By Kinley Wangchuk From the first until the fourth parliamentary elections, Bhutan has seen a declining trend of women’s representation in Parliament. The first democratically elected Parliament (2008-13) had eight women. Combined with two appointed by the King in the National Council, the women’s representation stood at 13.88%. During the …
Read More »Press freedom ranking
The World Press Freedom Index for 2024 by Reporters Without Borders, which is the ranking for the year 2023, saw Bhutan drop by another 57 places to 147 out of 180 countries. Before that Bhutan had dropped from 33 in 2021 to 90 in 2022 which was again another 57 …
Read More »Canceling Palestine
LJUBLJANA – It is only April, but we already have a good candidate for photo of the year. On April 12, German police shut down a Palestine Congress that was set to take place in Berlin, and among those arrested was Udi Raz, a devout Jew with a red yarmulke. In photos and videos of the …
Read More »Ads
Loan deferral
There are two contradictory positions right now on the loan deferral which is coming to an end on 30 June 2024. The Central Bank and the government has made it clear that there will be no more blanket deferrals like in the past and instead it will be left between …
Read More »The Geopolitics of Africa’s Debt Crisis
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States has a population of roughly 330 million, while all NATO countries combined have about 975 million. Adding NATO’s major Asian-Pacific partners – Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand – brings the total to 1.3 billion. By contrast, Russia and China together have a population …
Read More »Ads
The rock of Takti as a living monument of cultural and spiritual narratives
The large rock, located a few kilometers from the Chhukha bridge on the way to Gedu, is likely a familiar sight for regular commuters. Beyond its noticeable presence along the highway, this large stone holds cultural and historical significance. Its significance is deeply rooted in local beliefs and traditions, often …
Read More »The Drug Problem
Bhutan has always had a drug problem but we never truly realized its scale until His Majesty The King pointed to the urgency of the issue. The drug problem was steadily but surely creeping into our homes, schools, workplaces, and families and it had taken quite a toll until His …
Read More »The Urgency of Palestinian Statehood
MELBOURNE – It is time for Israel to recognize the force of the rapidly growing international movement to recognize Palestinian statehood, not as the final outcome of a political settlement but as a path to achieving it. Were Israel to get serious again about pursuing a two-state solution, it would …
Read More »
The Bhutanese Leading the way.