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Palau

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Palau. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Ngerulmud

Head of State

President Surangel Whipps Jr.

Head of Government

President Surangel Whipps Jr.

Japan

Japan to expand security aid to 12 Indo-Pacific nations

Tokyo has more than doubled its security assistance programme to US$114 million in a strategic push.

28 Aug 2026 - 3:07PM

Pacific nations

China’s missile test exposes lack of unity among Pacific island nations

22 Jul 2026 - 10:00AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump shows no regret over deaths of 3 Indian sailors in Iran war strike by US

18 Jun 2026 - 4:02AMvideocam

Asean

Aid and diplomacy: US Navy’s renewed bid for Southeast Asian influence

Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.

17 Jun 2026 - 5:21PM

Captain Robert Reyes, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2026, speaks to sailors assigned to the mission on Naval Air Station North Island, on May 26. Photo: Handout

India

Indians grieve and demand action after US strike kills sailors

Calls are mounting for Modi to take up the matter with Trump at next week’s G7 summit.

13 Jun 2026 - 7:38AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

India summons US diplomat again in rare display of anger over sailors’ killings

US military says the tanker ignored repeated warnings before being disabled for violating the Iran blockade.

12 Jun 2026 - 10:58PMvideocam

India

3 Indian sailors dead after US attacks commercial vessel off Oman

New Delhi summoned a top US diplomat after the strike on MT Settebello to lodge ‘a strong protest’.

11 Jun 2026 - 9:52PMvideocam

On Monday, Omani authorities airlifted 24 Indian sailors off the MT Marivex after a US strike on the Palau-flagged tanker. Photo: Facebook/IndianCoastGuard

US, Israel war on Iran

Israel and Iran hold fire after exchange, but warn of escalation if provoked

Middle East foes lift immediate safety restrictions while actively preparing for the next wave of retaliation.

9 Jun 2026 - 3:47PMvideocam

China-Japan relations

Rising seas: Japan makes pitch to Pacific nations caught in US-China rivalry

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi tells summit that Tokyo is committed to helping regional partners strengthen ‘autonomy and resilience’.

3 Jun 2026 - 3:00PM

United States

US imposes fresh sanctions on Iranian exchange house, 19 ships from shadow fleet

The Treasury’s move came after Iran ‌said its latest peace proposal to the US involved ending hostilities on all fronts.

19 May 2026 - 11:37PM

US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent poses for a family photograph of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors ahead of a meeting on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Indonesia

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

Captain Ashari Samadikun had sent a chilling warning to his wife before his fuel tanker was hijacked by pirates last month.

6 May 2026 - 7:49PMvideocam

An armed Somali pirate along the coastline in northeastern Somalia. Photo: AFP

Japan

Fears of ecological crisis as Okinawa’s wildlife falls prey to poachers

Conservationists urge stronger protections to deter the growing illegal trade and overseas demand for Okinawa’s endemic species.

2 Nov 2025 - 11:52AM

Pacific nations

Pacific Islands leaders call for ‘ocean of peace’ but face rough seas at summit

The Pacific Islands Forum has been clouded by allegations that host Solomon Islands did not invite Taiwan to please its close backer.

10 Sep 2025 - 5:18PM

Environment

Deadline looms as nations remain divided on global plastic pollution treaty

A coalition of oil-producing states remains at odds with an ‘ambitious’ group that wants radical action written into a treaty.

11 Aug 2025 - 1:45PM

A worker sorts plastic waste on the outskirts of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo. Photo: AFP

Israel-Gaza war

My Take | Taiwan donation vow to Israeli settlement is cynical and foolish

Fulfilling the pledge would be a violation of international law, as Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank is universally recognised as illegal.

23 Jul 2025 - 9:00PM

Taiwan’s representative in Israel Abby Ya-Ping Lee visits the Binyamin regional council in Samaria on July 6, 2025. Photo: Handout

Pacific nations

Most Pacific island women don’t work. The World Bank wants to change that

Outdated laws and social norms keep 57 per cent of working-age women across the Pacific out of the labour force, the bank says.

