Although swimmer Noel Keane, representing Palau, wasn't happy with his times at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, he said it will push him to train harder to get better.

Keane, 16, competed in men's 100-meter freestyle on Oct. 11 and came in with a time of 55.59 seconds. He said he wanted to finish in 54 seconds.

"It didn't happen. I just have to train as hard as I can to get that time," he said.

Keane also competed in men's 200-meter freestyle on Oct. 8, with a time of 2:00.77. He said he wanted to break the two-minute mark.

"I wasn't that happy, but I just have to move forward," he said. 

Keane is done with competition and said he will take his time to rest and think about how he can make himself better again.

He said he's happy to have represented Palau at the Games, wearing a swim cap with the Palau flag. 

"It’s an awesome feeling. I love coming out to these competitions and representing our country and making them proud," Keane said.

And he has a positive message for everyone back home. "You can do all things if you just do your best, be strong, be positive and you can do it," he said.

The United States and Palau signed the Amended Agreement following the Compact of Free Association Section 432 Review (the “Compact Review Agreement”), on September 19 in Koror, Palau. The United States and Palau also exchanged diplomatic notes bringing into force the Compact Review Agreement, which was signed in 2010. The signing marks the completion of the first review and amendment process as provided for under the Compact of Free Association (the “Compact”), U.S. Public Law 99-658.

Vice President and Minister of Justice Raynold B. Oilouch signed a memorandum of understanding with Koror State Governor Franco Gibbons at Koror State Assembly Hall. 

The MOU asks for the assistance of Koror State Government in the security, safety and the well-being of the people residing in Koror for a joint partnership with MOJ to make available Koror State Rangers to assist the National Police in the patrol, surveillance and security around Koror, including inner hamlets and community neighborhoods, acting as additional manpower to increase law enforcement presence during emergency incidents, illegal activities observed, and further testify in courts if ever a need arises.

Twelve foreigners were arrested by the police for alleged gambling on September 2 at the Lurs Store, Topside.

Vice President Raynold Oilouch, who is the chair of the committee tasked to handle Palau’s Independence Day celebration this October 1, said that the government has okayed the appropriation of $60,000 for the Independence Day celebration.

A man accused of a ‘felony’ has been allegedly in hiding for two weeks now after an arrest warrant was issued by the court against him.

Palau is getting heavyweight support for its tourism promotion through its airport joint-venture partner, SOJITZ. It was announced last week that SOJITZ, with the endorsement of Palau Visitors Authority, will meet with six different airlines in Korea this week to promote direct flights to Palau.

A ban on Chinese tourists to the tiny Pacific nation of Palau has left hotels empty, an airline in limbo, and shown the charged power China has over its vacationing middle income.

Key points:

The number of Chinese people to Palau had increased from just 634 people in the 2008 financial year to 87,000 during 2015, in accordance with figures from Palau’s Bureau of Immigration and the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

But by the ultimate end of 2017, after China randomly banned state-run package tours from visiting the united states &mdash seemingly; Chinese arrivals plummeted to 58,000.

That has left some tourism operators in the Pacific island country reeling, and something airline says it has been forced to suspend operations since it can’t fill seats.

Analysts have suggested Palau’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan, being among its 17 remaining allies worldwide, coupled with Beijing’s capability to control and oversee its tourists have a whole lot related to it.

How does China control where its tourists go?

One tool the Chinese Government has at its disposal may be the Approved Destination Status (ADS).

If a national country has ADS, which means state-run Chinese tour agents are permitted to operate group package tours there.

Geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor’s Asia Pacific analyst, Evan Rees, said the package tours constitute a big section of China’s tourism market and may have a substantial effect on recipient countries.

“Giving this ADS status to a country can massively raise the flow of Chinese tourists, around 50 % in a whole large amount of cases, so this is really a huge lever that the Chinese Government has in sending Chinese tourists abroad,” Mr Rees said.

On Palau's Jellyfish Lake

In addition to ADS, China has instituted travel bans abroad — which stops package tours from visiting those places effectively.

“It has been an emerging diplomatic weapon from China with varying impacts on regional states,” said Jie Chen, a co-employee professor at the University of Western Australia who targets China’s international relations.

Australia has been an approved destination for a lot more than twenty years, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to pressure from China.

For example, this year earlier, Australian carrier Qantas changed just how it identifies Taiwan, after bowing to pressure from Beijing.

Other international airlines were also given a deadline to stop discussing Taiwan as a country, or face punishment.

So why is Palau being targeted specifically?

Although Palau hasn’t officially been one of many approved destinations, that hasn’t stopped Chinese tour groups from flocking there during the past decade.november

But that changed last when Chinese officials circulated a memo to visit agencies reportedly, reminding them it had been illegal to book group tours to places that weren’t on the approved list.

The memo mentioned Palau, and said agencies that booked tours will be punished there.

