Palau’s President proposes $3.4M Supplemental Budget to address healthcare shortfall 

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has submitted a US$3.4 million supplemental budget proposal to Olbiil era Kelulau for consideration. The proposal allocates US$3.4 million and appropriates US$2.7 million.  In his

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Palau considers expanding fishing zone in marine sanctuary 

The Palau government, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment (MAFE), is proposing changes to the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS) that would significantly increase the area allowed for

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Palau’s second submarine cable faces delay 

The activation of Palau’s second submarine cable connection, linking the island nation to the Echo Submarine Cable Project between Singapore and the United States, has been delayed.  The cable, originally slated for

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Palau minimum wage to increase to US$4.25 in October 

Palau’s minimum wage will rise from US$3.50 to US$4.25 per hour, effective 01 October 2024.  The increase was passed as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Supplemental Budget bill, signed into law by President

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Palau Airport jetway repairs disrupt United Airlines flights 

United Airlines passengers faced disruptions in Palau and Guam on 19 – 20 May after the airline canceled flights due to safety concerns.   The Palau International Airport’s two jetways were inoperable for

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President Whipps sued in the U.S courts for alleged violation of the Compact Treaty

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. was sued in Sherman, Texas, USA and was served the court summons earlier this month while campaigning in Texas. The lawsuit was filed by Christa NafstadToribiong, the current wife of

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Palau hoping for more things to come

Palau may not have been able to bag everything it hoped for under the renegotiated terms of the Compact of Free Association, but at some point, a deal had to be closed and the nation had to settle for a compromise,

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New flight route between Australia and Palau

A new non-stop flight service between Australia and Palau is being launched with the support of both countries’ governments.  The Palau Paradise Express, operated by Nauru Airlines, will fly between Brisbane and

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Palau faces challenges, Opportunities in merging solar and diesel power

The Palau Public Utilities Corporation (PPUC) is undergoing a significant transformation driven by new energy technologies.   This shift, centred on merging solar energy with existing diesel-generated power, presents

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Palau tourism rebounds, aims for Pre-Pandemic levels by year’s end 

Palau’s tourism industry is experiencing a significant comeback, with visitor arrivals steadily increasing throughout 2023 and into 2024.  Total arrivals in 2023 surpassed 42,000, reaching nearly 45 percent of

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Reversing the tide of colonial anthropology

Doctor Tarisi Vunidilo has emerged as a leading voice in the growing movement across the Pacific in recent years to repatriate Pacific treasures, as well as human remains from museums across Europe and other parts of

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Micronesia: Prolonged drought now impacting food and water across region

Extreme droughts in the Western Pacific region are expected to persist over the next three months. Parts of the Marshall Islands, Guam, Palau, Mariana Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are now

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Disappointed with solar option, Whipps eyes nuclear energy for Palau

While setting a goal to have 100 percent renewable capacity by 2032, Palau must embrace nuclear energy to supplement the country’s existing power sources, President Surangel Whipps Jr. said. “If there are

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Palau scrambles after cyberattack cripples financial systems 

Palau’s financial management system was crippled last week after a cyberattack, forcing the Ministry of Finance to temporarily revert to manual payroll processing.   This marked the first major cyberattack and the

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Palau receives Ancestral remains in repatriation ceremony 

In a ceremony on 25 March the University of Göttingen and the State Ethnographic Collections of Saxony in Germany repatriated human remains of 10 individuals to Palau.  The remains originated from the Hamburg South

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Palau Development Bank pushes for deposit-taking license to fill funding gap

The National Development Bank of Palau (NDBP) is seeking to expand its role in the island nation’s financial system by offering deposit services and potentially issuing savings bonds.  This move aims to address a

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“Palauans First” Campaign reboots: President Whipps seeks second term

In a rally echoing his “Palauans First” campaign slogan, President Surangel Whipps Jr officially launched his re-election bid on 11 February, becoming the first candidate to declare for the November 2024 general

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China lures Palau with economic incentives to break ties with Taiwan

China has promised Palau economic benefits in exchange for the latter severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a letter the Palauan president wrote to an unnamed United States senator revealed.  President Surangel Whipps

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U.S. Senate fails to add Compact Funds to aid package

A last-minute bipartisan effort to add key funding aimed at countering China in the Pacific has failed in the U.S. Senate even as a US$95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan moved forward. A renewal of

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Micronesian leaders warn ‘competitive political actors’ exploiting delays in U.S. funding

Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, which occupy a militarily strategic expanse of the western Pacific, have warned that delays to U.S. financial assistance have created opportunities for “competitive

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U.S. will resume Peace Corps programme in Palau

The United States will resume a long-suspended Peace Corps programme in the North Pacific island of Palau as the Biden administration continues moves to counter growing Chinese influence in the region. The Peace Corps

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Palau ratifies UN Ocean Treaty

Palau on Monday became the first nation to officially ratify the UN Ocean Treaty. “As the first country to officially ratify the UN Ocean Treaty, Palau has jumped into the lead in the race to ratification,” said

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Deportation of Palauans from the U.S. hits record high in 2023

Nine Palauan citizens were deported from the United States in 2023, marking the highest number of deportees Palau has received in a single year. This significant increase, compared to the usual two or less deportees per

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AOSIS Ministers express serious concerns over COP28 Global Stocktake draft text

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Chairs Minister, Cedric Schuster of Samoa, Monday voiced deep worries regarding the process and content of the document in reaction to the COP28 Presidency’s draft text on

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