By Brad Ryan and Emilie Gramenz in Washington DC https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-13/donald-trump-visits-china-for-summit-with-xi-jinping/106673264 (ABC- Australia) Analysts say the war in Iran has delivered some big strategic wins to China ahead of Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing. But Chinese President Xi Jinping also has strong incentives to work with his American counterpart to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Mr […]
Author Archives: Island Times
Palau pushes blue economy at Melanesia Ocean Summit
PORT MORESBY, 13 MAY 2026 (POST COURIER) — Palau’s Special Envoy of the President, Steven Victor, told the Melanesia Ocean Summit underway in Port Moresby that Pacific nations must harness ocean resources to drive prosperity, stressing that conservation must go hand‑in‑hand with economic growth. “It is about financing our transition to a sustainable blue economy […]
Marshall Islands stresses community role in ocean protection
PORT MORESBY, 13 MAY 2026 (POST COURIER) — The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has told the Melanesian Oceans Summit that conservation must be rooted in communities and guided by traditional knowledge. Speaking on behalf of President Dr Hilda Heine, the Special Envoy said lessons from the Micronesian challenge show that protected areas are […]
Freight forwarder to raise fuel surcharge for Guam, CNMI, FSM
HAGATNA, 13 MAY 206 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Consumer prices in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are expected to surge amid soaring shipping costs and freight charges due to supply chain disruptions. Triple B Forwarders will raise its fuel-related surcharge for Guam and CNMI customers to 32 percent, effective 07 June. Based on the […]
Meth Convictions Triple in Palau as Courts Impose Record Drug Fines
More than 1 kilogram of meth seized in FY2025 amid expanding crackdown on illegal drugs By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau (May 11, 2026) The Ministry of Justice in Palau says convictions, seizures and court-imposed fines tied to methamphetamine cases have risen sharply in recent years, highlighting the growing scale of the country’s illegal drug crisis […]
Scaled-back Lease Reform Bill Sent To Koror Governor For Signature
Scaled-back bill expands financing access for residents while limiting transfers of state residential leases By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau (May 11, 2026) Koror lawmakers have approved a scaled‑back lease reform bill that preserves new financing options for residents while tightening controls on who can hold state residential leases and how those leases can be transferred. […]