17 Jun 2025 - 12:03PM

US-China trade war

My Take | The United States, not China, turns out to be the real bogeyman

The significance of Trump’s tariffs is that they have destroyed the credibility of America on which its global alliances have long depended.

6 Apr 2025 - 9:00PM

United States

My Take | Donald Trump’s tariff madness targets not only allies but animals

Penguins, seals and seabirds have not been spared in America’s global trade war, likewise territories with significant US or allied military assets.

4 Apr 2025 - 9:00PM

US President Donald Trump announces reciprocal tariffs at White House’s Rose Garden in Washington on April 2. Photo: TNS

Asia travel

Diving aside, Pacific paradise Palau wants you to visit for its culture

The island nation and diving paradise is pushing its cultural heritage, with village tours and handicraft workshops.

24 Feb 2025 - 1:47PM

Taiwan

Why the ‘Out of Taiwan’ language theory is a cross-strait battleground

Mainland Chinese academics are countering the hypothesis that the island was the ancestral homeland of the Austronesian peoples.

12 Feb 2025 - 7:08PMvideocam

Pacific nations

Palau seeks US missile system citing ‘direct threat’ from China ICBM test

President Whipps said he and incoming US leader Trump are ‘very much in agreement’ regarding the Pacific island nation’s security.

14 Nov 2024 - 12:30PMvideocam

China test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in September. Photo: PLA Army News and Communication Centre/AFP

Asia travel

How the rangers of Palau’s Helen Reef keep the poachers at bay

Helen Reef, in Palau, has its own dedicated guard force, deterring poachers and protecting its incredible variety of life.

21 Oct 2024 - 5:15PM

Damselfish swim in shallow waters in Palau. Photo: Shutterstock

US-China relations

As No 2 US envoy ends Pacific tour, Beijing scores a diplomatic win on Taiwan

After Beijing envoy demands ‘correction’, Pacific Islands Forum scraps Taiwan reference from its annual summit’s final communique.

1 Sep 2024 - 12:39AMvideocam

Profile

Environmentalist Doug Woodring on connecting people to solve problems

A self-styled ‘translator between communities’, the founder of Ocean Recovery Alliance talks about being the first among his friends to visit Asia and why his background in business is pivotal to his plastic-reduction efforts

30 Jul 2024 - 3:06PM

Japan

Japan talks with Pacific islands focus on climate, security issues take back seat

Among the areas of concern highlighted by Pacific island nations was Japan’s release of treated radioactive water.

20 Jul 2024 - 1:45PMvideocam

Japan

As China’s sway over Pacific islands grows, will Japan counter by aiding Palau?

Analysts think Tokyo will answer the island nation’s appeal for help monitoring Chinese vessels, as it has done so with others in the region.

17 Jul 2024 - 3:38PMvideocam

Chinese research ships have repeatedly been sighted operating in marine zones claimed by Palau. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong society

What to know about overseas hikes after Hongkonger dies on Japan’s Mount Fuji

After death of civil servant, 58, the Post answers key questions about some popular destinations and what precautions to take.

11 Jul 2024 - 8:52AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Russia upgraded to ‘high-income country’ as war-driven economy grows

The country’s GDP grew 3.6 per cent last year amid demand for military goods and services.

3 Jul 2024 - 2:45PMvideocam

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Palau

Japan to expand security aid to 12 Indo-Pacific nations

Tokyo has more than doubled its security assistance programme to US$114 million in a strategic push.

China’s missile test exposes lack of unity among Pacific island nations

Trump shows no regret over deaths of 3 Indian sailors in Iran war strike by US

Aid and diplomacy: US Navy’s renewed bid for Southeast Asian influence

Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.

Indians grieve and demand action after US strike kills sailors

Calls are mounting for Modi to take up the matter with Trump at next week’s G7 summit.

India summons US diplomat again in rare display of anger over sailors’ killings

US military says the tanker ignored repeated warnings before being disabled for violating the Iran blockade.

