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.
Orion finds lost fishermen
KIRIBATI –The New Zealand Defence Force says two missing Kiribati fishermen were found 300 kilometres from the atoll they set off from.
Village violence creates uproar
SAMOA – A Samoa Member of Parliament has made a public apology in Parliament for the incident that injured several police officers and affected the public when young men from a village in his electorate blocked a public road this week.
Spouse abuse remains an issue in Marshall Islands
MARSHALL ISLANDS – A steady flow of women seeking court relief from domestic violence confirms that spouse abuse continues as a serious problem in the Marshall Islands.
Accused priests sent to 'paedophile heaven'
PACIFIC – As debate continues about the Catholic Church’s approach to the national redress scheme for Australian victims of child sexual abuse, the church is now being challenged to take responsibility and deal with crimes carried out by church officials overseas – in developing countries that include Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.
No sign of two missing Kiribati fishermen
KIRIBATI – Two Kiribati fishermen missing for four days are yet to be found. The men aged 30 and 45 left a village in Kiribati’s Nonouti atoll on a six-metre aluminium boat early on Wednesday to fish off the south end of the atoll.
Archbishop guilt of sex abuse claims
GUAM – A Vatican tribunal has found the archbishop of Guam, Anthony Apuron, guilty of “certain accusations” related to the sexual abuse of minors.
Quake victims just emerging
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – A community worker from Mogulu in Papua New Guinea’s Western Province says some people have only just managed to walk out from landslip affected areas three weeks after the 7.5-magnitude earthquake rocked the Highlands.
Beetle pest threatens livelihoods
SOLOMON ISLANDS – Solomon Islanders are facing a bleak future as the coconut rhinoceros beetle marches across its fertile plains, killing their “tree of life” by the millions.
Atoll bones most likely Earhart's
PACIFIC – Bones discovered on a Pacific island in 1940 are “likely” to be those of famed pilot Amelia Earhart, according to a US peer-reviewed science journal.
Post-quake disease threat grows
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – The official death toll following Papua New Guinea’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake has risen to 145 but still has further to climb, officials have said.
PM given suspended sentence
VANUATU – Vanuatu’s deputy prime minister, Joe Natuman, says he won’t be stepping aside immediately after being given a two-year suspended sentence.
NZ to be more of a true partner to Pacific
PACIFIC – New Zealand’s Foreign Minister says the government is going to put its money where its mouth is in terms of aid to the Pacific.
CNMI launches canoe building programme
MARSHALL ISLANDS – The CNMI’s Department of Community and Cultural Affairs has launched its own traditional canoe programme but says it’s not competing with a private sector-driven programme to build 500 traditional canoes by 2030.
Damage to infrastructure severe
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Damage assessment in Papua New Guinea’s earthquake-hit Southern Highlands province has confirmed widespread devastation to public infrastructure.
Curfew not helping recovery
TONGA – A Tongan businessman is angry local authorities have extended a curfew around the capital of Nuku‘alofa.
Sprinter to miss out on Games
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – When the Papua New Guinea team marches into the stadium at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Australia in April, there will be one notable absentee – the track queen of the Pacific, Toea Wisil.
Transport upgrades backed
Wellingtonians are keen to see more tunnels in the city and light rail introduced to make the journey between Ngauranga and the airport and hospital easier. Feedback on the Let’s Get Wellington Moving initiative has been put together in a report.
Vegans want approval tick
Ground up insects, animal bile and bit of bones – also known as E numbers 120, 1000 and 542 – are just some of the ingredients vegans are constantly checking food labels for.
Strike forces port closure
Striking workers have forced Lyttelton Port to close and will cause serious supply shortages, the port company says.
Call for NZ Wars holiday
School students whose petition led to a national day of commemoration for the New Zealand wars are now asking for a public holiday to mark the occasion. At the weekend, Nga Puhi hosted the first major commemorations of the New Zealand wars, or Te Putake o Te Riri, in Northland.