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November 22, 2024
 

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Kevin Rafferty
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2014
The India democracy show
Indians are just days away from the start of the greatest democratic show on earth, as 814.5 million of them prepare to cast ballots at 930,000 polling stations between April 7 and May 12.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2014
A path to a decent lifestyle and empowerment in India
The McKinsey Global Institute has suggested a way in which India can meet the essential needs of its population through radical but practical economic, political and social reforms.
COMMENTARY
Mar 20, 2014
Failure to pool information haunts saga of missing flight
The apparent failure of the emergency services of all countries to pool their information, in real time or at least within a day, haunts the saga of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 11, 2014
Ukraine batters a broken world
Surely the prize for the most cynical news item of the month should go to the announcement from Oslo that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2014.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 2, 2014
Who will stop the slaughter?
Who will stand up in the world today for the millions of people whose lives are being savaged by evil men and women in states like Syria and North Korea?
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2014
Does Fed chief have a sense of duty to global economy?
Emerging markets wait to see whether new U.S. Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen has any inkling of the international pain that American policies are causing to the global economy.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 27, 2014
Beware, the robots are coming
If you are an accountant, real estate agent, retail shop assistant, technical writer or telemarketer. Your jobs could be in imminent danger from the rampaging bots.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2014
Will the bitcoin bite the dust?
Bitcoin was one of Oxford Dictionaries' runners-up for the word of the year for 2013. The virtual currency has received a partial blessing from the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve. But will it bite the dust because of its volatility?
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2014
Thailand to court mob rule if opposition boycotts polls
Nothing will be served if Thailand's political opposition continues its campaign to boycott elections. It can only lead to a choice of mob rule or an army takeover, either of which would be disastrous.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 3, 2014
Let's score leaders by deeds
2013 has too many anti-heroes. We need to have leading newspapers, universities or think tanks judge world leaders' performances as if they were in a league.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 15, 2013
Time for Bangladesh to heal political wounds of the past
Bangladesh's rapid economic growth is at risk because of demonstrations and widespread anger over death penalties imposed on some Muslim leaders for their part in the 1971 war for independence.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 28, 2013
Can Xi's reforms succeed?
Will it be possible for Xi Jinping to liberalize China's economy while trying to tighten the Communist Party's political grip?
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 12, 2013
Where is the global leadership?
Where are the clear thinkers who can dream of a plan to fix a broken global economic system, and where are the practical politicians who dare to try to shape a new world
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 31, 2013
Pros and cons of continuing the money ride for the rich
It is time for the Fed to understand that the U.S., too, is part of the global economy and to consider whether it should continue running its money ride for the rich — aka quantitative easing.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 10, 2013
Past a papal-centric church
Pope Francis is raising eyebrows by criticizing the Catholic Church's obsession with 'small-minded rules' and narrow issues as well as its heretofore Vatican-centric view.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 6, 2013
The rich hit back at the poor
The economic divide between the haves and the have-nots may not be as wide in the United Kindom at it is in the United States, but it is growing dangerously.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 24, 2013
The limits of multitasking
Studies of the effects of chronic multitasking suggest that the overwhelming risk of letting no task go untended is that you do nothing well.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 22, 2013
Will financial rumors spark crisis for developing states?
Already, the so-called emerging markets have been badly hit by the rumors of the U.S. Fed tapering $85 billion a month in asset purchases.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 16, 2013
Manmohan Singh's losing battle with the markets
A welter of problems confound Indian Prime MInister Manmohan Singh's promises to wipe the tears of poverty from the eyes of Indians.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 15, 2013
Abe's 2020 vision challenged
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared that the Olympics would put Tokyo 'at the center of the world.' But the real question is: Will Japan use the Olympics to join the real world
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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