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Tibetan group in India protests against China and human rights situation in homeland
Read full article: Tibetan group in India protests against China and human rights situation in homelandDozens of Tibetans living in India protested outside China’s embassy against the human rights situation in their homeland, which China annexed in 1951.
Dalai Lama returns to Indian headquarters after knee replacement surgery in the US
Read full article: Dalai Lama returns to Indian headquarters after knee replacement surgery in the USThe Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has returned to the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in northern India after undergoing a knee replacement surgery in New York.
US lawmakers meet with Dalai Lama in India's Dharamshala, sparking anger from China
Read full article: US lawmakers meet with Dalai Lama in India's Dharamshala, sparking anger from ChinaA bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation met with the Dalai Lama at his residence in India’s Dharamshala, sparking anger from China which views the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism as a dangerous separatist.
Lara Love Hardin's memoir 'The Many Lives of Mama Love' is Oprah Winfrey's new book club pick
Read full article: Lara Love Hardin's memoir 'The Many Lives of Mama Love' is Oprah Winfrey's new book club pickAn author and ghost writer’s life story, from prison and drug addiction to collaborating with the Dalai Lama and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu among others, is Oprah Winfrey’s latest book club selection.
US biotech company halts sales of DNA kits in Tibet, as lawmakers mull more export controls on China
Read full article: US biotech company halts sales of DNA kits in Tibet, as lawmakers mull more export controls on ChinaThermo Fisher, an American biotech company, has halted sales of its DNA testing products in Tibet, amid concerns that its products might have assisted the Chinese government in a surveillance campaign in the ethnic region.
Bulgari apologizes to China for listing Taiwan as a country after online backlash
Read full article: Bulgari apologizes to China for listing Taiwan as a country after online backlashItalian luxury brand Bulgari is the latest international brand to apologize to China after listing Taiwan as a country on its website.
WHO: COVID-19 deaths fall overall by 9%, infections stable
Read full article: WHO: COVID-19 deaths fall overall by 9%, infections stableThe World Health Organization says in its latest weekly pandemic report that the number of coronavirus deaths fell by 9% in the last week while new cases remained relatively stable.
Nobel laureate and physicist Wilczek wins Templeton Prize
Read full article: Nobel laureate and physicist Wilczek wins Templeton PrizeNobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist and author Frank Wilczek has been honored with this year's prestigious Templeton Prize, recognizing individuals whose life’s work embodies a fusion of science and spirituality.
First steps made in Congress to honor pop superstar Prince
Read full article: First steps made in Congress to honor pop superstar PrinceMinnesota’s Congressional delegation on Monday is introducing a resolution to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to pop superstar Prince, citing his “indelible mark on Minnesota and American culture,” The Associated Press has learned.
South Africa's Desmond Tutu turns 90 amid new racist slur
Read full article: South Africa's Desmond Tutu turns 90 amid new racist slurAs South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality.
China's Xi visits Tibet amid rising controls over religion
Read full article: China's Xi visits Tibet amid rising controls over religionChinese leader Xi Jinping has made a rare visit to Tibet as authorities tighten controls over the Himalayan region’s traditional Buddhist culture, accompanied by an accelerated drive for economic development.
AP Interview: Tibet exile leader hopes to resume China talks
Read full article: AP Interview: Tibet exile leader hopes to resume China talksThe new president of the Tibetan exile government says he will do his best to resume a dialogue with China after more than a decade, and that a visit by the Dalai Lama to Tibet could be the best way to move forward.
Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall wins Templeton Prize
Read full article: Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall wins Templeton PrizeRenowned conservationist Jane Goodall has been named as this year’s winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize, honoring individuals whose life’s work embodies a fusion of science and spirituality.
The Latest: Ireland reaches half million vaccinations
Read full article: The Latest: Ireland reaches half million vaccinations(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)LONDON — Ireland has given out half a million coronavirus vaccinations about two months after the first inoculation. Evidence suggests this variant can spread more easily than most currently circulating strains of the coronavirus, health officials say. State health officials urge people to maintain precautions, particularly during spring break and Easter gatherings, as the state tries to ramp up vaccinations. Sri Lanka has so far received 1 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in neighboring India, which donated half of the doses. The Missoulian reported Friday that in Missoula County, Granite Pharmacy has enough vaccine doses to vaccinate all 2,000 county teachers.