3 Indian sailors dead after US attacks commercial vessel off Oman

New Delhi summoned a top US diplomat after the strike on MT Settebello to lodge ‘a strong protest’.

Israel and Iran hold fire after exchange, but warn of escalation if provoked

Middle East foes lift immediate safety restrictions while actively preparing for the next wave of retaliation.

Rising seas: Japan makes pitch to Pacific nations caught in US-China rivalry

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi tells summit that Tokyo is committed to helping regional partners strengthen ‘autonomy and resilience’.

US imposes fresh sanctions on Iranian exchange house, 19 ships from shadow fleet

The Treasury’s move came after Iran ‌said its latest peace proposal to the US involved ending hostilities on all fronts.

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

Captain Ashari Samadikun had sent a chilling warning to his wife before his fuel tanker was hijacked by pirates last month.

Fears of ecological crisis as Okinawa’s wildlife falls prey to poachers

Conservationists urge stronger protections to deter the growing illegal trade and overseas demand for Okinawa’s endemic species.

Pacific Islands leaders call for ‘ocean of peace’ but face rough seas at summit

The Pacific Islands Forum has been clouded by allegations that host Solomon Islands did not invite Taiwan to please its close backer.

Deadline looms as nations remain divided on global plastic pollution treaty

A coalition of oil-producing states remains at odds with an ‘ambitious’ group that wants radical action written into a treaty.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}My Take | Taiwan donation vow to Israeli settlement is cynical and foolish

Fulfilling the pledge would be a violation of international law, as Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank is universally recognised as illegal.

Most Pacific island women don’t work. The World Bank wants to change that

Outdated laws and social norms keep 57 per cent of working-age women across the Pacific out of the labour force, the bank says.

My Take | The United States, not China, turns out to be the real bogeyman

The significance of Trump’s tariffs is that they have destroyed the credibility of America on which its global alliances have long depended.

My Take | Donald Trump’s tariff madness targets not only allies but animals

Penguins, seals and seabirds have not been spared in America’s global trade war, likewise territories with significant US or allied military assets.

Diving aside, Pacific paradise Palau wants you to visit for its culture

The island nation and diving paradise is pushing its cultural heritage, with village tours and handicraft workshops.

Why the ‘Out of Taiwan’ language theory is a cross-strait battleground

Mainland Chinese academics are countering the hypothesis that the island was the ancestral homeland of the Austronesian peoples.

Palau seeks US missile system citing ‘direct threat’ from China ICBM test

President Whipps said he and incoming US leader Trump are ‘very much in agreement’ regarding the Pacific island nation’s security.

How the rangers of Palau’s Helen Reef keep the poachers at bay

Helen Reef, in Palau, has its own dedicated guard force, deterring poachers and protecting its incredible variety of life.

As No 2 US envoy ends Pacific tour, Beijing scores a diplomatic win on Taiwan

After Beijing envoy demands ‘correction’, Pacific Islands Forum scraps Taiwan reference from its annual summit’s final communique.

Environmentalist Doug Woodring on connecting people to solve problems

A self-styled ‘translator between communities’, the founder of Ocean Recovery Alliance talks about being the first among his friends to visit Asia and why his background in business is pivotal to his plastic-reduction efforts

Japan talks with Pacific islands focus on climate, security issues take back seat

Among the areas of concern highlighted by Pacific island nations was Japan’s release of treated radioactive water.

As China’s sway over Pacific islands grows, will Japan counter by aiding Palau?

Analysts think Tokyo will answer the island nation’s appeal for help monitoring Chinese vessels, as it has done so with others in the region.

What to know about overseas hikes after Hongkonger dies on Japan’s Mount Fuji

After death of civil servant, 58, the Post answers key questions about some popular destinations and what precautions to take.

Russia upgraded to ‘high-income country’ as war-driven economy grows

The country’s GDP grew 3.6 per cent last year amid demand for military goods and services.

My Take | Taiwan donation vow to Israeli settlement is cynical and foolish