More Top Stories
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
BRO CHECK campaign: ‘Reach out, you’re not alone’
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’s 12 sitting days sufficient for business: Clerk
24 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Parliament’s 12 sitting days sufficient for business: Clerk
24 September 2024
Tapaitau and Charlie-Puna released to ‘family jobs’
21 September 2024
3000 companies at risk due to Act oversight: Browne
23 September 2024
Police apprehend four juveniles in connection with motorcycle thefts
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
Helmet safety concerns raised amid enforcement challenges
2 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
STI cases on the rise
2 September 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
ICI explains road works delay in front of old Sheraton site
10 August 2024
Diaspora dismayed over lack of Te Maeva Nui livestream
8 August 2024
Everyone is a winner, says Culture
7 August 2024
Local women outshine global peers in business leadership
8 August 2024
Housing crisis hits tourism industry
27 July 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Tapaitau appeal dismissed
17 July 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Pacific
Tahiti sailors win 2024 Regatta in Raro
Sailors from Tahiti edged over Rarotonga, proving to be very competitive taking out first place in both the Lasers and the Optimist classes, winning the 2024 sailing challenge overall trophy.
Former PM Puna first Cook Islander elected to East-West Center Board
Former Cook Islands prime minister and secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, has been confirmed as the first Cook Islander appointed to the East-West Center Board of Governors based in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Not speaking at Big Gay Out 'not a big issue'
NEW ZEALAND – New Zealand’s Prime Minister says his past opposition to civil unions and gay marriage was not the reason he didn’t speak at the Big Gay Out in Auckland at the weekend.
Great weather for eeling
FIJI – At a time when most people secure their belongings and stay home, a group of people from settlements and villages close to Nadi Town in Fiji come out in numbers during heavy rainfall for an unconventional activity – catching eels. Semesa Lagi, 54, told the Fiji Times: “We come here every time the town is flooded. We have done this many times.” Lagi said heavy rain caused the eel population to escape from a nearby lake and swim down the streets into to the town area. “We always know this is the time to catch eels and we are joined by other villagers from Nawaka and other areas. “A lot of people have come to catch the eels this time and my family has managed to catch three buckets full so we have sent these home.” He said they planned to return to the spot if heavy rain continued this week. - Fiji Times
PACIFIC BRIEFS 13/2/2017
Dengue claims life in New Caledonia NEW CALEDONIA – This year’s dengue epidemic in New Caledonia has claimed its first life A 25-year-old woman in the Noumea area died of dengue type 1 and authorities said she was not considered to be at special risk.
400 whales beached on remote spit
NEW ZEALAND – Rescuers were trying desperately yesterday to save scores of pilot whales after a mass stranding on a New Zealand beach thought to be the largest in decades.
Flooding across the Pacific
PACIFIC – Heavy rains continue to fall across the South Pacific, causing flooding from Papua New Guinea to Samoa.
Asylum seekers offered 'bribes' to go home
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Asylum seekers in the Australian detention centre on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island have been offered bribes to return to their countries of origin.
Kiribati island lease plan well advanced
KIRIBATI – A Russian millionaire is in advanced talks with the Kiribati government to lease three uninhabited islands and establish an alternative Russia and revive the monarchy.
Ancient landslide discovered on Barrier Reef
AUSTRALIA – Queensland scientists working on the Great Barrier Reef have helped discover the remnants of an ancient undersea landslide more than 30 times the volume of Uluru.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 10/2/2017
Australia sells military vehicles to Fiji FIJI – Australia has agreed to sell 10 refurbished military vehicles to Fiji.
Fishermen rescued by cruise ship
TONGA – Four marine search and rescue operations have saved 20 people in Tonga in recent days, while one life was lost.
In court for damaging St Mary
SAMOA – A man accused of stealing a statue of the Virgin Mary from inside a church in Samoa and damaging it in the process has appeared in court.
Confiscated tabua to be repatriated
FIJI – New Zealand’s Department of Conservation will repatriate to Fiji more than 100 cultural items from the country which have been seized over the past 15 years.
Medical marijuana access eased
NEW ZEALAND – Seriously ill patients in New Zealand seeking medicinal cannabis to ease their symptoms will no longer have to take their cause right the way to the top, but access to the drugs will remain tightly controlled.
South Island lakes showing signs of stress
NEW ZEALAND – A veteran water quality campaigner says even deep, clean South Island lakes such as Lake Wanaka are showing signs of stress.
Hitchhiking backpacker dumped and ripped off by motorist
NEW ZEALAND – Before arriving in New Zealand a German backpacker never expected a hitchhiking experience could turn so horribly wrong.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 9/2/2017
SEVERE weather across the pacific PACIFIC –Wet weather is now causing strife in several Pacific nations.
Heavy rain warning remains for Fiji
FIJI – A heavy rain warning remains in force for the whole of Fiji and people around the country have been put on alert for further extensive flooding.
Hydro power boost from China
Papua New Guinea – Papua New Guinea’s electricity provider hopes it can provide uninterrupted power supply to the country’s capital city Port Moresby
Veteran adamant he sprayed Agent Orange
GUAM – A Vietnam War veteran, who says he used Agent Orange on Guam during the war, says the people of Guam deserve to know the truth.
Tonga tourism chasing ambitious targets
TONGA – Tonga’s government has doubled the earnings goals for the tourism sector in the hope that it will play a bigger part in building a strong economy.