Bhutan News archive for 31 October 2008

International Sources

Indian spectacle at Bhutan king’s coronation – Rediff
The coronation of Bhutan’s fifth king, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, on November 7-8 promises to be a grand spectacle. Adding colour to the coronation ceremony — to be held in capital Thimpu — will be a series of special performances choreographed …    [read more]

India suspects Islamists, separatists in Assam attack – Washington Post
GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) – Indian authorities suspect that Islamist groups in collusion with separatist militants carried out coordinated bomb blasts in the Assam state that killed 77 people and wounded more than 320. Separatist movements have …    [read more]

India suspects Islamist militants in Assam attack – Reuters UK
GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) – Indian authorities suspect that Islamist groups in collusion with separatist militants carried out coordinated bomb blasts in the Assam state that killed 77 people and wounded more than 320. Separatist movements have …    [read more]

Death toll in India’s bombing attack rises to at least 77 – USA Today
GAUHATI, India (AP) — The level of sophistication in the bombings that killed at least 77 people in northeastern India indicate that local militants had help from other terrorist groups to carry out the attacks, officials said Friday. The scale and …    [read more]

Bhutan launches new monitoring system – That’s Cricket
Thimphu: People entering and leaving Bhutan can now look forward to faster services at border checkpoints with the launch of a new immigration information and monitoring system. The new computerised system launched on Monday will ease congestion at …    [read more]

Bhutanese refugee advocates for his people in Syracuse – Newsblaze.com
Upon arrival at their new home of Syracuse, refugees from Bhutan are greeted at Hancock airport by the welcoming smile of Hari Adhikari, a fellow Bhutanese refugee and human rights activist who has been threatened, beaten and arrested over the past …    [read more]

India ready to assist in making South Asia more secure: PM – Hindustan Times
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called upon European nations to ‘do more’ to fight climate change, as he spoke at the end of a two-day Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing, reports HT Correspondent. Becoming the first world leader to address the Bhutan …    [read more]

The Sham of Bhutan Democracy and Gross National Happiness – Newsblaze.com
If you’ve read what the mainstream media has had to say about Bhutan in the last year then you would probably have a strong impression of Bhutan and its government: a monarchy that has “given up its power” and embraced democracy. You would probably …    [read more]

Twice a refugee, he’s now helping others – Miami Herald
There was the Colombian boy who was forced to watch paramilitaries playing soccer with his uncle’s head, and the Bhutanese brother and sister whose faces were burned when government soldiers set fire to their house. Hiram Ruiz met and tried to help …    [read more]

Register » – Scotsman.com
Comment on stories on this website and on all other Johnston Press newspaper websites. See a list of our websites here. Set up a personalised homepage featuring content from any Johnston Press newspaper website or from any site with a RSS feed …    [read more]

Kuensel – Bhutan’s National Newspaper

His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo

29 October, 2008 – It is the end – and the beginning – of history. On the morning of November 1, the third day of the ninth Bhutanese month, His Majesty the King will be empowered as the Druk Gyalpo in a unique and sacred empowerment ceremony, which symbolises his transcendence of the ordinary and the temporal and the personification of divine wisdom.    [read more]

Who’ll make it past the post to the post?

HEAD TO HEAD – Clay head moulds of US presidential candidates, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, displayed at Madame Tussaud’s Studios in London on October 20, 2008

31 October, 2008 – If you’re a Bhutanese, who has spent countless hours lapping up American movies, following the 2008 US election presidential campaign can feel like watching a movie.    [read more]

Late rainfall gives farmers a fright
Damage to crops could have been worse had
rain continued

SHOCKING SHOWER – A Rongthong farmer salvages his paddy harvest to higher ground

30 October, 2008 – The clear blue skies last morning left thousands of farmers across the country thanking their luck after the retreating monsoon, which lasted for about 48 hours since Sunday night, threatened their harvest of the year.    [read more]

Impounding dogs: A mere stopgap measure
The long-term solution
to the stray problem is a systematic and sustained
sterilisation program

30 October, 2008 – To impound 18,000 or so dogs, the government has spent Nu 27 million, about Nu 1,500 for every stray, yet most of them are finding their way back from the pounds.    [read more]

