OPINION

Boris Johnson and the Triumph of Gullibility? 

LONDON – US President Donald Trump has already proclaimed that Boris Johnson, Britain’s new prime minister, is popular because he is seen as “Britain Trump” (sic). After all, both politicians are widely seen as having a “populist” style. For cynics, this implies a willingness to tell blindingly obvious untruths if doing so …

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The Exploitation Time Bomb

NEW DELHI – Since reducing inequality became an official goal of the international community, income disparities have widened. This trend, typically blamed on trade liberalization and technological advances that have weakened the bargaining power of labor vis-à-vis capital, has generated a political backlash in many countries, with voters blaming their economic plight on “others” rather …

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Safeguarding Health in a Warming World

GENEVA – From infrastructure damage caused by extreme weather events to drought-induced food insecurity, there are many climate risks for which the world should urgently be preparing. But one of the areas where climate change poses arguably the most significant risk is barely being discussed: human health. When natural disasters …

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Private clinics doing well in Thimphu

There are two private clinics in Thimphu, Padkar and Menjong diagnostic centre. The two clinics have been receiving quite a good number of patients every year. Menjong clinic was established in 2012 while Padkar was established in July 2015. In 2018, Padkar Diagnostic received 4,267 patients and Menjong Diagnostic centre …

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A Grassroots Antidote to Populism

PARIS – The political parties that once dominated Western democracies have been shaken to the core. Many have suffered electoral debacles, not least in France, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. Others have changed so radically that only their name remains the same. The Republican Party of US President …

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Thorthormi lake: Bhutan’s impending climate disaster

The Thorthormi glacial lake in northern Bhutan is considered the country’s likeliest climate-induced disaster. The lake, perched at a height of more than 4,400 metres, is swelling because of melting ice, and is in danger of bursting its wall. Efforts by the Bhutanese government to lower the lake’s water level …

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A MP Vehicle Fund

Some MPs have come for two to three terms to Parliament but they still complain that Nu 1 mn is not enough to buy a decent vehicle. A little math is in order. An MP gets Nu 1 mn every term in cash to buy a car. But bigger than …

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The real threat to the media

The friday question and answer session in Parliament saw a Opposition MP saying that some media personnel went to the Opposition party with a couple of voice recordings of the PM, alleging ‘harassment.’ First off, the media must learn to fight its own battles. If some truly unpleasant incident has …

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Second class citizens in the private sector

Dear fellow private sector friends, With 40,000 business licenses and up-to 160,000 people earning a living from it, you are second in size only to farmers and contribute the bulk of the national revenue. Your taxes (CIT, BIT, Sales Tax, PIT, Customs etc) fund the government and will also help …

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