Palau Still Needs to Do More to Stop Human Trafficking- TIP 2025 report

Palau has kept its Tier 2 ranking in the 2025 U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report, reflecting progress in victim support and investigations but continued challenges in prosecuting traffickers and addressing official complicity. The report warns...

Palau senator’s son on Fiji drug charge

THE sun dips low over Fiji’s western coast as a fisherman hauls his catch ashore. Hours at sea under the scorching sun have yielded bundles of fish, but when he sells them at the market, much of the profit slips away into the hands of middlemen....

World leaders extend congratulations as Palau marks 31st Independence Day

Palau marked its 31st Independence Day on Oct. 1 with congratulatory messages from global leaders, highlighting the island nation’s growing role in climate action, ocean conservation, and regional security. From the United States and European...

Former Fiji PM convicted

A MAN arrested in a Fiji drug bust with links to Chinese organised crime has been identified as Lagomarsino Bales, son of Palau Senate President, Hokkons Baules. Also arrested was Ginna Mukunghoa Choi of the Federated States of Micronesia who was...

PM Davis: ‘Storms like this remind us, once again, who we are’

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis speaks during Joint Press Briefing with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority, on September 29, 2025 NASSAU, The Bahamas – While addressing a...

Palau President calls for Climate Justice, Ocean Protection and UN reform…

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has told the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) that small island states are “at war” with climate change, warning that 1.5 degrees is now a binding global obligation and calling for urgent reforms to deliver...

Palau President Whipps warns against war, Calls out China on Taiwan

Palau President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr told the United Nations General Assembly last week that peace, justice, and inclusivity must guide the international community, warning that wars and political exclusions threaten global stability. “Palau...

Son of Palauan Senator one of those arrested in Fiji in major drug operation – OCCRP reports

The son of a senior pro-China politician from Palau was among ten people arrested in Fiji last week during a major anti-drug operation, raising fresh concerns about Chinese-linked criminal networks expanding their influence in the Pacific....

U.S. Congratulates Palau on Its Independence Day

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio wished Palau a happy Independence Day on October 1st, 2025, the 31st anniversary of the country’s establishment as an independent nation. “On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the...

Landmark High Seas Treaty ratified, opening a new era for ocean governance

In a momentous international breakthrough, the High Seas Treaty has been formally ratified, with South Africa as one of the signatories. With this step, the country joins a growing global coalition that has cleared a crucial threshold for the...

Son of Palau Senate Leader Caught up in Fiji Drug Sweep

Among the 10 people arrested in Fiji last week in a major anti-drug operation was the son of a senior pro-China politician from Palau, who presides over his country’s Senate, OCCRP confirmed. Hokkons Baules told OCCRP on Tuesday that he learned...

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LIKELY WITH CURRENT OEK STANDOFF

Palau faces a likely government shutdown on Oct. 1 after the House of Delegates amended the Senate’s stopgap budget bill by inserting its full FY 2026 budget. The Senate had passed a temporary measure to continue spending at 2025 levels for six...

UAE leaders congratulate the Palau President on Independence Day

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, dispatched...

Palau Youth Congress Leader Reflects on Challenges, Urges Greater Inclusion of Young Voices

Mia Kuartei ends her NYCC tenure, urging stronger youth voice, safe spaces, and cultural leadership in shaping Palau’s future policies. By: Laurel Marewibuel KOROR, Palau — Mia Kuartei has wrapped up her tenure as executive director of the...

Heavy fighting in Kyaukme as government offices burn

Fierce clashes are ongoing in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, as the Myanmar military attempts to retake the town from the Palaung terrorist group, Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). On September 30, several government offices in Kyaukme,...

Palau calls out  Beijing’s Exclusion of Taiwan from the UN

At the UN General Assembly, President Surangel Whipps renewed Palau’s call to let Taiwan have a voice in the global body, accusing China of silencing 23 million people by blocking its participation. 🇵🇼🌏 #Palau #Taiwan #UNGA By: Bernadette Carreon...

Palau advocates for protection of high seas

NEW YORK (PALAU GOVT) —Palau’s Minister Steven Victor, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, participated in a roundtable discussion on High Seas Marine Protected Areas. Palau was the first nation to ratify the Biodiversity Beyond...

Cash and calories: Palau survey details household incomes, spending priorities, diet challenges

How Palauan households earn, spend and eat: A survey release sheds light on a diet heavy in rice, employment-driven incomes, and challenges with health and inequality, among other themes. Palau’s Office of Planning and Statistics, with technical...

'Enriching cultural experiences': Guam to host first international dance festival on Dec. 6-7 but registration closing soon

Guam will be hosting its first international dance festival on Dec. 6 and 7, a regional showcase and competition celebrating cultural heritage, creative expression, and artistic excellence. Registration is now being accepted online at...

Monkeys in Palau: How Germany's colonial past, WWII and US military plans have fuelled an ecological calamity

This is an ABC podcast. Pilot Pleasure to have you on board this morning. It should be a pretty smooth ride down. James Nokise It's early Saturday morning and I'm sitting crammed inside an eight-seater plane with the side door open so we can get...