Climate diplomacy: Solomon Islands’ Environment Minister Wayne Ghemu urged stronger Pacific unity ahead of COP31, arguing regionalism helps the Pacific negotiate from a stronger position.