Author: TMC Palau

Rock Islands in Koror, Palau, are a scattered maze of small forested limestone domes rising from a shallow turquoise lagoon, where caves, cliffs and hidden lakes reshape the idea of an island landscape. Recognised as the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2012, this protected seascape brings together coral reefs, marine lakes and uninhabited islets in a single, intricate marine setting.Limestone domes in a sheltered southern lagoonThe Rock Islands occupy a broad swathe of Palau’s Southern Lagoon between the main volcanic island of Babeldaob and the smaller island of Peleliu, south of the town of…

The stage is set for an exciting week of top netball action at the Oceania Netball World Cup qualifier in Tonga.Five regional national teams will be competing for two World Cup spots, when the competition rolls off in Nuku’alofa on Monday.Hosts Tonga, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa will compete for the two spots, joining New Zealand as the three teams from Oceania at the world meet in Australia next year.Samoa and PNG will kick off the competition on Monday, 14 September, followed by Cook Islands and Fiji.The round-robin competition ends on 18 September, with the top…

AS delegations head home from the 55th Pacific Islands Forum in Koror, capital of the Republic of Palau, the region’s presidents, prime ministers and officials have endorsed a series of declarations and resolutions in their final communique. Forum host and incoming chair, President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr. said: “Over the week-long deliberations, we have reflected deeply on shared priorities. We affirmed our regional unity and agreed on clear actions to guide the Blue Pacific continent through an increasingly complex and challenging strategic environment…we acknowledge that we are in a very uncertain times with many competing priorities and contestation around…

Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona is a concert hall where Catalan modernisme turns music into architecture, wrapping performances in mosaics, sculpture and coloured glass. Completed in 1908 under architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it brings together structure and decoration so completely that the building itself feels part of every concert.A concert hall shaped by Catalan modernismePalau de la Musica Catalana stands in the historic centre of Barcelona as a concert hall designed in the Catalan modernisme style by Lluís Domènech i Montaner and built between 1905 and 1908.Designed in the Catalan modernisme style The building was commissioned by…

The Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL) is spearheading discussions for new regional tournaments aimed at creating playing opportunities for local players in the region.FNRL chairman Rajesh Singh has confirmed that discussions are being held with New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) and Asia Pacific Rugby League (APRL) to establish a Nines (9s) tournament series in the Pacific.At the same time, there are also plans to have a 13-a-side tournament similar to rugby union’s Pacific Nations Cup (PNC).Singh told local media in Suva last week the new 9s tournament would feature Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.”It…

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) — For certain countries like Palau, having Taiwan as a “diplomatic ally” is not about delivering for the country and the people, but to line the pockets of the very few people who profit from it, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing on Monday.Mao made the remarks in response to a query on the recent reports that Taiwan increased its annual aid to Palau from 18 million U.S. dollars last year to 25 million U.S. dollars this year, and it also allocated nearly 281,000 U.S. dollars in direct cash gifts…

A new discussion paper examines how Facebook can blur the line between feelings and conversations around sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV), or locally known as sanguma, in communities in Papua New Guinea.The study, conducted by the Australian think tank Development Policy Centre (Devpolicy), analyses how Facebook influences the debate around SARV in PNG through the people involved, the messages they share, and the broader role the platform plays.An estimated 200 people are killed due to SARV in PNG every year, with thousands more severely injured, tortured, mutilated and exiled. Sanguma violence in the era of social media has spread the belief…

The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting closed in Koror last week with a raft of bilateral meetings, side events and financial commitments from donor partners including New Zealand, the United States and Australia.The week culminated in the Leaders’ Retreat and a communiquē setting out what was agreed by our Pacific Leaders. However, the story most likely to outlast the communiquē is the one of empty chairs.Five of the Forum’s 18 members, Fiji, Vanuatu, Sāmoa, Kiribati and New Caledonia, were represented in Palau without their head of government. A sixth, Solomon Islands, sent its Prime Minister, then watched him fly…

A tropical storm warning has been issued for Oahu, Hawai’i, as category 3 hurricane Lowell bears down on the state.An advisory from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued at 8am Monday Hawai’i time (6am Tuesday NZT) said conditions are expected to deteriorate in the afternoon.A hurricane warning is in effect for Kauai County, including the islands of Kauai and Niihau and the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals.The NOAA said on the forecast track, the core of Lowell is expected to pass near or just west of Niihau on Monday night and early Tuesday.”Gradual…

Vanuatu held a National Education and Training Forum from 3 to 6 August 2026. It had a fiery start. Prime Minister Jotham Napat told a room filled with policymakers and educators from across the archipelago that he was “not satisfied” with the national education system, despite the sector receiving one of the government’s biggest annual investments, accounting for over 22% of the national budget. Napat illustrated his concerns, saying “70% of children cannot read or write”, sparking a social media storm of outrage. One month on, as the world marks International Literacy Day on 8 September, the questions raised at…