National News

Starting Monday, April 1, the ban on single use plastic carry bags, doma wrappers and ice cream pouches comes into effect, reinforcing a ban that was once tried two decades ago. There is a voluntary movement against the use of plastics in particular and waste in general.Every now and then we see people post pictures of collecting waste. Cleaning campaigns …

With the hash tag challenges taking its form to make a difference in the society, #TrashTag challenge has been the new social trend and the talk of the day particularly, in Bhutan recently. The social media has been flooding with pictures of people cleaning trash in all kinds of places across the country. Meanwhile, 27 years old Bhutanese student from …

With the termination of contract of 74 gaydrungs (gewog clerk) on March 16, gaydrungs across the country are worried that the post will be removed making hundreds of them jobless. Sangay Choden who served as gaydrung for 12 years in Shenga-Bjimi gewog, Punakha, said that it was disheartening to terminate gaydrungs despite having served the people at the grassroots. “With …

Landowners in Sonamgatshel , Namkhaling and Jampeling in Gelephu are asking the thromde to refund the land tax they paid for a couple of years after they were included in the thromde. With a plan to extend Gelephu thromde, Sonamgatshel, Namkhaling and Jampeling were included in the thromde in 2013. The landowners were levied urban tax. However, with directives from …

The Guide Association of Bhutan (GAB) is mulling to file a case on “benefit of doubt” against “a person or two” who lodged an anonymous complaint to the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan (ACC). The complaint letter requested ACC to investigate and intervene “for better accountability and transparency of the association”. Currently, GAB is finding out whether they can file the …

Allaying fears that the country would be deprived of aid and funds after graduating to a middle-income country, development partners assured support to Bhutan even after the graduation at the 14th Round Table Meeting (RTM) that concluded on Friday. Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Koji Yamada said that there is a misinformation that development partners will not …

Every after the Friday Meet, the reporters from various media houses are served hot honey-lemon tea with different kinds of fruits. The new refreshment trend began since the government of the day took office. Through health perspectives, eating fruits are considered as a part of overall healthy diet which reduces risk of various chronic diseases. It also provides nutrient vital …

This week, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) honoured His Majesty The King with a Special Award of Recognition for His Majesty’s leadership in advancing human development and the wellbeing and happiness of the people of Bhutan. The UNDP had been one of the earliest development partners of Bhutan. They have seen Bhutan transform from an agrarian society to a …

Around twenty participants from various organizations; media houses, CSOs, college going students and unemployed youths were trained on story telling through photography during the photo camp from 9-14 March. The objective of the camp is to provide an opportunity for students to tell their own stories through the tools of photojournalism, with guidance from National Geographic photographers and editors. The …

The government’s decision to amend the Mines and Minerals Act of 1995 is a welcomed decision. The out-dated Act is shrouded in controversy. The decision is welcomed for so many reasons. From the deliberations in the Council, it can be derived that the old Act was benefiting only a handful of people, those in the mining sector. While the Constitution …