Pacific news in brief for 3 September

President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr. July 2023 Photo: flickr / FDD / Chris Williams Palau - asylum seekers Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr says the country should maintain dialogue with the United States, despite leadership opposing a US...

Petition Calls for Clear U.S.-Palau Defense Agreement to Protect Civilians

By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang KOROR, Palau — A petition circulating in Palau calls on the national leadership to open talks with the United States on a separate, detailed agreement spelling out when and how Washington would defend Palau — and...

Australia extends Qantas Flights to Palau through 2026; Whipps hails Tourism boost

Koror, Palau – Qantas Airways will continue its direct service between Brisbane and Palau for another year, a move welcomed by Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. as a boost to tourism and bilateral ties. The “Palau Paradise Express” flights,...

Whipps pushes $1B Infrastructure Vision for Palau at Pacific Conference

BY: L.N. Reklai with Stefan Ambrusters BRISBANE, Australia (Aug. 21, 2025) — Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. outlined an ambitious vision for more than $1 billion in infrastructure investment over the next five years, telling regional leaders...

New Retirees Association aims to Address Rising challenges for Palau’s elderly

By: Summer Kennard KOROR, Palau — Retirees across Palau are banding together to form the Retirees Association of Palau (RAP), a newly chartered non-governmental organization aimed at strengthening their collective voice, promoting cultural...

JCI Japan celebrates Matsuri Festival in Palau to Honor WWII Legacy and Foster Friendship

Masahiro Togushi, president of the Matsuri celebration, shared heartfelt remarks during the recent event in Palau, emphasizing the significance of their visit. “We are here for only three days,” Togushi explained, “with 60 members of JCI Japan...

Palau weighs $500 Foreign Worker Fee Amid Employer concerns and Labor shortages

KOROR, Palau — Palau’s plan to more than triple the annual fee for foreign worker permits from $150 to $500 is sparking concern among employers and retirees who depend on overseas labor. The increase, embedded in the FY 2026 budget bill, would...

Palau ranks 104th in Global Climate adaptation Index

By: Bernadette Carreon PALAU — Palau ranks 104th out of 187 countries in the latest Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index, with a score of 45.1 out of 100. The index, compiled by the University of Notre Dame, measures how...

  Palau COFA Trust Fund rebounds strongly following April market sell-off

Koror, Palau — August 8, 2025 — The Republic of Palau’s Compact of Free Association (COFA) Trust Fund has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the second quarter of 2025, rebounding strongly from a sharp market sell-off in April. As of June 30,...

Palau reports first two Covid-19 cases

Two people arriving in Palau on 15 August tested positive for Covid-19, the nation’s Ministry of Health and Human Services stated. These mark the nation’s first positive active cases of the virus. Ritter Udui, MHHS incident commander, confirmed...

Plastics Treaty talks end without agreement as Palau calls for action

AOSIS Principal Advisor Gwen Sisior during the INC 5.2 Plastic treaty negotiations in Geneva, SwitzerlandBy ElilaiRengiilNegotiations for the world’s first… You must be logged in and subscribed to view this content.

Qantas extends Brisbane–Palau flights to 2026 amid surge in Australian visitors

Qantas has prolonged its direct flights from Brisbane to Koror, the capital of Palau, a Pacific island nation in Micronesia, for an additional year after the service, named the ‘Palau Paradise Express’, proved to be popular among Australian...

Palau’s Blue Economy Project showcases Progress in fisheries Development

The BOF-JICA Blue Economy Project held a seminar on August 7 to present the achievements of the Project, which aims to promote the sustainable development of Palau’s fisheries sector. The event brought together stakeholders, including fishing...

Cost of Living Crisis in Palau

Dear Editor, Palau is in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis that our leaders refuse to address with any seriousness. The reality is simple: the scale of our economy does not allow ordinary people to make ends meet. Wages remain stagnant,...

Aimeliik terminates Palau Golf Inc. leases over Unpaid Fees, Broken Promises

By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang AIMELIIK, Palau — The Aimeliik State Public Land Authority (AIMSPLA) has voted to terminate two land lease agreements with Palau Golf Inc. (PGI), citing repeated non-payment of fees and long-standing breaches of...

QANTAS EXTENDS DIRECT PALAU FLIGHTS AMID GROWING TOURISM DEMAND

Qantas has extended its direct flights between Brisbane and Koror, Palau’s capital, for another year following the success of the route which Qantas commenced in December 2024. The service, known as the ‘Palau Paradise Express’, will continue to...

Qantas extends direct flights between Brisbane and Palau for another year

Qantas has extended its direct flights between Brisbane and Palau for another year following the success of the route which Qantas commenced in December 2024. The service, known as the ‘Palau Paradise Express’, will continue to operate as part of...

Palau’s most dangerous prisoner escapes

Palau High School reopens amid ongoing construction 

Lessons from legend of Palau fisherman drawn upon in critical juncture of COP29

As global attention turn to what and how COP29 would decide on a new finance goal, the legend of a Palauan fisherman from the village of Ngarchemai has been used to illustrate the risks of indecision, and the need for world leaders to choose...