Why women's mental health matters more

Rahman to Bhutan?: Small is not just beautiful, but also significant. And it is the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan that is attracting attention in India’s neighbourhood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Bhutan for his first overseas visit in 2014. Now, Bangladesh prime minister Tarique Rahman, too, is considering going there first. India may naturally be the next. The choice of Bhutan comes with the country’s unique relations with Dhaka—it was the first country to formally recognise Bangladesh as an independent nation in 1971. The shaping up of the itinerary is already causing some relief in New Delhi as Dhaka’s Thimphu bend is keeping Islamabad at bay | Illustrations by Job P.K.

No permanent enemies: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao recently ruled out any alliance with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. And he sounded determined. So far, the Congress, the BRS and the BJP have been trading charges of collusion and “unholy friendship”. Elections, however, have a way of reshaping political equations. Rao’s statement may well reflect the BJP’s position today—the party is looking to admit as many BRS leaders as possible. But political observers know that in a system driven as much by arithmetic as by ideology, today’s “never” can quietly turn into tomorrow’s “why not?”.

Price of a laugh: Children on a merry-go-round, climbing trees, collecting pebbles—these could have been everyday scenes of playful abandon. Except that for these children, laughter comes rationed, joy is endangered. They play hide-and-seek in war-torn buildings, tell jokes in refugee camps. Singer Olivia Rodrigo’s latest track—a cover of the 1999 ballad ‘The book of love’—highlights the realities faced by children in conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen. The song appears in Help (2), a charity album released by the humanitarian organisation War Child UK; it comes three decades after Help that brought together Paul McCartney, Oasis, Sinead O’Connor and Radiohead to raise money for the Bosnian conflict. Rodrigo’s soulful rendition of the song is a reminder that our strength lies not in our Tomahawks or F-35s, but in our ability to safeguard the laughter of a child | Getty Images

Chanel-ling her charm: It seems model Bhavitha Mandava has utterly charmed Chanel’s creative director Matthieu Blazy, who appointed her as the luxury label’s house ambassador, a role assumed in the past by the likes of Keira Knightly and Kristen Stewart. Last December, Mandava had made history as the first Indian model to open a Chanel show. “Since we met, Bhavitha has never ceased to amaze me,” said Blazy. “Smart, down-to-earth, she emanates a sense of deep joy. We are happy she will be a part of this chapter with us at Chanel.” The 26-year-old Hyderabadi beauty was pursuing a master’s degree in integrated design and media at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering when a modelling scout spotted her on the subway. The rest, as they say, is fashion history | Getty Images

Trouble island: Scroll reporter Vaishnavi Rathore has been awarded the 2025 IPI-India Award for Excellence in Journalism for her investigative reporting on the controversial Great Nicobar Island Development Project. Her ground reportage examined the ecological and social consequences of the proposed port and infrastructure project on the Nicobar Islands, and highlighted how it could threaten the fragile ecosystem and the survival of endangered indigenous tribes. Instituted in 2003 by the International Press Institute, the award honours outstanding journalism and carries a trophy, citation and a cash prize of Rs2 lakh | Sanjay Ahlawat

Law and behold: Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis and bestselling author James Patterson make for an unlikely pair. But when they come together to write a book, you can expect fireworks on the page. The just-released Judge Stone is a thriller that, according to one review, delivers “first-class courtroom drama, small-town excitement and strong characters all wrapped in a moral dilemma”. The plot follows Judge Mary Stone from Alabama who draws the most controversial case in the history of the south. Can she deliver justice that is fair and impartial? More importantly, can Davis and Patterson deliver a potboiler that can live up to the combined heft of their reputations? The jury’s still out on that | AFP