Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
Raro Fire and Food Fest a sizzling success for a great cause!
Cook Island News
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June 30, 2025
International barbecue team from New Zealand at the fifth annual Raro Fire and Festival at the Rarotonga Sailing Club in Muri a week ago. THOMAS MCDONALD/25062609 A Raro Fire and Food Festival took place a week ago at the Rarotonga Sailing Club in...
Letter: A call for respectful partnership
Cook Island News
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June 24, 2025
Dear Editor, This is an open letter to the High Commissioner of New Zealand. I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you as a concerned Cook Islands citizen who has been closely following the recent developments between New Zealand and the...
Historic firsts and strong returns for Team PNG at Pacific Mini Games
Papua New Guinea Post Courier
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July 10, 2025
Beyond the track and the weightlifting platform, Team Papua New Guinea celebrated several historic achievements and strong returns at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, contributing to their impressive 5th-place finish on the medal tally. In table...
Pitt: ‘Poor behaviour’ at police checkpoints
Cook Island News
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June 24, 2025
Cook Islands Police. Road recklessness from drivers is still a daily issue, not only for the Cook Islands Police Service but for the Rarotonga community. According to Trevor Pitt, police media and strategic advisor, three crashes were reported to...
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...
Inmate accused of attacking others over partner messaging
Cook Island News
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June 24, 2025
Cook Islands High Court. 24050916 The trial against an inmate who assaulted two other inmates at Arorangi Prison after suspecting they were messaging his partner began at the High Court of the Cook Islands yesterday. The defendant Iorama Ngataua...
A new country in the Pacific — Bougainville
International Politics and Society
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July 8, 2025
A historic moment for Bougainville is within reach — the Pacific archipelago is on the verge of achieving independence from Papua New Guinea. In the 2019 referendum, almost 98 per cent of the population voted in favour of secession. Two years...
Letter: Solid and Hazardous Waste Act challenged
Cook Island News
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July 9, 2025
Dear Editor, For centuries criminal jurisprudence has been based on actus rea (carrying out the offending conduct) and mens rea (guilty mind). To punish a person for a crime requires both elements to be present. The offender must have intended the...
US seeking deep-sea miners interested in leasing American Samoa's seabed
The Pacific Island Times
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July 3, 2025
The U.S. is soliciting interest from prospective companies to lease American Samoa's seabed for deep-sea mining, amid a petition launched by advocacy groups seeking to halt the plan. There are only a few days left for the public to comment on the...
From tuna to treaty: Pacific powers push ocean agenda
Pacific Media Network
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Pacific leaders continue to push for more investment, stronger political will, and recognition of traditional knowledge to protect the region’s ocean future. The United Nations’ Ocean Conference (UNOC), held every three years, reviews...
Shtandart ship leaves Irish waters after gardaí and coastguard attend Clogherhead pier
Irish Independent
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The Shtandart, an exact copy of a ship built by Peter the Great of Russia in 1703, was attended by both gardaí and the coastguard when she docked at the Louth port to replenish at 2am. She left three hours later, at 5am, and has departed the...
North Sea 'Very Unprotected' Against Russia—NATO Admiral
Newsweek
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July 3, 2025
The North Sea is "very unprotected" and vulnerable to possible Russian sabotage attempts on critical undersea infrastructure NATO nations heavily rely on, according to a senior Dutch military official. Moscow's presence in the North Sea has...
Call to action for reo Māori
Cook Island News
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July 9, 2025
Poutoko Manava o te Reo Māori (Language Advisor) Raemaki Karati expressed disappointment at the lack of public and departmental support at this year’s Epetoma o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week). MELINA ETCHES/25070711 Despite low public turnout,...
Controversial 'Russian' replica sailing ship leaves Irish waters (but not before garda visit)
The Journal
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July 9, 2025
A CONTROVERSIAL SAILING ship claimed to be a sanctioned vessel was visited by gardaí early this morning when it made an unscheduled stop in County Louth. The Shtandart is a replica of a ship built in 1703 by Peter the Great, a Russian Tsar – was...
Significant increase in tobacco tax
Cook Island News
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June 28, 2025
Secretary of Health Bob Williams and Minister of Health Vainetutai Rose Toki Brown with the award from World Health Organization in Geneva in May, 2025. TMO/25052224 Cook Islands Cabinet has approved a significant increase in tobacco tax, aiming...
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...
Need for independent science during plastic treaty negotiations
Pacific News Service
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Poor science heard during the negotiations for a new Plastics Treaty has caused concern for the Scientists Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty. A group of approximately 240 scientists representing over 250 independent scientists across the...
Weightlifters ready to lift spirits at Pacific Mini Games
Cook Island News
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June 27, 2025
Team Cook Islands is set for the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau. Departing Rarotonga on Monday night were Weightlifting Head Coach and Team Manager Martin Stetka (left), weightlifter Etoa Puni and Team Cook Islands chef de mission Mark Short....
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...
Pacific news in brief for 1 July
RNZ
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July 1, 2025
Niue government buildings Photo: RNZ/ Sally Round Niue - budget Health, education, social welfare and government salaries have receives a boost in the Niue government's new NZ$12.5 million (US$7.6m) deficit budget. Last week, the island's finance...