Clean Bhutan: a gift to the King

All in a Day’s Work – Trashigang residents at work

30 October, 2008 – Determined to offer a “Clean Bhutan” as a gift to the new King, about 1,300 civil servants, police, business people, school children and local villagers equipped with shovels, sickles, spades and RSPN sacks carried out the “Clean Bhutan” campaign in Trashigang municipal area October 28.    [read more]

Bhutan Observer

King of Destiny launched
The second publication of Rabsell Media Services, “The King of Destiny” was launched on October 29 by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck at Tashi Taj.
It is a pictorial coffee-table book with 185 pictures depicting the entire life history of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. About 70 percent of the pictures were contributed by [...]    [read more]

A centennial tribute to Bhutanese women
Women representatives from the 20 dzongkhags participated in a seminar, “Voices – a Centennial Tribute to the Women of Bhutan” in Thimphu on October 24.
The seminar was the outcome of two years of sensitisation throughout the country by Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women (RENEW) – a concept that was supported by Her Majesty Ashi [...]    [read more]

Sungkay Dendur: teary exit for two more
Wednesday was a yet another fateful day for the contestants of the Drukgi Sungkay Dendur. The two youngest contestants of the show, Kinley Wangmo, 15, and Tshering Phuntsho, 16, had to face a tearful exit.
Now the contest is left with five top singers, four men and a woman. Karma Phuntsho from Trashigang, favourite of most [...]    [read more]

Bhutan’s debating wunderkind
“As long as human beings believe in gods and goddesses, belief in ghosts will be inseparable. As long as human civilisation exists, corruption will still be around,” said Tshering Penjore, a 16-year-old student of Motithang Higher Secondary School, at the SAARC inter-school debate in New Delhi on October 24, the United Nations Day.
Barely three days [...]    [read more]

“Les Miserable”
An opera called “Les Miserable” was performed in YDF hall in Thimphu on October 29 as a part of the coronation and centenary celebration by the students of St. Joseph’s school, North Point, Darjeeling.
Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck honoured the show. “This opera was brought to commemorate the coronation and centenary, it’s [...]    [read more]

MPs return from Denmark
Bhutanese parliamentarians, who had been in Denmark on a five-day study tour, arrived back in the country on October 20. The 11-member delegation led by the National Assembly Speaker consisted of the lower house members of parliament (MP).
During the visit, the MPs were introduced to the Danish model for democracy, the three independent pillars of [...]    [read more]

A Tribute to Coronation and Centenary Celebration (A voice of Indo-Bhutan friendship)
Come on Bhutan! Come on Bhutanese!
Come on India! Come on Indians!
Let us exult at the historic occasions.
Of Coronation and Centenary celebrations.
Democracy institutionalization and
Indo-Bhutan friendship rejuvenation.
Triumph for Bhutan!
Triumph for Bhutanese!
Triumph for India!
Triumph for Indians!
Victory for Bhutan
Is the victory for India.
Indo-Bhutan Victory
Is the victory of the world.
Peace loving pristine Bhutan
Gave birth to many great souls:
Sir Ugyen Wangchuck,
King [...]    [read more]

A SPECIAL TRIP TO THE BOOK FAIR
It was 5th of October. It was cold chilly Sunday morning. The time was about eight when we started our journey from the beautiful Chamkhar valley to Monger in the east. The purpose of the journey was to discover the world of books at the Book Fair in Mongar.
We all were thrilled to meet each [...]    [read more]

Playing football with fingers
If you are a football enthusiast and hear about the Centenary National Football Championship, don’t go looking for real football players at a real football ground. This tournament will be played on large screens by Thimphu’s fastest fingers, not feet.
Organised by two private companies, KLK anImagine and Prayers Wheel Pictures, Bhutan’s first gaming tournament will [...]    [read more]

Princes play the coronation final
The Coronation archery tournament organised by the Bhutan Archery Federation (BAF) has finally reached the final.
As predicted by spectators who have been following the tournament closely, the two princes are going to play against each other’s teams.
His Royal Highness Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck’s team Phoja reached the final after defeating the One Hundred- 15 on [...]    [read more]