The Annual Open Badminton Championship in Phuentshogling is gaining popularity amongst badminton players in neighbouring Indian states and Nepal. From over just a hundred participants last year, more than 150 took part in the championship this time. There were more Indian players in the tournament than Bhutanese players. Interestingly, four Nepali players also took part in the championship this year.   

During the holy Buddhist months of the lunar calendar, Buddhists refrain from eating meat and release animals back into the wild to gain merits. In anticipation of the meat ban during such months, people hoard meat items at home. However, health officials have raised concerns about the potential dangers of consuming stored and frozen meat. They warn that such practices can lead to food poisoning and even life-threatening conditions like nerve paralysis due to the formation of mycotoxins.

The Office of the Attorney General, OAG has started reviewing the alleged murder case of the 25-year-old woman that occurred in the lower Changangkha area, Thimphu in March. The Thimphu Police forwarded the case to the OAG for prosecution last week. The police have submitted their investigation report, the post-mortem report of the deceased woman and other circumstantial evidence related to the case to the OAG. While the police are still working on the DNA analysis to determine or rule out the possibility of rape, a psychiatrist at the national referral hospital who is carrying out the mental health assessment...

The road leading towards Drakarpo in Paro is in need of maintenance and blacktopping according to visitors. During auspicious days, hundreds of visitors travel along the road to offer prayers and circumambulate the sacred site. They said the road is uneven and steep posing risks. It is believed that the eight-century Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche had personally meditated at Drakarpo.

The USD 15 M Asian Development Bank, ADB funded Skills Training and Education Pathways Upgradation or STEP-UP project will come to a close this October. However, the Education and Skills Development Ministry said Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET courses will be continued in the selected schools. Under the project, nine TVET courses are being offered in seven schools on a pilot basis.

The latest figures released by the National Statistics Bureau show that the year-on-year consumer price index for March increased by 4.99 per cent compared to the same month, last year. This means that the prices of goods and services in the country increased by 4.99 per cent in the 12 months.