The move was regarded as designed to put pressure on Palau widely, which maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, then China rather.

“It is a pretty strong lever,” Mr. Rees said.

“About 50 % of Palau’s tourists result from Mainland China, and about 50 % of Palau’s GDP originates from tourism, so it is a strong submit the economy of a fairly small country.”

A report by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) found Chinese people to Palau dropped 22.7 percent between the fourth and third quarters of 2017.

Meanwhile, total people to Palau dropped by 16 % on the same period.

The SPTO’s quarterly review into visitor arrivals discovered that drop “mainly reflected the drastic fall from the scheduled and chartered flights out of this source market [China] by 63.9 % and 17.4 % respectively”.month

Last, Palau Pacific Airways, run by Taiwanese company Sea Passion Group and servicing flights between Hong Palau and Kong, of August announced it could indefinitely suspend operations by the end.

In a letter from the group to Palau’s national congress, it reportedly cited the ban from China and the resulting insufficient tourists because the reason it had to turn off.

Ms. Chen added that the rapid rise of middle-income Chinese families meant a growing amount of people could afford to visit overseas and that Beijing knew the “diplomatic value” of the.

This isn‘t the 1st time it has happened

Palm trees lean on the sandy beach.

Late this past year, months prior to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics just, China placed a ban on group tours to South Korea in protest of the introduction of the US-backed anti-missile system called THAAD.

Seoul said the operating system was designed to intercept incoming missiles from North Korea, but China claimed it was a threat to its security.

Qantas jet taxis through Sydney Airport.

“The estimated losses for South Korea because of this tourism ban were near $US7 billion ($9.6 billion) dollars,” Mr. Rees said.

He added that China had also used the promise of package tourists as a diplomatic sweetener.

In 2000, China wished to sail a carrier it had bought from Ukraine through the Turkish-controlled Bosporus strait just, but Turkey refused.

After a diplomatic standoff of 15 months, Turkey eventually relented after China promised several perks in exchange: one of these was Approved Destination Status.

“That has been among the items that won Turkey over and saw them release the Chinese vessel,” Mr. Rees said.

A silver lining for Palau’s beautiful landscapes?

Up close of orange jellyfish in the green water.

Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau Jr shows no sign up to now that the tourism ban is enticing the united states to change diplomatic allegiances from Taiwan — actually, in a real way, the tourism ban could possibly be helping Palau.

The Pacific islands nation has been grappling for quite a while with mass tourism and the result it was wearing the surroundings.

Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr

The Government closed Palau’s iconic Jellyfish Lake to visitors in 2017, citing removing “additional stress which may be due to visitors and human activities” because of the reason behind the closure.

Even before China’s travel crackdown, Palau has been making moves to re-position its tourism market, from Chinese package groups and towards “high yield away, low impact” tourists: fewer, higher-spending, and much more aware travelers environmentally.

South Pacific Tourism Organisation CEO Chris Cocker told the ABC that is actually a model for other Pacific nations.

Russian 2025 Expo Delegation led by Svetlana Sagaydak, Director General of Expo 2025 Bid Committee met Vice President Raynold Oilouch, Senate President Hokkons and Speaker Anastacio yesterday on Febraury 27, 2018 to promote Russia's bid for World Expo 2025 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Director General Sagaydak is accompanied by delegation as well as staff from Russia's Embassy in the Philippines. The Russian Delegation has visited other island in the Pacific this month including Samoa, Fiji, Solomons and Vanuatu to promote Russia's bid for the 2025 Expo.

Russia's theme for the 2025 EXPO is changing the world" Innovations and Better Life for Future Generations.

Two other countries bidding for the 2025 Expo are Japan (Osaka) and Azerbaijan (Baku). Palau has had deplomatic relationship with Japan and Russia and earlier this year, established diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan.

Senate President Hokkon Baules has asked Minister of state Faustina Rehuher-Marugg to clarify comments made by Palau Ambassador to Taiwan, Dilmei Olkeriil about Palau not establishing official ties with mainland China.

Baules is a strong advocate of closer ties with China. He supported the House Joint Resolution calling the Palau President to establish close economic ties with China. However, the resolution after adoption by the House, failed to muster enough votes for approval in the Senate. 

Entire Letter:

Dear Minister Marugg:

I hope that this letter finds you in the best of health. I seek for prompt clarification regarding a statement made by Her Excellency Ambassador Dilmei Olkeriil which was quoted in the Tuesday December 19, 2017 edition of the Island Times newspaper. She notes in part "Palau will not be establishing official ties with China, which would require it to sever links with Taiwan, even if pressured by the mainland.

I understand as well that the comments were made in an interview with Focus Taiwan News Channel and Taiwan Central News Agency (CNA). Given the exposure these news agencies have throughout the Asia-Pacific region and the world, it is critical that clarification is made to confirm if this statement is the official foreign policy position of the Republic of Palau with regards to the people's Republic of China.

