#Palau

The 11-person yacht crew, who reported a locked rudder and flooding in the bilge, is being assisted by the Oliver Henry’s crew with dewatering and damage control as they head for Palau. Their estimated time of arrival is 33 hours.

The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC), the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders convenes on O‘ahu from June 6-16, 2024. More than 2,200 delegates from 27 Pacific nations will gather for 10 days of cultural exchange, appreciation, and celebration at various venues across the island. More than 50 festival events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, Festival Village, heritage dance and contemporary music performances, heritage arts demonstrations, visual arts exhibits, and more, will be free and open to the public.

An eight month-long exploration of unsurveyed seafloors across the Eastern, Central and Western Pacific, from Hawaiʻi to Canada, will bring views of never-before-seen seafloor to the world this year.

In response to a letter from Hawaii delegates, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced it is reopening enrollment for the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) to include Compacts of Free Association (COFA) citizens impacted by the Maui wildfires.

The bill contains billions in assistance for Hawai‘i, including $49 million directed to 14 specific needs under Community Project Funding supported by US Rep. Ed Case.

The COFA Amendments Act of 2023 would update and extend for 20 years COFA provisions that provide economic assistance and federal programs to the FAS.

“Being out here, on the vast Pacific, the realization of just how crucial our role is becoming even more evident,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Zea. “Every day brings new challenges, and being able to provide medical support here is not just a duty; it’s a calling.”

Governor Josh Green, M.D., has accepted an FY 2023 Compact Impact grant of $15,798,564 to help defray the state’s costs of providing services to citizens of the Freely Associated States who live in Hawaiʻi.

The Nature Conservancy announced that Noah Idechong, a recognized leader in championing conservation in Palau and across the Pacific, has been named executive director for the newly expanded Micronesia and Polynesia chapter of the organization.

On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard rescued eight mariners from a fishing boat that was reported missing off Palau the day before. 

By fixing it the error, Hirono the legislation will make it much easier for FAS citizens to maintain stable employment and contribute to their adopted homes.

According to a new study, shark tourism is worth $18 million annually to the Pacific Island nation of Palau. Additionally, a single reef shark can contribute almost $2 million in its lifetime to the economy of Palau.