National News

…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉-𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒚 2034 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 By Kinzang Lhamo and Yeshi Dolma The World Bank Group has announced a $300 million strategic support plan for Bhutan under its new Country Partnership Framework for 2025 to 2029. The initiative aims to support Bhutan’s objective of reaching high-income status by 2034 by …

As global markets move toward cleaner, smarter and more resilient systems, the thoughtful integration of renewable energy with blockchain technology presents a practical economic pathway for smaller nations seeking sustainable development. The transition is not about chasing trends but about leveraging existing strengths to build economic independence and future relevance. Renewable energy, particularly hydropower, has long been considered a pillar …

By Tashi Tshewang With just weeks to go before the 15th South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship, the Bhutan Bodybuilding Association (BBA) is intensifying its preparations, aiming to provide international exposure and meaningful support for Bhutanese athletes. Scheduled for June 11 to 14, 2025, the championship will feature top athletes from across South Asia. BBA is encouraging local participants …

…𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 By Lhendup Wangmo As part of efforts to promote balanced regional development and ensure that schools in the eastern part of the country are equally equipped with modern facilities, Shumar Primary School, Yalang Primary School, Shali Primary School and Pemagatshel Middle Secondary School in Pemagatshel has introduced smart …

…𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝒃𝒚 2026, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒓𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 By Tashi Tshewang In a significant step toward strengthening youth engagement in southern Bhutan, a new youth center is set to be established in Samtse, with construction expected to be completed in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The center, spanning an area …

…𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒉𝒐𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏. By Yeshi Dolma and Zhenphen Chokden Bhutan continues to grapple with a substantial health and economic burden due to alcohol-related harm. With 9,717 active alcohol-selling establishments across the country- roughly one for every 75 people- alcohol remains …

… 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 By Tashi TshewangBhutan is moving forward with plans to expand domestic air connectivity through the construction of two new airstrips, one in Yoeseltse, Samtse, and the other in Samrang, Samdrup Jongkhar. The proposal has drawn both anticipation and concern, as the government promotes it as a step toward …

…𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕-𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 By Kinzang Lhamo In a major development for Bhutan’s aviation sector, Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines has officially signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with SMBC Aviation Capital for the lease of a brand-new Airbus A320neo aircraft. The signing ceremony was held in Bangkok on May 10, 2025, …

…𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆-𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒔𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒂 By Kinzang Lhamo In country, a fresh wave of opportunity is emerging for communities across districts like Tsirang and Dagana, where locals are now pioneering the production of value-added agricultural products such as ginger candy, buckwheat cookies, ginger roll candy, ginger marmalade, papaya candy, green pea …

By Kezang ChodenThe National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) is on track to test siphon technology aimed at reducing the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) from Thorthormi Lake in Lunana. The key components of the siphon system High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipes have already reached Lunana. The materials were transported from the Punakha helipad by the Drukair Helicopter …