Cook Islands

The country's men's counselling centre, Te Punanga Ora'anga Matutu, has welcomed the news.

The Cook Islands government says it is working to stabilise its strained relationship with New Zealand, but not at the cost of its independence. Audio

The Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce has raised concerns about recent public talks on the draft Cook Islands Cryptocurrency (Ransomware Suppression) Bill 2025.

The Cook Islands Prime Minister says ministers and officials have engaged "consistently" with New Zealand through every formal channel to address tensions with Aotearoa.

The seabed mining company's comments follow the Cook Islands decision to extend the ongoing exploration period for a further five years, until 2032.

However, Mark Brown says New Zealand is "having issues" with the state of its own economy as Kiwis "are running away" to Australia.

The country will extend seabed minerals exploration for a further five years, pushing the decision on whether to mine its polymetallic nodules-rich seafloor to at least 2032.

The Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council is demanding answers as the diplomatic dispute between the Cook Islands and New Zealand deepens.

A bushfire that broke out around midday Sunday (Monday NZT) in the tourism hotspot caused anxiety among residents and tourists as smoke drifted across homes and nearby resorts.

The Cook Islands government says it remains committed to free association with New Zealand despite recent disagreements and trust issues between the two governments. Audio

The fuel tanker Media, which is currently undergoing technical inspection and repair work in Fiji, was originally scheduled to reach Rarotonga last week.