Author: TMC Palau

This week our powerful Pacific team is in Palau for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. This is a major moment in our campaigns for Pacific climate justice and to stop deep sea mining. So what’s it all about, what can we expect over the coming days, and why is this year’s meeting in particular so important? Read on to find out! *Pawa is Melanesian word meaning collective power. Meet Moemoana Schwenke, our Pacific Climate Campaigner “When you love something deeply, you do everything you can to protect it.” @greenpeaceap For us in the Pacific, protecting our home is an…

China accused Palau of “stoking tensions” over a ballistic missile test in the Pacific Ocean. Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. expressed hope that a reference to the launch would be included in the joint statement of the 18 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum.As Daily Maverick reports, Whipps said it was important for countries in the region to speak with one voice so that Beijing would respect sovereignty, maintain transparency and be a responsible partner. According to him, Pacific states do not want their homes and region to be threatened or disrespected.Beijing’s reactionIn July, China conducted a ballistic missile…

Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona is a concert hall where music and architecture merge in an exuberant display of Catalan Modernisme, with a vast stained glass ceiling flooding the auditorium with coloured light. Built in the early twentieth century for the choral society Orfeó Català under architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it remains a landmark of Catalan cultural life and a showcase of applied arts worked directly into the structure.A Modernisme palace for music and craftThe core identity of Palau de la Musica Catalana lies in its role as a purpose-built concert hall in the Catalan Modernisme style,…

Three Pacific women celebrate major beauty pageant winsBeauty pageants remain an important part of cultural and social life in many Pacific Island countries, although their significance vary across the region.Pageants such as Miss Pacific Islands, Miss Samoa, Miss Heilala (Tonga), Miss Hibiscus (Fiji) and Miss Cook Islands, provide young Pacific women with a platform to advocate on issues they are passionate about.Three Pacific women are celebrating major beauty pageant victories – domestically and internationally – after being crowned over the weekend.Miss World Cook Islands: Tiare Henry-AngunaTiare Henry-Anguna, who represented the Cook Islands, was crowned Miss World Oceania 2026 after reaching…

We’ve been looking this morning at the latest data on Pacific education in New Zealand, and there is a pretty big turnaround in one area.Pacific kids are going to school more.Regular attendance has gone from just 26 percent in 2022 to 51 per cent today.And credit where it’s due, the Coalition Government came into office making school attendance a major priority, and it appears to be working.But here’s the thing.Fifty-one per cent still means almost half of Pacific students aren’t regularly attending school.Listen to Will’s Word below.And the data raises another concern.While attendance is going up, the number of Pacific…

KOROR, Palau – U.S. Navy divers completed the removal and at-sea disposal of three abandoned derelict vessels (ADV) and significant hazardous material in Koror, Palau, as part of Pacific Partnership 2026 (PP26), Aug. 30, 2026. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the United States Navy for assisting with the removal of vessels from our harbor,” said Hon. Jennifer Anson, Palau’s National Security Coordinator. “Abandoned and derelict vessels in our harbor pose a threat to our pristine ocean environment and can cause unnecessary damage to our marine resources. They negatively affect tourism, which is an important part of…

Taipei, Sept. 9 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Wednesday thanked Palau for its continued support for Taiwan’s international participation amid changing geopolitical circumstances as he received the credentials of the Pacific ally’s new ambassador to Taiwan at a ceremony in Taipei.Palau is one of the Republic of China’s (Taiwan’s official name) 12 diplomatic allies and one of three in the Pacific.Speaking at the Presidential Office, Lai said Palau has consistently voiced support for Taiwan at international forums, including the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations General Assembly and the World Health Assembly.Palau has steadfastly supported Taiwan’s international participation amid…

A reporter with Hawaii News Now has described a “wild” night as Hurricane Lowell passed by, with power out on Tuesday morning and some oceanfront houses destroyed.The US National Weather Service has lifted all warnings related to the storm, although it said swells from Lowell will continue to generate life-threatening surf and rip current conditions during the next few days across many of the Hawaiian Islands.There’s also still a threat of flash flooding.Dillon Ancheta, a Kauai local, said they are breathing a sigh of relief now the worst has passed.”Last night was a wild ride for our island,” he told…

Australia and Fiji will throw off the first-ever Oceanian Senior Women’s Handball Championship at Wellington’s Ākau Tangi Sports Centre on Thursday.Seven national teams will be competing for the top title and the chance to qualify for the Women’s Asian Championship later this year. It is the next step up for qualifying for the World Championship.New Zealand will be joined by Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia and Tahiti.The events are part of the International Handball Federation’s annual schedule for 2026.Australia and Fiji throw off at 3.30pm, with New Zealand taking on Cook Islands, while New Caledonia will face Tahiti…

News A search and rescue mission is underway. September 09, 2026, 02:13 PM A Singaporean diver has gone missing following a diving incident in Palau on Sep. 7 A Mothership reader said that the diving expedition occurred on a motor yacht named Black Pearl. The missing person is also said to be a prominent figure in the Singapore dive industry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement to Mothership that it is aware of the incident on Sep. 7 and is providing consular assistance to the person’s family. They are also in contact with the Palau authorities on the search…