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.
Students earn credits in the workplace
Tereora College students are earning NCEA credits in the workplace over the holidays. Year 13 business administration and computing students are completing a five-day work experience over the next two weeks. The class of 27 was required to choose a company that would enable them to deal with customers over the phone and face to […]
Lightning strike kills woman, injures girl
St Joseph’s Primary School shares more of their work with us this week on the Kids Page. Grade Six students took an article from the Cook Island News and summarised it as part of practising their comprehension skills. Creative writing for Grade Four students looked at what is happening in the world around us, as […]
High praise for a great show
Te Maeva Nui village and outer islands teams have big shoes to fill after Rarotonga schools put on an outstanding cultural festival on Wednesday night. The National Auditorium was packed to the rafters with proud parents and families who brought the Are Karioi roof down with roaring cheers for every single school. The level of […]
Akaoki'anga kaka: returning the glory
Woven kikau baskets – packed tightly with fish baked in banana leaves and packaged chicken, cooked taro and tinned meat – lined the frond-covered floor of the Atai/Auta meeting house last Sunday. Mitiaro mamas in white dresses and rito hats sat on benches and held dressed-up babies as the men – their husbands, sons, grandsons, […]
Avaiki success in Europe
Avaiki showed Europe what Cook Islands pearls have to offer at a recent international trade show. Described as successful by the Avaiki wholesale team, it was a chance to exhibit alongside the latest European trends in jewellery and watches. The annual Inhorgenta trade show was held in Munich in February, and is truly an international […]
Pearls of Romance
The romance of Cook Islands pearls is part of a celebration of wedding fashion currently taking place in Wellington. “Unveiled – 200 years of Wedding Fashion” from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, is showing over four months at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. The Cook Islands Pearl Authority was invited […]
Retailers and wholesalers unite
A new organisation was incorporated in early January 2012 called the Cook Islands Pearl Retailers and Wholesalers Incorporated (CIPRWI) to represent the interests of retail, wholesale and jewellery establishments on Rarotonga. The members of CIPWRI included Fisher’s Pearls, Goldmine, Island Craft, The Pearl Lounge, Tarani’s Craft & Pearls, Bergman & Sons, Farm Direct Pearls, Classic […]
Song and dance at Avarua
This week at Avarua School was all about celebrating the language and culture of the Cook Islands. “Te Rito o te Reo te Peu Kuki Airani” has involved participation from students across the school, including the pre-school. Each island is represented, with students choosing which island group they wanted to be part of after discussion […]
Cooks are 'better than the pictures'
Photographed against the busy backdrop of New York City and submerged in French Polynesian lagoons, an opaque bottle of Japanese vodka Iichiko is something of a world traveller. Recently well-known Japanese talk show host, author, videographer and photojournalist Shimpei Asai and Japan Belier Art Center’s art director Hideya Kawakita brought Iichiko to the Cook Islands. […]
Award-winning creative agency opens shop
A design and marketing company called Woods the Creative Agency will open for business in the Cook Islands next week. Recently approved by the Business Trade Investment Board to operate as a foreign enterprise, the award-winning agency from the Bay of Plenty is run by Reuben Woods, son of Cook Islands News managing editor John […]
Pukapuka on Facebook
Pukapuka has a new online presence with a new Facebook account. The site provides photos and news of activities happening at the school, hospital and community in Pukapuka. While only about 20 people in Pukapuka have Facebook accounts, the Pukapukan community in New Zealand has been actively spending time on the site. “Take me back […]
The motus of Pukapuka
Someone asked me what makes Pukapuka special and unique. I had two answers: the community and the motu system. The motus cover an uninhabited area at least three times larger than the main settlement of Wale. Each village has pule guards that strictly regulate what can be gathered on each motu and when. Anyone breaking […]
Artists unite to form arts council
Most tourists recall two things about their Cook Islands holiday – the people and the culture. For artist Mike Tavioni, that’s an indication that the Cook Islands’ most important and marketable asset is its culture, a framework that conditions a people. “People are a by-product of their culture, and art is culture. People are not […]
Easter music festival
Local musicians are poised to bring in the Easter weekend the right way – on the beach, with food and drinks and their instruments – and they’re inviting Rarotonga to join them. For the fourth year running, local musician Mark Franklin is organising a music festival to kick off the long Easter weekend. Featuring all […]
I am a turtle in a polluted ocean
Grade Four and Grade Six students from St Joseph’s Primary School share some of their work in today’s Kids Page. For their creative writing the Grade Six students had to imagine they were a turtle living in a polluted ocean, and create an imaginative story that protests against pollution. They have also been practising their […]
MMR collaborates with BTIB in Manihiki
The Ministry of Marine Resources is collaborating with the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) as part of the Business Advisory Service to the Pearl Farmers and the Manihiki Pearl Farmers Association. This collaborative work is part of the Cook Islands Pearl Industry Support Programme 2011-2013. Compliance to the Manihiki Lagoon Management Plan is important for […]
Chinese pearl expert willing to help farms
An eminent Chinese pearl expert who recently visited Rarotonga expressed willingness to assist our pearl industry if he is asked by the CI government. Professor Xie Shaohe was part of a Chinese delegation visiting the Cook Islands on March 3-7 at the invitation of Minister Teina Bishop to discuss fisheries and pearl development. The professor […]
La Nina linked to algae bloom
Survey findings of complete mortality of all bivalves including pearl oysters below 25 metres may be linked to the La Nina weather and the dark state of the lagoon that has persisted since winter 2011. Findings were presented to the Island Council and pearl farmers of Manihiki by MMR in March. The trigger for alarm […]
Farmers' association ready for action
The newly elected executive committee of the Manihiki Pearl Farmers Association (MPFA) is gearing up for work it will face in the next couple of years. The committee that was elected during the Annual General Meeting held in March has some new faces on board and at the helm. Former Mayor and active Association member […]
Passing - off still a problem
CIPA’s Pearl Inspector, Caroline Tiria, makes regular visits to the Punanganui Market and the Wharf on boat days to inspect the pearls on sale for authenticity, to make sure that Cook Islands pearls are being properly labeled and that pearls that are not genuine Cook Islands pearls are clearly marked to inform potential buyers. She […]