Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
Peters rejects claim Aotearoa funding freeze to Cook Islands is ‘patronising’
Cook Island News
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July 8, 2025
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters. Photo composite: Newsroom/25070713 New Zealand Foreign Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters rejects suggestions that pausing of development funding to the...
The Cook Islands’ Dilemma: To Mine or Not to Mine
Triple Pundit
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This article is part of our series on responsible mining solutions. The push for clean energy is fueled by a growing demand for minerals, but conventional mining has a track record of harmful social and environmental impacts. Deep-sea mining is...
Letter: Ditching the Kiwi for the Dragon?
Cook Island News
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July 9, 2025
Dear Editor, There’s been a lot of noise lately. Social media threads, barbershop debates, and coconut wireless conversations about whether the Cook Islands should continue accepting aid from New Zealand. Some call it “dependence.” Others call it...
Pacific news in brief for 10 July
RNZ
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July 9, 2025
Photo: Photo Illustration / Nik Dirga Cook Islands - plastic Cook Islands has banned plastic shopping bags, with retailers facing a fine of up to NZ$20,000 for supplying them. This provision, alongside others, was passed in Parliament last week as...
Cook Islands Pocket Guide Launches Major Update Following Latest Research Trip
Pacific Tourism Organisation
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July 4, 2025
Cook Islands Pocket Guide, the leading online travel guide for the Cook Islands, has released a major update to its content following an in-depth research trip across Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Atiu. The trip, carried out in March 2025, was made...
Atiu steps up fight against invasive species, strengthens climate resilience
Cook Island News
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July 7, 2025
Atiu’s main harbour is where most visitors are welcomed to the island. TALAIA MIKA/25070305 Atiu is ramping up efforts to control invasive species that threaten its environment, food supply and climate resilience, with vital support from regional...
All 65 countries where it’s illegal to be LGBTQ+ in 2025, including the UAE and Mali
Pink News
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July 9, 2025
How many countries is it still illegal to be gay in 2025? More than you’d think, probably. Since we last updated this list, Mali has criminalised LGBTQ+ activity and Trinidad and Tobago have re-criminalised it, although more positively, Namibia...
Cook Islands engages in regional dialogue on social impacts of labour mobility
Cook Island News
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July 1, 2025
Cook Islands participated in the Regional Workshop on the Social Impacts of Labour Mobility, held in Apia, Samoa, last week from June 23-26. MFAI/25063025 Cook Islands, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, participated in a...
Letter: Cook Islands sovereignty debate
Cook Island News
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July 2, 2025
Dear Editor, Joe T Public’s (JoeTP) (bully-boy tactics letter 20 June) was the clever work of a sophist (a person who peddles a fallacious argument to support a false conclusion) and reads very much like it is Government’s position and coming from...
Cook Islands launches first-ever National Awards system: Te Tango Raumaire o Avaiki
Cook Island News
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June 30, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Brown. SUPPLIED. The Office of the Prime Minister is proud to announce the establishment of Te Tango Raumaire o Avaiki: The Cook Islands National Awards, an historic milestone to recognise and honour outstanding service,...
Eat Pacific Cookbook wins Global Award
Samoa News
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July 9, 2025
LISBON, Portugal — In a celebration of Pacific food, identity, and culture, the Pacific Island Food Revolution cookbook, Eat Pacific, has been awarded the Best South Pacific Book in the World 2024 at the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards...
The Tree of Life: Honouring the Coconut Tree's Sacred Place in the Cook Islands Culture
Infonews NZ
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You’ve seen it in nearly every photo of our little paradise — the iconic coconut tree. It’s the unmistakable symbol of tropical life, a mark that you’ve arrived somewhere truly special. But in the Cook Islands, the coconut is more than just a...
Cook Islands unveils historic National Awards system
Cook Island News
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June 27, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Brown in Parliament this week. LOSIRENE LACANIVALU/25062316 Cook Islands has established its own national awards system, Te Tango Raumaire o Avaiki, to recognise outstanding service and achievement across all sectors of...
Only one faipule attended the townhall meeting on deepsea mining
Samoa News
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July 9, 2025
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — At last week’s Town Hall meeting on deep-sea mining, held at the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium, Swains Island Faipule Alex Jennings stood out as the sole member of the Legislature in attendance. This fact was brought...
Beijing’s Triangular Play: Weaving Development, Diplomacy, and Multilateralism
The Diplomat
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July 8, 2025
In recent years, China has quietly shifted its strategy in international development cooperation. Once focused almost exclusively on bilateral assistance, Beijing now embraces triangular development cooperation, a transformative aid modality...
Team Cook Islands in high spirit
Cook Island News
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June 28, 2025
The Cook Islands swim team. KIERAN CHAN/ CISNOC-25062710 The young swimming team from the Cook Islands is in Palau, filled with high spirits and ready for the 2025 Pacific Mini Games. Chef de Mission Mark Short says, “We have a very young team in...
Australia-Tuvalu mobility pathway: does it address the climate crisis?
The Pacific Island Times
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July 2, 2025
Tuvalu/Photo courtesy of Jess Marinaccio On June 11, the Tuvaluan and Australian governments issued press releases announcing that the inaugural ballot for the Falepili Mobility Pathway would open on June 16. Part of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili...
Aust-Tuvalu mobility pathway: Does it address climate crisis?
The National
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On June 11, the Tuvaluan and Australian governments issued press releases announcing that the inaugural ballot for the Falepili Mobility Pathway would open on June 16. Part of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty, the mobility pathway falls...
Cook Islands Prime Minister slams NZ aid freeze as ‘patronising’
Talanoa 'O Tonga
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June 22, 2025
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says New Zealand’s decision to pause development aid is patronising and will harm the country’s most vulnerable citizens. In a ministerial statement to Parliament on Thursday (Cook Islands time), Brown...
Deep sea mining decision already made, Cook Islands opposition leader says
RNZ
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June 26, 2025
Cook Islands nodule field - photo taken within Cook Islands EEZ. Photo: Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority The Cook Islands' opposition leader believes the government has already decided it wants to pursue deep sea mining despite the science...