More Top Stories
Solar power battery repairs ‘could take up to 12 months’
15 April 2024
Police shortage leads to drop in checkpoints
9 April 2024
Sarakura declared new Penrhyn MP
16 March 2024
Govt says $1.3m invested in Lady Samoa charter
22 February 2024
Mass milkfish die-off in Penrhyn raises concerns
3 April 2024
Regulator defends Starlink users
9 April 2024
Aitutaki’s heritage preserved in new anthology
4 January 2024
Avatiu Eels retain Nines title
8 January 2024
Beddoes crowned top athlete
8 January 2024
NRL player Dargan dies in Aitutaki motorcycle crash
24 December 2023
‘Please heed the signs’: resident makes plea to tourists
20 December 2023
Cook Islands set to play in new World Series
10 October 2023
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
Corruption in the Cook Islands?
21 January 2023
Moana target 2025 World Cup
11 November 2022
Features
Cook Island coastwatchers to be honoured at ANZAC day and beyond
The Cook Island community is preparing to commemorate the service of soldiers and local heroes this Anzac Day in New Zealand.
Out and proud: Miss Thunderhips shines in celebration of diversity
In a celebration of Anuanua Week’s talent, diversity, and inclusivity, the electrifying Miss Thunderhips competition took centre stage on Friday night featuring LGBTQ+ contestants, who showcased their talents captivating the enthusiastic full-house audience.
Why do people run Round Raro?
The first doubts I had about running the Round Raro Road Race was on the dark, blustery scooter journey to the race start-line. Torrential rain was needling my eyes, and I thought: I really should be back in bed. It was 4.45am. “Have fun,” my boyfriend had called to me as I left, before snuggling […]
Cooks on first Kizuna mission to Japan
The local students who left for Japan last week are among 91 participants from the Cook Islands, Niue, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia in the Kizuna Project. The student groups are now in Japan for a fully funded two-week study tour which will provide the opportunity for Pacific island youths and future leaders […]
'Peace just doesn't turn up'
Song and the fragrance of tiare taina filled the air on Friday, as children, peace ambassadors and the Pan Pacific Southeast Asia Women’s Association (PPSEAWA) observed the International Day of Peace. The rain drove the ceremony into the University of the South Pacific grounds, away from the planned Peace Garden venue, but didn’t dampen the […]
Unusual whale sightings
This marks the first season in 15 years that the Cook Islands’ resident whale expert Nan Hauser has recorded blue whale sightings off Rarotonga. She has logged four blue whale sightings, supported by photographic evidence, and has also documented a Sei whale swimming near motu Taakoka. It’s halfway into whale season, and Hauser says thus […]
Cricket development team to debut
Big match ups are on the cards for the second round of the Computer Man and Edgewater cricket competition this weekend. The Davana ladies had the bye last week but are rearing for action as they head over to Matavera. The Air Raro Matavera ladies had a solid start to their season last weekend with […]
Last call to create wearable art pieces
A last call has been issued for entries in the Clean Up Wearable Arts Competition Showcase. With the theme being ‘My Waste, Your Waste, Our Responsibility’, students from Rarotonga schools have been working over the past four to five weeks to create wearable art out of waste material in order to entertain, educate and inspire […]
'Curry Munchers' arrives in Rarotonga
A new movie hits the islands this week, with an opportunity to watch a Cook Islands resident in action. Nikao Video is releasing the New Zealand produced film ‘Curry Munchers’ – a film that was largely the creation of Aunanda Naaido. Naaido, who is currently working as financial director at The Edgewater Resort and Spa, […]
New lawyer sworn in for Toa litigation work
Chief Justice Tom Weston admitted a new lawyer to the Cook Islands bar on Friday. “This is a slightly more pleasant task than all the sentencing I’ve been doing this morning,” Weston joked before welcoming Auckland lawyer Rebecca Rose to the bar. Rose is in Rarotonga to help the Crown in the Toa Petroleum litigation. […]
Drainlaying students' commitment impresses
