Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
Petition calls for clear US-Palau defense agreement to protect civilians
Marianas Variety
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KOROR (Island Times/Pacnews) — 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 how civilians...
Audit Office says Supplemental Review of Palau Stablecoin Project no longer necessary
Island Times
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August 26, 2025
By: Bernadette Carreon The Office of the Public Auditor has determined that a supplemental audit of Palau’s Stablecoin Project (PSC) is no longer necessary, stating that legal matters fall outside its jurisdiction, according to the office’s...
U.S. Senators visit Palau to discuss Security, Military presence
Island Times
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August 26, 2025
By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau (AP) — Two senior U.S. senators are visiting Palau this week to meet with President Surangel Whipps Jr. and his cabinet, reaffirming Washington’s security commitments while facing questions about the scope of America’s...
Sunscreens protect us but also pose real planetary health concerns
Mongabay
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August 26, 2025
Sunscreens have become an important part of people’s sun management routine, protecting skin from harmful solar UV radiation. But many of these products contain chemicals that can be harmful to saltwater and freshwater ecosystems, while...
Petition Calls for Clear U.S.-Palau Defense Agreement to Protect Civilians
Island Times
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August 22, 2025
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...
Geopolitical tensions challenge Pacific regionalism
Papua New Guinea Post Courier
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August 26, 2025
by Niuone Eliuta THE Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), a vital platform for regional cooperation, has long been a space where Pacific nations address shared challenges like climate change, economic development and cultural preservation. However, recent...
Air Force Working on Major Renovations to Run-Down Dorms on Guam
Air & Space Forces Magazine
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August 26, 2025
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org Andersen Air Force Base on Guam will make major renovations to some of its...
Scientists put a dead cow on the deep ocean floor and filmed something very unexpected
Earth.com
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Eight Pacific sleeper sharks showed up for dinner when researchers dropped a cow carcass to the seafloor of the South China Sea at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters) near Hainan Island. The visit offered a rare observation of how these deep residents feed,...
Australian Embassy grant cycle for the islands, and UOG School of Engineering secures funding
Marianas Business Journal
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In precarious times for funding, some unique initiatives can offer special opportunities. The Direct Aid Program is managed globally through overseas Australian missions and is a small grants initiative supporting non-government organizations and...
Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative set for 2nd round
Taipei Times
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August 26, 2025
A government-funded program enabling young people from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to participate in short-term training and cross-cultural exchanges in Taiwan would soon begin its second round after the first round ended last month, a Ministry of...
Palau, DoD host public meetings on improvements to Peleliu South Dock
Marianas Variety
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Representatives of the Palau government and the Department of Defense host a public meeting at Peleliu State Building to share information on proposed Peleliu South Dock rehabilitation and improvements, Aug. 12. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr....
Coffee Break: Armed Madhouse – Misguided Marines
naked capitalism
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August 26, 2025
The Marine Corps’ new Pacific island strategy, articulated in its Force Design 2030 planning documents, envisions small units deployed across the Pacific island chain, armed with missiles and sensors to strike Chinese shipping and contest maritime...
Scientists Create New Magnetic State: The Magneto-Ionic Vortex (“Vortion”)
SciTechDaily
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August 17, 2025
A new magnetic state, the vortion, has been experimentally realized by manipulating ions with voltage at the nanoscale. This discovery opens the door to low-energy data storage and brain-inspired technologies with unprecedented control of...
The Soviet Vibes of Trump’s Assault on Science
Truthdig
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August 18, 2025
This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. In the fall of 1925, agronomist Trofim Lysenko arrived on the dusty plains of what is now Azerbaijan, hoping to keep cows from starving to death over the...
Sibanye-Stillwater appoints chartered accountant Dr Lindiwe Mthimunye to its board
IOL
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Sibanye-Stillwater has appointed Chartered Accountant, Dr Lindiwe Mthimunye, as an independent non-executive director, effective immediately. This move is anticipated to enhance the board’s expertise, particularly in financial governance and...
US to rehabilitate postwar dock in Palau to boost military readiness in the region
The Pacific Island Times
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August 15, 2025
By Pacific Island Times News Staff Peleliu—The U.S. Department of Defense proposes to rehabilitate an 80-year-old dock in Palau to enhance the U.S. military forces’ capabilities in the region. According to Joint Task Force Micronesia, the $12...
The Trump administration’s assault on science feels eerily Soviet
Grist Magazine
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August 15, 2025
In the fall of 1925, agronomist Trofim Lysenko arrived on the dusty plains of what is now Azerbaijan, hoping to keep cows from starving to death over the winter. The young scientist, who learned to read as a teenager during the Russian Revolution,...
4 new JICA volunteers arrived in Palau
Island Times
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August 15, 2025
On the 24th of July, 4 new JICA Volunteers arrived in Palau. The four volunteers are, Mr. SUZUKI Satoshi assigned to Belau Modekngei School for Science Education Kume Kokoro assigned to Palau Community Action Agency (PCAA) for Nutrition. KITAYAMA...
Chinese diplomacy wields Theravada Buddhism
Le Monde Diplomatique
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August 26, 2025
Temple of the Golden Mountain, a Theravada Buddhist temple in Thailand. Under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been ramping up its use of the Buddhist faith as a tool of international diplomacy, particularly when it...
Palau’s coral refugia offer hope for reefs facing rising temperatures
Island Times
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August 8, 2025
Coral reefs across Micronesia are under growing threat from warming oceans. As temperatures rise, bleaching events are becoming more frequent and severe, pushing many reefs closer to collapse. Without urgent climate action, scientists warn that...