More Top Stories
$541.7m tourism earnings
25 January 2025
‘Paedophile’ gets 13 years in prison
22 January 2025
Thomas Wynne: Where were our leaders while children suffered?
25 January 2025
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Features
Maoate ready for Miss Pacific Islands Pageant
Miss Cook Islands Pageant Association (MCIPA) is proud of Miss Cook Islands Ngatepaeru Marie Maoate’s commitment to building a strong campaign at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Church Talk: Overcoming fear through faith in Christ
Fear is a powerful emotion that many experience throughout their lifetime. Unfortunately, its impact can keep us from stepping forward in faith, rob us of joy, and make us doubt God’s promises, writes Pastor Eric Toleafoa of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Hoopla and Hillary Altogether it's much more than the Forum – its value 'immeasurable'
To refer to the past week as the biggest and busiest of the year would be grossly understating the Forum hype and hoopla that Rarotonga is going to spend September recovering from. The Forum was an occasion of whirlwind proportions for those directly involved – in the newsroom we abandoned all trappings of our extracurricular […]
Wharekura makes good music
A professional standard of musicianship combined with the relaxed nature of an intimate setting made for a fantastic night for the Aotearoa Society’s fundraising concert on Wednesday night. Leon Wharekura left the sold-out Staircase Restaurant and Bar to rounds of applause after a night of fun-filled entertainment for a good cause. All of the ‘two-course […]
Akava wins historic gold in Toque d'Or
Isaia Akava has made history by becoming the first non-New Zealander to win a gold medal in the prestigious Toque d’Or competition held at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds on Monday. As the only international team in the competition, the students from Rarotonga’s Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre were under pressure to perform, especially after last year’s […]
60 Plus group's new cookbook launched
Friday was a special day for the 60 Plus group of mamas and papas who celebrate five years of friendship and the launch of the group’s new cook book ‘Raurau ki to rima’. The A5 cookbook, printed locally by Cook Islands News, includes kitchen-tested and time-honoured recipes by members of the group. In her address […]
Stepping into an alien universe
Akirata is a group whose age range stretches from 13 to 50. Our young people tell the story best giving their own honest impressions.Here is the first article from our youth on the road, Elsie Hosking, Akirata’s 13-year-old custom packer and musician: We are in Ostrava. There is a lot of people, over 300,000 and […]
Maire's story impresses Oscar Kightley
Sione’s Wedding actor and writer Oscar Kightley sees potential in the Cook Islands’ very own Maire Brown. Kightley chose Brown as one of six finalists in a story contest being staged by New Zealand hip-hop artist Scribe. ‘Scribe With Us’ is a contest comprising four categories – song, story, poem and rap – that aims […]
The journey to Konitara Are Ta'unga
It has been a journey of many years that has ended in the formation of Konitara Are Ta’unga, the Cook Islands Arts Council. The council has been formed by artists in the Cook Islands community, moving ahead through dedication and hard work, when government actions towards forming a council slowed. The role of the arts […]
Good luck in Tahiti
‘Good luck in Tahiti’ was a passive sort of wish that many gave to Reuben Dearlove before he took on July’s Te Aito and last weekend’s Super Aito outrigger races. He valued the sentiment, but deep down, the 37-year-old Cook Islands champion paddler knows that luck has nothing to do with beating French Polynesia’s best […]
Maori entertainer returns for fundraiser concert
Prominent Maori entertainer Leon Wharekura is returning to Rarotonga to help raise funds for the local Aotearoa Society of Rarotonga. The Tainui singer’s arrival comes after the release of his second album, ChameLEON, in July. Where his first album that was simply titled ‘It’s a Love Thing’ featured a majority of covers, the second album […]
Te Tika launch brings 'new era' for Cooks
A premium skincare range containing secret Cook Islands plant extracts was launched in Rarotonga on Thursday night before being rolled out to the rest of the world. Te Tika, meaning ‘truth and integrity’ in Cook Islands Maori, is a skincare range developed over 10 years by Cook Islander Dr Graham Matheson, founder and director of […]
Nukutere mural based on sport and peace Nukutere College has a bright and beautiful new mural to decorate its canteen wall. The mural was painted by five students, aged 14 and 15 years, as part of an entry into an international art competition.
The 2012 Peace and Co-operation School Awards invited children aged 13 to 15 years to create a mural on the theme of ”Sport as the key for understanding and peace. Everyone united.“ Students Tiree Haworth, Lucianne Vainerere, Louisa Purea, Lovelyn Giva-Tuke and Dylan Giva had only a few days to complete their mural, so they […]
Big Olympic weekend
This weekend is shaping up to be the biggest for the Cook Islands competitors at the London Olympics. Having watched fellow sprinter Patricia Taea race to a season’s best in the women’s 100 metre sprint preliminaries, Patrick Tuara will be looking to do the same in the early hours of this morning (Saturday CIT). Tuara […]
Cookies take on London fashion
My full name is Stanley Cowan Henry and my brother’s name is Matthew Tinorei Henry. I am 25 and my brother is 23. How long have you been based in London and how old is your company? I have been in London for four months now and Matthew has been here for almost two years. […]
Rocking at Rehab tonight
International musicians (from left) Pieter T (Pieter Tuhoro), DJ Peter Gunz (Peter Paplii) and Sammielz (Sam Leota Lu) will be rocking the Rehab nightclub tonight in their one-off island gig. The trio will drop some reggae, R&B, ‘old school’ tunes and as DJ Peter Gunz says, ”play and sing pretty much everything islanders love.“ Ten […]
'Don't murder sharks'
This week the Kids Page features some more very interesting letters to the editor, written by Te Uki Ou pupils. The students decided to write the letters to express their opinions about a number of issues that they feel very strongly about, from shark finning to animal cruelty and road accidents. Dear Editor, People are […]
Rain fails to stop float parade fun
The people of the Cook Islands showed staunch patriotism yesterday when Te Maeva Nui teams and event sponsors marched, sang and danced in the rain for the float parade marking the start of the 47th Te Maeva Nui. Hundreds of people including visitors huddled under umbrellas and raincoats watching the 20 decorated floats carrying enthusiastic […]
Te Radar shares love of Atiu
Well-known Kiwi TV personality Te Radar (Andrew Lumsden) loved his entire Cook Islands experience but was ”blown away“ by the beauty of Atiu while filming his latest television series, Te Radar Across the Pacific. Te Radar expressed his adoration and wonder for Atiu stating ”I think this has been the highlight of my trip, this […]
Music group hope for youth
A group in Arorangi has received a grant to continue the work they do in the community to encourage youth to get involved with music. The New Zealand Aid Programme has provided $9605 to the Community Initiative Scheme (CIS) in order to make a difference in youths’ lives through music. The money will go to […]
Huge interest in film challenge
Film Raro has already received hundreds of applications for next year’s film challenge, which will give eight film crews the opportunity to spend a week in Rarotonga creating a 10-minute production. Director Stan Wolfgramm says scripts have been ”rolling in“, the majority of them from Cook Islanders living all over the world. One was submitted […]
Kids share Otago, music stories
Hamilton Boys’ High School Recently, our school was lucky enough to have a visit from the Hamilton Boys’ High Band, who performed for all the schools in Rarotonga. They arrived just before lunch and spent lunchtime setting up. We ended up having a shorter lunch, so we could whiz straight into duties and have the […]