Notes from an Outsider on Civil and Social Friendliness Not long ago, a friend who had just returned from traveling showed me her photos. In one of them, a seabird was perched on her head, gently pecking at her hair. She did not flinch. She was smiling, completely unguarded. It was a kind of happiness […]
Category: Opinion
Posted inOpinion
A Great Recipe for Daily Health in Palau
Dear Editor, Health is not found in one big change, but in many small, daily choices. In Palau, we can strengthen our bodies, minds, spirit and communities by following a simple recipe for life. These 25 steps are not rules, they are reminders of what we already know that joy, faith, and connection are medicine. […]
Posted inOpinion
Politics as Parasites: Leaders Who Pretend to Care
Dear Editor, In Palau today, politics has become theatre. Our leaders appear on television during hearings, or show up at funerals, acting as though they are serving the people. But behind the cameras and ceremonies, they are playing politics in the worst sense of the word. Poli means “many,” and tics means “tiny blood‑sucking pests.” […]
Posted inOpinion
The U.S neocolonial binge in the Compact States
By Edward Hunt WASHINGTON, 17 FEBRUARY 2026 (FOREIGN POLICY IN FOCUS)—The United States is quietly working to reassert its control over the compact states, three island states in the central Pacific Ocean. Last month, witnesses at a congressional hearing revealed that the Trump administration is expanding military and intelligence operations in Palau, the Marshall Islands, […]
Posted inOpinion
THE MACHINE
Have you ever noticed this? You finally lie down to rest… And suddenly your brain turns into a 24/7 overthinking machine. Replaying conversations. Predicting worst-case scenarios. Getting stuck in “what if” loops about things that haven’t even happened. And you think: Why can’t I just turn this off? Here’s something most people don’t know: Overthinking […]
Posted inOpinion
Public service media help anchor reliable information
By Prashanth Pillay, Jo Elsom SYDNEY, 16 FEBRUARY 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) —Across the Indo-Pacific, people are spending more time online but finding it harder to know what to trust. The 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 shows nearly six in ten respondents struggle to distinguish between real and false information. A UK government study in […]