OPINION

Bhutan should push savings to fund future investment

Did you know gross investment as a percentage of GDP was the highest in Bhutan, in a sample of 40 prominent developing countries. This includes rapid industrializing countries like China, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Ethiopia, etc. Part of this is explained by the high share of imports in Bhutan. It is …

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Free Speech in the Filter Age

OXFORD – Germany’s Network Enforcement Act – according to which social-media platforms like Facebook and YouTube could be fined €50 million ($63 million) for every “obviously illegal” post within 24 hours of receiving a notification – has been controversial from the start. After it entered fully into effect in January, there was …

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The Point of Sharp Power

WASHINGTON, DC – In recent years, Russia and China have poured considerable resources into arenas typically associated with “soft power,” a term coined by the American political scientist Joseph S. Nye and understood as the “ability to affect others by attraction and persuasion.” Either directly or through compliant surrogates, these two countries …

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China’s Great City Rivalries

SHANGHAI – China’s traditional industries are suffering. In the last five years, the country’s northeastern region – once a hub of basic industries like oil and steel – has been facing accelerating decline, as have the rich mineral resource centers in places like Hebei and Inner Mongolia. Over the last …

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A snapshot of ‘youth unemployment’

An incident that occurred in the premises of The Bhutanese newspaper helped give us some insight into one aspect of ‘youth unemployment’ in the country The Bhutanese recently floated a vacancy for a Finance/Accounts officer for The Bhutanese Newspaper. The company was willing to offer Nu 12,500 per month as …

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Why Is Japan Populist-Free?

TOKYO – Even as a wave of right-wing populism is sweeping Europe, the United States, India, and parts of Southeast Asia, Japan has so far appeared to be immune. There are no Japanese demagogues, like Geert Wilders, Marine Le Pen, Donald Trump, Narendra Modi, or Rodrigo Duterte, who have exploited …

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As high as Cristiano Ronaldo

The finals of the 2013 King’s Cup kicked off at Changlimithang stadium between Manang Marshyangdi (MMC) of Nepal and Yeedzin FC of Bhutan. The pressure was on from the start with both the teams unrelenting in their attack and tracking back of the ball. The home crowd fiercely supported the …

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