S. Alex Yang and Angela Huyue Zhang LONDON/LOS ANGELES—Anthropic’s new AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, has alarmed business leaders and policymakers around the world because of its extraordinary ability to find and exploit vulnerabilities in major operating systems and web browsers. Even the Trump administration, which has feuded with Anthropic …
Read More »I Came to Bhutan: A Journey from a small town to the Heart of Nation Building; A Decade of Reflection in Bhutan
When I arrived in Bhutan during 2016, I was excited to learn more about this peaceful little town among the mountains shrouded in mist and the valleys full of beauty with a feeling of curiosity and discomfort. The experience at that time left me with a strong and lasting impression …
Read More »The Hormuz Crisis and the Fate of the Global South
By Laura Carvalho NEW YORK—The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered what the International Monetary Fund calls a “global yet asymmetric” rupture, disrupting the flow of roughly one-quarter of oil, one-fifth of liquefied natural gas, and one-third of fertilizer supplies. Energy and fertilizer prices have risen, supply chains …
Read More »On Dr. Ahmad, White Lotus, and the GST We Actually Live With
By Phub W. Dorji Let me begin with what should be an uncontroversial observation: the debate triggered by Dr. Ahmad’s article in The Bhutanese last week, is not really about GST. It is about something deeper — the growing distance between how our economic policies are designed and how ordinary …
Read More »The Road to De-Escalation With Iran
By Simon Johnson and Amir Kermani WASHINGTON, DC/BERKELEY—The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is having devastating consequences worldwide. The price of oil is up sharply, liquefied natural gas has become much more expensive in key markets, the cost of fertilizer is likely to remain high throughout the planting season, …
Read More »GST in Bhutan: Reform It Properly or Roll It Back
By Dr. Haqnawaz Ahmad Bhutan has always taken pride in pursuing economic policies that balance revenue needs with social well-being but the recent rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has triggered a question many ordinary citizens are now asking in tea shops, markets, and homes: is this policy …
Read More »Why Iran Is Beating America
By Brahma Chellaney NEW DELHI—In a rambling address to the American people on April 1, US President Donald Trump claimed that the US war against Iran has been a success, vowing to “finish the job … very fast.” It was a statement in obvious conflict with the facts. Trump is …
Read More »The Only Boots on the Ground in Iran Should Be IAEA Inspectors
By Helen Clark AUCKLAND – The US-Israeli war on Iran has already destabilized the global economy and the geopolitics of the Middle East. Even more alarming, recent reporting suggests that US President Donald Trump is considering deploying ground troops, a prospect that immediately evokes memories of past failed interventions – …
Read More »The Iran War Could Trigger a Global Food Crisis
By Bram Govaerts, Sharon Burke MEXICO CITY/ WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, only a handful of the 100 vessels that once transited the Strait of Hormuz each day have managed to pass through. Now, with Iran reportedly laying sea mines in the narrow …
Read More »Trump Is Showing China How to Seize Taiwan
By Brahma Chellaney TOKYO – Since returning to office last year, US President Donald Trump has ordered military strikes from the Caribbean and eastern Pacific to Africa and the Middle East, targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats and suspected terrorist groups. He has attacked Venezuela and kidnapped its leader, Nicolás Maduro. And …
Read More »
The Bhutanese Leading the way.