Bhutan gets Rs 500-cr aid from India
Thimpu, March 27: India has released the second tranche of Rs 500 crore to Bhutan for the development of infrastructure related to the GyalSung Project. This comes less than a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 23 concluded a two-day state visit to Bhutan during which he assured Thimphu of New Delhi’s firm support in its quest for development and agreed to provide Rs 10,000 crore to the Himalayan nation over the next five years. The first tranche of Rs 500 crore was released on January 28 earlier this year. With this, the Government of India has released a total of Rs 1,000 crore to the Government of Bhutan under the Memorandum of Understanding on the concessionary financing arrangements for the GyalSung Infrastructure Project, the statement said. (PTI)
Thailand okays bill for same-sex marriage
Bangkok, March 27: Lawmakers in Thailand’s lower house of Parliament overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill on Wednesday that would make the country the first in Southeast Asia to legalise equal rights for marriage partners of any gender. The bill passed its final reading with the approval of 400 of the 415 members of the House of Representatives in attendance, with 10 voting against it, two abstaining and three not voting. The bill now goes to the Senate, which rarely rejects any legislation that passes the lower house, and then to the king for royal endorsement. This would also make Thailand the third country in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to pass such a law. (PTI)
Pope appears in better health
Vatican City, March 27: Pope Francis appeared in better health on Wednesday, walking into the Vatican audience hall on his own with a cane for his weekly general audience and delivering his prepared text with a clear voice. The encounter was Francis’ first public event since Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, when he decided at the last minute to skip his homily, avoiding the speech at the start of a busy Holy Week that will test his increasingly fragile health. It may be noted that in recent weeks, the 87-year-old Pontiff had often shown increased difficulties in walking, and would ask an aide to read aloud his remarks and has been heard breathing heavily during public events. (PTI)