Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

PM confirms 25 businesses in arrears on Covid-19 loans
Prime Minister Mark Brown in Parliament in June. 25061850. Twenty-five businesses are behind repayments of a business loan that was issued by the Cook Islands government to support them during the 2020 Covid pandemic. Prime Minister Mark Brown...

Student finds her path to policing at Career Expo
Tereora College Level 3 student Matara Tairi is aiming to join the Cook Islands Police force after a motivating interaction with a police officer at the 2025 Careers Expo at the National Auditorium on Thursday. TEITIMOANA TAIRI/ 25062007 From...

Pitmasters fire up for a good cause
From left, Thomas Bevan of Uncle Toms BBQ, Steven Cook from Cook Cartel New Zealand and Peter Hughes. TEITIMOANA TAIRI/25062008 A two-day BBQ competition is being held as part of the Raro Fire and Food Festival, aiming to raise funds for the...

WATER SPORTS KICKS THINGS OFF IN DAY 1
By Charlotte Oh KOROR, Palau – Guam’s swimming and va’a teams kicked off the 2025 Pacific Mini Games to an exciting start in Palau. Wearing Guam’s flag with honor, these athletes competed with focus and strength while also making memories that...

PACIFIC JOURNOS MEET CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL, PRAISE CHINA
Beijing, China – SIX Pacific Islands journalists met with the Director of the Pacific Island Division, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry on Foreign Affairs, Gu Xinqiang in Beijing and exchanged views within...

Guam: Forever a Colony?
What’s taking so long? It’s been close to 500 years that Guam has been flying a foreign flag, and still there’s been no serious effort to shake loose and walk its own path. Decolonization peaked years ago - soon after World War II when long-time...

Less investment, less influence: Why the US risks losing ground in the Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific has emerged as the epicenter of global strategic competition. Home to over half the world’s population, nearly two-thirds of global gross domestic product (GDP), and some of the busiest maritime trade routes, the region is central...

Hōkūleʻa, Hikianalia arrive at center of Pacific voyaging heritage, Taputapuātea
Polynesian Voyaging Society’s traditional voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, accompanied by Tahiti’s canoe Fa‘afaite, arrived early last week at their first stop in French Polynesia: Taputapuātea. Photo Courtesy: Polynesian Voyaging...

EBA matters adjourned
Cook Islands High Court. 24050916 The High Court of the Cook Islands adjourned all criminal matters related to excess breath alcohol (EBA) as advice is being sought from Crown Law on the procedures done to conduct the EBA tests. Five cases were to...

Pakistanis now eligible for travel visa-free to 32 countries, here's a list
Pakistan Pakistan Pakistanis now eligible for travel visa-free to 32 countries, here's a list Close Pakistan’s passport now ranks 100th, it marks an improvement from its 113th position in 2021 Updated On: Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:37:34 PKT ISLAMABAD...

Pakistan passport rises to 100th; visa-free travel now possible to 32 countries
ISLAMABAD – Pakistani passport holders can now travel visa-free or get visa on arrival in 32 countries, following a rise in Pakistan’s passport ranking in the 2025 Henley Passport Index. This marks a notable improvement from the 113th position...

Parvati Shallow Compares Her Past Marriage to Childhood Cult in New Book
Parvati Shallow was learning survival skills long before she just stepped on the Cook Islands for her first appearance on Survivor in 2006. In her new memoir, Nice Girls Don’t Win, Shallow — who would go on to play Survivor four more times...

Letter: Seabed consultation
All Cook Islanders should be very proud of the comments Helena Keenan-Williams made about one of the Australian DSM (deep sea mining) meetings reported in the Cook Islands News June 5th edition. She is clearly a woman of no fear, strong intellect...

Letter: PM ‘overstepping the Mark’
The people of the Cook Islands suffer from PM Brown’s arrogant bad behaviour. Yet again, our PM is a source of embarrassment to the nation by having our $18 million aid from New Zealand suspended, for his political flirtations with communist...

Victoria Park hosts Origin showdown
Mafu Kalas at the front training with his team. CIRL/25061342 Tupapa’s Victoria Park will host the final leg of the Cook Islands Rugby League State of the Origin Series between the Town Blues and the Country Maroons this Saturday. The Blues,...

Proposed permit limits ‘unfairly target’ Pacific and Asian migrants
The Cook Islands Immigration office in Avarua. PHOTO: ISTOCK The proposed mandatory breaks and permit limitations for expat workers ‘unfairly targets’ Pacific and Asian migrants, says the law firm that successfully challenged the Cook Islands’...

Palau welcomes the Pacific
Team PNG Flag Bearers Josh Tarere and Thelma Toua at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Pacific Mini Games with Team PNG Chef De Mission Kinivanagi Karo (left) (Image: Team PNG) In a spectacular opening ceremony of the 2025 Pacific Mini Games last...

‘Partnership, not paternalism’- PM slams NZ aid pause as ‘patronising’ amid China deal row
Prime Minister Mark Brown in Parliament on June 16, 2025. LOSIRENE LACANIVALU / 25061621 Cook Islands engages with countries “who respect our sovereignty”, says Prime Minister Mark Brown, calling New Zealand’s decision to pause $18.2 million in...

Pakistan's passport improves ranking with 100th spot worldwide
Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan's passport improves ranking with 100th spot worldwide Close In 2021, it was ranked at 113th Published On: Mon, 30 Jun 2025 05:46:41 PKT (Web Desk) - Pakistani passport holders can now travel to 32 countries either...

China’s Xi tells NZ’s Luxon ‘no conflicts of interest’
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that Beijing had “no fundamental conflicts of interest” with New Zealand, as he welcomed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on an official visit. Luxon’s trip comes at a time of tension with New...