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
Pacific
War on drugs: Fiji soldiers may be deployed to assist police, says Govt
Fiji’s government has announced that military personnel may soon join police in addressing the country’s drug crisis.
Balancing tourism and culture
Cook Islands Tourism’s transparent, inclusive and practical planning public consultation which explored the challenges and opportunities tourism brings in all areas of wellbeing, drew a good number of community members.
'And thanks for your delicious wife'
AUSTRALIA – French President Emmanuel Macron likely had food on the brain when he thanked Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his “delicious wife” Lucy for their hospitality.
Petition for Tonga PM to resign
TONGA – A group of Tongans is preparing a petition which calls for the resignation of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
China backing Guadalcanal project
SOLOMON ISLANDS – A Solomon Islands official has hit back at reports that a proposed Chinese-backed development project could challenge Australia’s strategic dominance in the region.
PACIFIC BRIEFS - 02/05/2018
HEALTHCARE CONTRACTOR LEAVES MANUS
Unable to visit dying mother
FIJI – An arch critic of the Bainimarama government in Fiji says its reasons for not allowing him to leave if he visits Fiji are highly questionable.
Anyone seen the statistician?
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Anti-corruption police investigating Papua New Guinea’s National Statistical Office have reportedly been unable to find the acting national statistician.
US soldier found dead in PNG
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – United States security and military investigators have flown to Papua New Guinea to investigate the death of a special forces soldier in diplomatic accommodation.
Fiji UN staff accused of sexual misconduct
FIJI – The United Nations is investigating senior staff based in Fiji over allegations of sexual misconduct.
O'Neill labels report 'fake news'
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea’s prime minister has taken a lead from US President Donald Trump, dismissing as “fake news” a report that claims its liquefied natural gas project is failing to deliver a promised economic boom to his people.
Vanuatu chiefs agree on resettlement
VANUATU – The Council of Chiefs on Vanuatu’s Santo island has reportedly agreed to resettle 11,000 people from volcanically active Ambae.
Rotuman people strive to save their language
NEW ZEALAND – The Rotuman language is listed on the Unesco’s list of endangered languages as “vulnerable”.
Elections clouded by claims of foul play
FRENCH POLYNESIA – There are claims of foul play in French Polynesia’s territorial election which have prompted calls to cancel last month’s first round on one island.
Record rain creates giant sinkhole
A giant sinkhole has opened up on a farm near Rotorua following Sunday’s record breaking rainfall in the region.
Bill English starts a new job
Former prime minister Bill English has been appointed to the board of Australian retail giant Wesfarmers.
Roadworkers unearth waka
Road workers have uncovered what’s thought to be parts of a pre-European Maori waka on a motorway project north of Auckland.
Banks ordered to show that their hands are clean
NEW ZEALAND – The country’s leading banks have been ordered to prove they are not ripping off their customers like their Australian counterparts have been doing.
A case of too many Victorias
NEW ZEALAND – Victoria University of Wellington is considering dropping the ‘Victoria’ from its name to avoid confusion with other institutions.
Campervans contaminated
NEW ZEALAND – Holidaymakers may be sleeping in campervans contaminated with the toxic chemicals used to make methamphetamine.
Children taking meth to school
NEW ZEALAND – Methamphetamine has become so endemic in New Zealand there are now reports of primary-age children taking the drug to school.
Two Fijians jailed for sedition
FIJI – A former opposition MP is one of two men who have been jailed for more than two years after being convicted of sedition in Fiji.