I am concerned of the effects that an abrupt end to visitors and tourists from the People's Republic of China would have no our current tourism industry. And further, the possible adverse effects of the country's support for our initiatives in international organizations as the United Nations.

I anticipate your prompt response to this inquiry as the senate 10th Olbiil Era Kelulau must be consistent with the Executive Branch in its consideration on matter of foreign policy.

Thank you.

Plaintiff Koshiba filed a notice to the Appellate Court on the next day, Wednesday, appealing the judgement and decision and asking the Court to expedite the appeal.

The PEC in the mean time has certified the result of the winners of the November 14 general election for the elected Koror legislators and Franco Gibbons as the winner of the December 12 runoff election.

Plaintiff Koshiba has filed an amended complaint on December 6 against PEC and Gibbons that the koror law, K6-123-2001 calling to runoff election on December 12 is unconstitutional being in conflict with Koror Constitution Article VII, Section 2 and Article XII, Section 3 which set the election of governor to be only general state election and on a specific second Tuesday in November and also asked for an injunction against the holding of the runoff election. The court denied the motion ans asked all the parties to file their pleadings by December 14 last week and then issued her judgement and ruling on Tuesday this week.

Justice Salii in holding that the Koror runoff law, K6-123-2001, Section 4(B) is not in conflict with the Article XII, Section 3 states the following in the judgement: "The matter of law in dispute is the constitutional validity of KSPL No. K6-123-2001, Section 4(B)........ and then posed this question and answer "Can the language of Article XII, Section 3, of the Koror State Constitution be read in such a manner as to uphold the validity of KSPL No. K6-123-2001, Section 4(B), which provides for run-off elections in a gubernatorial election?

President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. has expressed appreciation to US President Donald Trump for the approval of the Compact Review Agreement. 

On behalf of the people of Palau, I wish to express appreciation for your leadership in providing in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2018, the approval of the compact review agreement between the United states of America and the Republic of Palau, "President Remengesau said in his letter of December 13, 2017. The compact review agreement which was signed in September 2010 but never approved by the US congress, called for a continued financial assistance totaling $229 million to Palau over a 15 years period ending in year 2024.

"Your action after seven years of delay send a clear message to the people of the Pacific that the United States stands again with its friends," President Remengesau said.

Last week President Donald Trump signed into law the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes the Palau Compact Review Agreement. The enhancement officially authorizes the strategic agreement signed between the United States and Palau governments in 2010.

"We hope that the US congress will now make the appropriations necessary to complete US approval of the Agreement," Remengesau added.

US President Trump called for $123.9 million to implement the agreement in his proposed budget for FY 2018.

Beginning with FY 2010, subsequent interior and discretionary appropriations acts have been extended annual economic assistance to Palau of approximately $13.1 million a year for a total of 105.2 million in discretionary funds thus far.

In his letter, President Remengesau also asked to meet with President Trump to personally thank him. "If you schedule permits during my next trip to the United States, It would be my pleasure to personally express to you the gratitude of the people of Palau," Remengesau further said.

View of Ngermid Bay from G.A.U. Mechang Lagoon Resort

Ngermid Bay had drawn attention on a global scale for its unique environment. On December 9th 2017, researchers from Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) and Palau Coral Reef and Island Ecosystem (P-CoRIE) Project presented findings from studies conducted inside the bay and to members of Ngermid community. PICRC researcher, Marine Gouezo and Victor Nestor, presented along with P-CoRIE Chief Advisor, Dr. Takashi Makamura and P-CoRIE researchers, Dr. Haruko Kurihara and Hiroke Kise.

The Bay around Ngermid has little connectivity to the outside. With an unusually low PH level, one predicted for the end of this century, and water temperature reaching above average, the bay should be a death sentence for most corals. Astonishingly, what has been observed inside Ngermid Bay is the opposite. 

Corals in Mechang Bay, Ngermid

Corals in Mechang Bay, Ngermid

The corals found inside Ngermid Bay is not only surviving, but thriving. Amongst an abundance of corals, the bay additionally host an array of genetically unique organisms. A study conducted by PICRC, indicates that corals within the bay have been isolated for so long, that these communities have adapted to flourish in such an environment. Additionally, results fron PICRCs long term monitoring showed there to be little impact inside the bay following the 1998 bleaching event.

while these corals prove to be resistant to high water temperatures and low PH levels, there are vulnerable to land based pollution and have very low recruitment rates. Excessive stress may result in a loss of this unique coral reef. As the world's oceans continue to warm, these resistant corals may provide information valuable to the survival of coral reef worldwide. 

View from G.A.U. Mechang Lagoon Resort

It is critical this research is made public so it can guide local management. With this information the community can focus their management on minimizing human impacts. PICRC would like to thank the Ngermid community members and Legislator armstrong Debelbot for their help in organizing the community meeting.