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
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.
Exhibition showcases Aus-Cooks connections
The Australian High Commission in Rarotonga celebrated Australia Day with a beach barbeque and the launch of the ‘Stories of Friendship’ exhibition highlighting Cook Islanders’ connections to Australia.
RAMSI exhibit travels to NZ
A photographic exhibition entitled ‘RAMSI: A history in pictures’, which showcases the history and achievements of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), is set to open in Auckland on Monday (CIT). The exhibition charts the progress of Solomon Islands in partnership with RAMSI over the past nine years and the people, places and […]
H Factor grand finals tonight
The H Factor talent quest grand finals are on tonight at Hidie’s Bar where contestants with the X-factor will be crowned champion. The H Factor grand finalists are Peter Pokipoki, Joseph Pakitoa, Tia-Maree Takiika and Unarii Tafale – all equally talented and deserving of the talent quest crown. Through the week leading up to tonight’s […]
Dad's snores are like thunder storms
In this week’s Kids Page we feature more fantastic ‘my family’ poems by year 5 and 6 students of Apii Te Uki Ou. Schools wanting to share the work of their children through this weekly column can send them to editor@cookislandsnews.com – we welcome all works from Rarotonga and outer islands schools. In our family […]
Love, passion, suicide in songs
Andrew George’s rendition of ‘To Taua Koanga’ composed by Kathy George had the national auditorium in roars of cheers as he belted out the song with passion. His beautiful voice and the strong lyrics of the song earned composer Kathy George the 2012 Composers Competition crown. George was one of 12 song writers entered in […]
Starship doctor visiting
The first paediatric neurologist to visit the Cook Islands since 2007 arrives the week after next. With New Zealand Aid Programme funding, the Ministry of Health is bringing Dr Rakesh Patel of Auckland’s Starship Hospital back. He will be seeing patients from March 12 to 16 at Rarotonga Hospital. Parents whose children are experiencing any […]
Teen spa day introduced
Escape to the Edgewater Spa & Salon and get pampered by a team of professionals. Whether you’re after a beauty treatment or touch up, massage to rid those knots, haircut and colour, or just looking to have your hair styled – the Edgewater Resort & Spa has it all. The spa and salon provides unisex […]
Eye lady returns to help kids see
Public health nurses are making vision screening a component of their routine student health check-ups, and Global Volunteer Susan Koralik couldn’t be happier about it. Koralik, who hails from Illinois in the US, volunteers at Rarotonga schools for about a month each year. Four years ago, she noticed that some local students were struggling to […]
Region in partnership
“Culture is the source of our identity, continuity and creativity” said Akatsuku Takahashi during the first session of the meetings on intangible cultural heritage. Takahashi and Dr Samuel Lee were an important part of the meeting this week, sharing their personal knowledge and that of the groups they represent to assist the Pacific nations. Lee […]
New law will protect traditional knowledge in the Cook Islands
Protection of our traditional knowledge is not a new concept to the Cook Islands – it is something that is part of all we do in promoting the Pacific way of life. Repeta Puna, policy advisor to the Prime Minister, discussed this in her keynote presentation on “ICH Safeguarding in the Cook Islands” on Wednesday. […]
Safeguarding heritage across the Pacific
Traditional knowledge is living and is constantly being recreated by the community – it changes through contact with the outside world, which in turn changes ways of life in the region, to the point where some aspects may be in danger of disappearing. Protecting this traditional heritage was the basis of talks this week at […]
Tiny solo plane pops in
Those watching the skies on Monday may have been lucky enough to spot a tiny plane overhead. Biologist Matevz Lenarcic made a flying visit to Rarotonga in his ultra light Pipistrel to refuel, on his way from Easter Island to Tahiti. The Pipistrel Virus-SW914 weighs only 290kg and is the lightest three-axis aircraft in the […]
'Great day in a great nation'
At the most basic level, a ceremony at the Cook Islands Red Cross headquarters yesterday honoured the long-awaited completion of a construction project. But the celebration was more than that – a series of speeches were made and a kaikai was enjoyed in honour of the local Red Cross and what it has become, its […]
Mire Atu time
A true Cook Islands evening of live music is set to rock the National Auditorium this evening when the 2012 Mire Atu composer’s competition starts at 7.30pm. Twelve new musical compilations are sure to shake the hips and soothe the souls of the audience at tonight’s competition which will feature eight first time composers including […]
Tourism opens new office in Gold Coast
Cook Islands Tourism Corporation staff based in Australia have moved into a new Gold Coast office to help further the Cook Islands’ push on the Australian market. The office will welcome in its recently appointed marketing development manager Susie Lloyd-Smithe to the team, which continues to be led by Australia general manager Kerryn Cook. Lloyd-Smithe […]
Phil Urlich all round good sort
All round good sort Phil Urlich was named the Rarotonga Rotary Club’s ‘good sort’ for December for a lifetime of dedication to sports in the Cook Islands. As well as the good sort title – Urlich won a dinner for two at The Spaghetti House donated by the Edgewater Resort and Spa. Also in December, […]
Nikao kids cheer up Are Pa Metua
The bookends of life came together on Thursday when pre-school and new entrant students from Apii Nikao Maori visited their elders at the Are Pa Metua in Nikao. The bus load of children brought with them smiles, songs and raurau of fruit for the mamas and papas at the Are Pa Metua who welcomed the […]
Poetry in motion
Cook Islander Karl Teariki is one of three poets set to take the stage at Wellington’s TelstraClear Festival Club on March 4 (NZT). From 4pm, three ‘Words in Motion’ poets will be reading their prose to a crowd of Wellingtonians. Teariki is proud to represent the Cook Islands onstage. Joining him are Apirana Taylor of […]
Battle of the ballads at H Factor
A battle of the ballads will determine the make-up of the H Factor grand final in the final elimination round tonight. Two more singers will be removed from the competition tonight at Hidie’s Bar, reducing the competition from six to four for the final week of contest next week. The H Factor contestants will battle […]
My dad is the sweet lolly in the wrapper
In my family Dad is the gas in the heater He is the tall one in the mall Dad is Vacuum of food My dad is the sweet lolly in the wrapper In My Family Mum is the maid of the house She is the worm in the book My mum has the brains of […]
Fire dancer wins year supply of beer
Cook Islander Ina ‘Troy’ Nooroa has won a year’s supply of Black Star beer for a standout fire dance he performed in Montana while on holiday. With partner American Bryn Acheson, who is originally from Montana, he attended the second annual Black Star Beer Barter in the town of Whitefish. Contestants tried their hand at […]