Monthly Archives: December, 0

Commemorating the 40th Birthday of His Majesty The King, the first official Institute for Vajrayana Studies in Tago Choeying Phodrang was inaugurated today. The Institute has been established after the decision of the Central Monk Body following a decree from His Holiness the Je Khenpo.

After revision of Guidelines for Farm Road Development in December last year, Phusoomri, a hamlet of six households in Pema Gatshel gets a farm road. Earlier, the budget was only available if a farm road is over a kilometre long and leads to a village with no less than 20 households.

Antimicrobials help in saving millions of lives, reducing the burden of disease in people and animals, improved quality of life, and contribute to improved food production and safety. However, according to the health experts, misuse and overuse of antimicrobials have led to resistance and might not be effective in future illnesses. As an emerging global issue, this was once again highlighted as Bhutan observed the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week which concluded yesterday.

While the fight against the coronavirus pandemic is proving successful, the country is witnessing the rise of another pandemic; the gender-based violence (GBV). The Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women (RENEW) recorded a drastic rise in GBV this year. Data with RENEW shows an increase of GBV by 36.6 per cent compared to last year.

The upcoming 26th session of the National Council will deliberate on five bills including re-deliberation on Entitlement and Service Conditions (Amendment) Bill for the Holders, Members and Commissioners of Constitutional Offices of Bhutan 2020 and on the Lhengye Zhungtshog Bill of Bhutan 2020. Besides these bills, two other bills will also be deliberated during the Joint Sitting of the Parliament.

The second pilot project for De-suung National Service focusing on improving and expanding water supply was launched in Semjong Gewog in Tsirang, today. 

Bhutan and the Federal Republic of Germany formally established diplomatic relations today at the Royal Bhutan Embassy in New Delhi. The knot was tied with hopes to strengthen and develop mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.

Another Coronavirus vaccine has shown to be highly effective. Britain's Oxford University and its pharmaceutical partners AstraZeneca have published the preliminary results from large scale trial. And they show their vaccine is 70 per cent effective at protecting people from the disease. But for some group of volunteers who received a half dose followed by a full dose, the effectiveness rose to 90 per cent.  The vaccine was developed in around 10 months, a process that normally takes a decade.

The coronavirus pandemic slowed down exports this year. However, cardamom export is back in business as exports from Samtse alone doubled in October compared to the same time last year. Close to Nu 54 M worth of cardamom was exported last month, and the number is expected to increase by the end of this year.

The Eastern COVID-19 Taskforce started escort services for essential goods and gypsum transporters starting today. A 'Switching and Holding' station at Tshelingor, the Trashigang, Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar tri-junction, started operations.