Visiting Wintec assessor Pete Shields is impressed at the levels of commitment shown by students on the cusp of completing the first-ever drainlayers qualification. The course, which began in 2010, will see the first lot of graduates finish at the end of the year. The Hamilton-based tutor was on hand at the Cook Islands Trade […]
Experience of a lifetime in Frankfurt
Cook Islands performers have showcased our culture to potentially millions of people in Europe in recent weeks, according to Glenda Tuaine of Motone Productions who reports from the Akirata Dance Troupe tour of Europe. ALL PHOTOS GLENDA TUAINE Frankfurt is a city that feels safe, the centre of German commerce, it radiates a vibe of […]
Dragons scrape home
A composed Ngatangiia-Matavera Dragons senior A team did just enough to outlast the fast finishing Tupapa Panthers in the main match at the weekend to win the game 22-18. With this week’s semi finals in mind it was imperative to build confidence and momentum as both teams suffered forced injuries to key personnel and Saturday’s […]
Second annual arts week
Last week was the second annual arts week at Tereora College. Arts week began as an initiative to promote visual and performing arts as well as to increase the profile of student creativity within the school. Throughout the week there have been student drama and dance performances, guest speakers and screening of documentaries and films […]
Hoopla and Hillary Altogether it's much more than the Forum – its value 'immeasurable'
To refer to the past week as the biggest and busiest of the year would be grossly understating the Forum hype and hoopla that Rarotonga is going to spend September recovering from. The Forum was an occasion of whirlwind proportions for those directly involved – in the newsroom we abandoned all trappings of our extracurricular […]
Wharekura makes good music
A professional standard of musicianship combined with the relaxed nature of an intimate setting made for a fantastic night for the Aotearoa Society’s fundraising concert on Wednesday night. Leon Wharekura left the sold-out Staircase Restaurant and Bar to rounds of applause after a night of fun-filled entertainment for a good cause. All of the ‘two-course […]
Akava wins historic gold in Toque d'Or
Isaia Akava has made history by becoming the first non-New Zealander to win a gold medal in the prestigious Toque d’Or competition held at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds on Monday. As the only international team in the competition, the students from Rarotonga’s Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre were under pressure to perform, especially after last year’s […]
60 Plus group's new cookbook launched
Friday was a special day for the 60 Plus group of mamas and papas who celebrate five years of friendship and the launch of the group’s new cook book ‘Raurau ki to rima’. The A5 cookbook, printed locally by Cook Islands News, includes kitchen-tested and time-honoured recipes by members of the group. In her address […]
Maire's story impresses Oscar Kightley
Sione’s Wedding actor and writer Oscar Kightley sees potential in the Cook Islands’ very own Maire Brown. Kightley chose Brown as one of six finalists in a story contest being staged by New Zealand hip-hop artist Scribe. ‘Scribe With Us’ is a contest comprising four categories – song, story, poem and rap – that aims […]
Stepping into an alien universe
Akirata is a group whose age range stretches from 13 to 50. Our young people tell the story best giving their own honest impressions.Here is the first article from our youth on the road, Elsie Hosking, Akirata’s 13-year-old custom packer and musician: We are in Ostrava. There is a lot of people, over 300,000 and […]
The journey to Konitara Are Ta'unga
It has been a journey of many years that has ended in the formation of Konitara Are Ta’unga, the Cook Islands Arts Council. The council has been formed by artists in the Cook Islands community, moving ahead through dedication and hard work, when government actions towards forming a council slowed. The role of the arts […]
Good luck in Tahiti
‘Good luck in Tahiti’ was a passive sort of wish that many gave to Reuben Dearlove before he took on July’s Te Aito and last weekend’s Super Aito outrigger races. He valued the sentiment, but deep down, the 37-year-old Cook Islands champion paddler knows that luck has nothing to do with beating French Polynesia’s best […]