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Sports

Aitutaki swims to success

Twelve young primary school swimmers from Aitutaki, showcasing their raw talent, participated for the first time in the Cook Islands Aquatic Federation’s annual Kau competition in Nikao, scooping up 11 medals.

Vaping among children prompts proposal to raise smoking age

Ministry of Health proposes to raise the smoking age from 18 to 21 and implement new measures on imitation tobacco products like vape and e-cigarettes to reduce smoking rates in the country.

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Health

TMO steps up dengue defence following outbreak in Samoa

Cook Islands is taking preventative measures to protect the country from dengue fever by fumigating incoming vessels from Pacific Island countries battling with an outbreak.

Court

Former Vodafone employee convicted of stealing $91,000

A woman has been convicted of theft as a servant for making false entries in a telecommunications company’s account, defrauding them of over $91,000.

National

Court

Driver charged in Cook Islands’ first road fatality

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Health

TMO steps up dengue defence following outbreak in Samoa

Court

NZ disc jockey convicted on drug charges after guilty plea

Church Talk

Historic ordination marks new chapter for Catholic Diocese

Environment

Cook Islands lead call for stronger ocean science at UN Conference

Local

Puaikura Fire Brigade responds to weekend crash with new equipment

Apart from attending to fire calls around the island, the Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade attended a crash call over the weekend and is looking forward to improving their response time with the new station.

Environment

National Environment Service partners with Monash University to strengthen environmental protections

Enhancing Cook Islands capacity and learning opportunities when it comes to science, environment and legal policy is at the core of a partnership between the National Environment Service (NES) and Monash University in Australia.

Sports

Young swimmers battle at annual school’s competition

Cook Islands Aquatic Federation’s annual Kau School Swimming Competition is underway in Nikao, with around 250 students from seven schools participating in the two-day event.

Rugby league

Unstoppable Panthers in finals

The Cook Islands Rugby League (CIRL) Rarotonga 13s competition knockout round on Saturday delivered a thrilling display of athleticism, strategy, and sheer determination, with the Tupapa Panthers asserting their dominance in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

Football

Matavera-Ngatangiia Football Club partners with top NZ academy

The Matavera-Ngatangiia Football Club (MNFC) has forged a relationship with one of New Zealand’s top football academy.

Sports

Cook Islands gears up for 30th Air New Zealand Rarotonga Triathlon

Cook Islands Triathlon Association is excited about the forthcoming big week of events which surround the 30th Air New Zealand Rarotonga Triathlon to be held this Saturday, May 4.

Sports

Katoa re-elected Oceania Aquatics VP

Romani Katoa has been re-elected the vice president of the Oceania Aquatics Board of Directors for a new four-year term.

Opinion

Kata

Kata: Trump

Letters to the Editor

Letter: Raising age misses the mark

Dear Editor, Parliament to raise smoking age to 21 so that children as young as six years old won’t be vaping. Raise the age to 99 and it won’t prevent one child from having access to tobacco, one of the deadliest drugs on earth.

Letters to the Editor

Letter: Free water – ‘Hatchet the Act’

Dear Editor, Re ‘Government reneges on free water pledge’.

Football

Letter: CIFA saga

Because I have children involved with academies at CIFA (Cook Islands Football Association), I would like to keep my identity private in fear that my children will be singled or even kicked out.

Editorials

Ruta Mave: Rarotonga’s water treatment system – a costly unnecessary mess?

The water quality didn’t need fixing, the pressure did. The water isn’t tainted, the Government is, writes Ruta Mave.

Features

Art

Cook Islands vaka to set sail for Festpac 2024 in Hawaii

Cook Islands traditional canoe Vaka Marumaru Atua will set sail for Hawaii next week to participate in the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (Festpac 2024) in Honolulu in June. Cook Islands Voyaging Society explains the country’s long history of sending vaka (voyaging canoes) to the regional cultural event.

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Art

Local dancers take centre stage in WiRepa’s show stopping designs

In a stunning display of creativity and style, acclaimed Aotearoa New Zealand/Cook Islands fashion designer Kharl-William WiRepa revealed his first fashion show on the island.

Features

Headstone unveiling completes long journey for WWI soldier

In a moving ceremony, the final chapter of a World War I soldier’s journey was completed as his headstone, which had been uplifted from another location, was finally placed on his grave.

Art

Following in dad’s footsteps: Tamaiti-Phareily ready for Te Mire Ura debut

Captivated by the admiration he draws from his father, seven-year-old Tamaiti-Phareily Samson is participating in Te Mire Ura, Potiki (Junior) section culture competition on Thursday this week.

Features

Veterans reflect on sacrifice and camaraderie at Anzac Dawn Parade

The Anzac Day Dawn Parade, held yesterday morning at the cenotaph by the Ministry of Justice building, drew a large crowd of hundreds including the visiting Vietnam veterans from Aotearoa New Zealand.