Palau leader in 'world first' underwater interview | International

SYDNEY, Oct 9, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The president of tiny Pacific island nation Palau has sunk to new depths -- claiming to be the first world leader to conduct a live interview immersed entirely underwater. In a bid to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the ocean, Surangel Whipps Jr, who leads the nation of roughly 17,600 people, conducted the interview with a "mermaid" alongside a giant clam. His office said the under-sea chat was facilitated by technology called the LiFi Talking Mask, which uses light to transmit sound underwater, promoted by social entrepreneur Gunter Pauli. "Palau successfully hosted the world's first-ever live underwater conversation with a Head of State," his office said. Footage released by Pauli's group the...