More Top Stories
‘Nothing to worry about’: Prime Minister Brown on China agreement
16 February 2025
‘Serious questions’: Opposition challenges China partnership
15 February 2025
No-confidence motion against PM and his Cabinet faces delays
15 February 2025
Ruta Mave: People’s Republic of China red flag
10 February 2025
No debt in China deal
8 February 2025
Thomas Wynne: Haka with the taniwha or dance with the dragon?
8 February 2025
‘Paedophile’ gets 13 years in prison
22 January 2025
Thomas Wynne: Where were our leaders while children suffered?
25 January 2025
$541.7m tourism earnings
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
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Pacific
NZ looks forward to talks with Cook Islands govt
New Zealand has indicated to the Cook Islands Government that they are looking forward to discussions between relevant officials on their concerns related to the China / Cook Islands agreement.
Cook Islands seeking New Zealand expertise for Sovereign Wealth Fund
The Cook Islands government has taken further steps towards establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), with officials currently in New Zealand holding discussions with financial experts, Prime Minister Mark Brown told Parliament this week.
Water and sanitation the top priority
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – World Vision Papua New Guinea is assisting 5000 people with water and sanitation following February’s magnitude 7.5 earthquake in the Highlands.
Ban overturned but too late for Games
SAMOA – Samoan weightlifter Iuniarra Sipaia has been cleared of any wrongdoing after mistakenly taking a banned substance.
Homeless children live in toilets
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Urban migration is leading to an increase in the number of homeless children in Papua New Guinea capital.
China diplomats accused of squatting
FRENCH POLYNESIA – China’s diplomats in French Polynesia are accused of illegally occupying premises in Tahiti.
Water needed in cyclone hit West
FIJI – There is an acute and widespread need for water in Fiji’s west following the weekend’s dousing by Cyclone Josie.
Tragic tales emerge from Fiji's floods
FIJI – The death toll in Fiji now stands at five as survivors relate their stories of loved ones who were swept away by raging floodwaters during Cyclone Josie on Sunday.
Road repairs to cost millions
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – The earthquake repair bill for roads in Papua New Guinea’s Enga, Southern Highlands and Hela provinces is expected to be more than US$12 million, according to PNG’s Works Secretary David Wereh.
Islands are in 'fight for survival'
FIJI – Fiji’s prime minister has said the Pacific island nation is in “a fight for survival” as climate change brings “almost constant” deadly cyclones to Pacific islands.
2018 Pacific Music Awards finalists named
NEW ZEALAND – Newcomers and previous winners have been announced as finalists for the 2018 Pacific Music Awards.
Magic performance by Naked Samoans
NEW ZEALAND – The magic of storytelling Pacific Island-style has seen audiences return in droves to see a popular Pacific comedy group for performances at this month’s Auckland Arts Festival.
Nauru scraps court of appeal
NAURU – It has been revealed that Nauru’s government has secretly scrapped its links to the High Court of Australia which served as Nauru’s court of appeal – impacting on the rights of asylum seekers to challenge the refusal of refugee status.
Cyclone kills at least five in Fiji
FIJI – Tropical Cyclone Josie has caused severe flooding in parts of Fiji, with four people reported dead and one missing.
Every official wants to be the 'king'
TONGA – It seems that ministers of the Tonga government and their officials are all following their own logic, writes a commentator on the Matangi Tonga news site.
Minister stands by girls sports ban
TONGA – A woman boxer will be Tonga’s flag bearer at the XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia next week.
Deforestation reveals Amazon culture
Once people thought the Amazon was a near-uninhabited rainforest before the Europeans turned up, but researchers say they have found new evidence that it was in fact a hive of human culture and home to millions of people.
Light pollution damaging Earth
Earth’s nights are getting brighter, and that has scientists concerned.
Helmet rules change 'ridiculous'
NEW ZEALAND – A Timaru woman says calls to change compulsory helmet rules are ridiculous, after a helmet saved her husband’s life.
Health system facing crisis
NEW ZEALAND – The New Zealand health system is facing a funding shortfall so bad that three DHBs are likely to need at least $4.3 billion in capital expenditure alone.
Dunedin rolls out the 'Ed carpet'
NEW ZEALAND – Ed Sheeran’s tour in Dunedin this week has been called the city’s biggest event ever, and is hoped to bring its biggest economic windfall since the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Budget restraints hid hospital rot
NEW ZEALAND – Counties Manukau DHB was reluctant to ask the previous National-led government for funding to fix mouldy, rotting and unstable buildings because of pressure from ministers to stay in surplus, its acting CEO says.