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Letter: Seabed consultation

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’

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

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

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

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

‘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...

China’s Xi tells NZ’s Luxon ‘no conflicts of interest’

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...

Pakistan's passport improves ranking with 100th spot worldwide

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...

PNG women told to bring back OFC Nations Cup

THE Papua New Guinea women’s football team departs tomorrow for Fiji to defend their OFC Nations Cup title, with PNGFA president John Kapi Natto challenging them to “bring back the Cup”. Few days’ shy of their tournament opener on Friday against...

Pasifika in Nelson Tasman safe but alert as more rain looms, says community leader

Pasifika in Nelson Tasman safe but alert as more rain looms, says community leader

Pacific communities in the Nelson-Tasman region were spared from the severe impacts of torrential rain last week, despite forecasts of more bad weather on the horizon. Robert Blake, Director of the Nelson-Tasman Pasifika Community Trust, says most...

Maori language at the heart of learning in Mauke’s only school

Maori language at the heart of learning in Mauke’s only school

Apii Mauke, the only school on the island, is ensuring its students stay grounded in their identity and culture through the use of Maori language as the primary medium of instruction TALAIA MIKA/25061810/25061812 While the national spotlight...

New Oceania Netball president is optimistic despite challenges

New Oceania Netball president is optimistic despite challenges

New Oceania Netball president Salote Sisifa. Photo: OCN The new Oceania Netball Federation president says there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that the sport's growth and development continue to align with and be in step with international...

Clean-up efforts underway as dengue cases rise to 33

Clean-up efforts underway as dengue cases rise to 33

One of the Health workers on duty conducting peri-focal and block spraying outside the residence of a confirmed dengue case earlier this month. TEITIMOANA TAIRI/25060918, 25060919, 25060920 Cook Islands has recorded 33 dengue cases since the...

Here's a list of countries where Pakistanis can now travel without visa

Here's a list of countries where Pakistanis can now travel without visa

Pakistani passport holders can now travel to 32 countries either visa-free or with visa-on-arrival following an improvement in the country's passport ranking. According to the latest figures released by Henley & Partners, an international...

Pakistanis can travel to 32 countries without visa

Pakistanis can travel to 32 countries without visa

Pakistani passport holders can now visit 32 countries without a visa or with visa-on-arrival following an improvement in the country's position on the Henley passport index. The latest data from Henley & Partners, a global citizenship advisory...

NZ’s furious act towards tiny island nation

NZ’s furious act towards tiny island nation

New Zealand’s government halted aid to close partner the Cook Islands on Thursday because of a row over agreements the Pacific island nation struck with China. New Zealand “paused” the payments and would not resume them until the Cook Islands took...

Five Big Things That Happened Today: Thursday, June 19

Five Big Things That Happened Today: Thursday, June 19

NZ pauses funding to Cook Islands, Luxon leaves Shanghai for Beijing to meet Chinese Premier, and how to look after your car in winter. 1 NZ pauses nearly $20m in funding to Cook Islands after China dealings A spokesperson for Foreign Minister...

Breast Cancer Foundation launches logo competition to Mark 60th Anniversary Year

Breast Cancer Foundation launches logo competition to Mark 60th Anniversary Year

Cook Islands Breast Cancer Foundation president, Jaewynn McKay, during the AGM in April. 25043011 The Cook Islands Breast Cancer Foundation (CIBCF) is inviting local artists and designers to create a bold new logo that will represent the...

Letter: NZ pauses funding support

Letter: NZ pauses funding support

Dear Editor, Aotearoa has closed the coin purse where Cook Islands politicians have had such free access for decades that they are no different than spoiled children when Mum and Dad finally reach the same point where misdeeds mean a cut in...

19-million-year-old bird fossil identified as ancient relative of Australian magpie

19-million-year-old bird fossil identified as ancient relative of Australian magpie

In a significant discovery that reveals New Zealand’s epic biodiversity, researchers identified a 19-million-year-old relative of the Australian magpie. Published in the journal PalZ, paleontologists have recently identified a large passerine bird...

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