10 years after Christchurch quake, survivors share stories
Read full article: 10 years after Christchurch quake, survivors share storiesAnn Brower, the lone survivor from a bus which was hit by falling debris from a building during the Christchurch earthquake 10 years ago, sits at her workplace in Christchurch, New Zealand, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. Ten years after the earthquake in Christchurch killed 185 people and devastated the city, some of those profoundly affected are sharing their journeys. Ten years after an earthquake killed 185 people and devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, some of those profoundly affected are sharing their journeys. A visit from the Dalai Lama to her and a half-dozen other survivors four months after the quake helped her put things in perspective. “And you've got to celebrate that.”___A KINDER CITYAfter the earthquake, Prue Taylor wasn't unduly worried at first when she didn't hear from her husband Brian.
Larry King, broadcasting giant for half-century, dies at 87
Read full article: Larry King, broadcasting giant for half-century, dies at 87King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his production company, Ora Media, tweeted. In its early years, “Larry King Live” was based in Washington, which gave the show an air of gravitas. “Do you know who I am?”“Always loved Larry King and will miss him,” Seinfeld tweeted Saturday. Originating from Washington on the Mutual network, “The Larry King Show” was eventually heard on more than 300 stations and made King a national phenomenon. “Larry King Live” debuted on June 1, 1985, and became CNN’s highest-rated program.
Tibetans in exile vote in India for their political leader
Read full article: Tibetans in exile vote in India for their political leaderAn exile Tibetan Buddhist monk wearing a mask as a precaution against the coronavirus casts his ballot in Dharmsala, India, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. Exile Tibetans Sunday voted in the first round to elect a new political leader and members of the Tibetan parliament in exile. “By this we are sending a clear message to Beijing that Tibet is under occupation but Tibetans in exile are free. And given a chance, an opportunity, we prefer democracy,” said Lobsang Sangay, who will soon be finishing his second and final term as the Tibetan political leader. Sither said that the previous governments have largely focused on the Tibetan diaspora and not enough on Tibetans inside Tibet.
Too big to read: Giant bill a leap of faith for Congress
Read full article: Too big to read: Giant bill a leap of faith for Congress(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)WASHINGTON – The $900 billion pandemic relief package that was rushed through Congress Monday created a familiar year-end conundrum for lawmakers: It was a bill too big to fail, and also too big to read. The Senate Historical Office says it's the longest bill they could find record of passing Congress. The bill was released at 2 p.m., just hours before the House and Senate began voting on it. Also in the bill: hundreds of unrelated legislative items negotiated by leadership to win support from various constituencies. “Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on.
China sends more warplanes as Taiwan honors late leader
Read full article: China sends more warplanes as Taiwan honors late leaderTaiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a memorial service for the late former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui in Taipei, Taiwan on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. On Saturday, Beijing dispatched 19 more warplanes, two of which were bombers, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry. Lee had built a separate Taiwanese political identity, distinct from mainland China, which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory to be reunited by force if necessary. The Trump administration has taken multiple steps in recent months to strengthen its engagement with Taiwan, angering China. Krach is the second high-level official to visit Taiwan in two months, following U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar in August.
AP Explains: What's driving India-China military standoff
Read full article: AP Explains: What's driving India-China military standoffFILE- In this July 20, 2011 file photo, tourists ride double hump camels at Nubra valley, in Ladakh, India. (AP Photo/Channi Anand, File)SRINAGAR Tensions along the disputed India-China border seem to be getting worse, three months after their deadliest confrontation in decades. It is broken in parts where the Himalayan nations of Nepal and Bhutan border China. India is jockeying for strategic parity with China, massively ramping up its military infrastructure along the LAC. China has shown restraint in bilateral relations with India, and India may restrain itself from overdoing it in the future, Wang said.
Human rights groups ask IOC to move Olympics from China
Read full article: Human rights groups ask IOC to move Olympics from ChinaVisitors to Chongli, one of the venues for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, past by the Olympics logo in Chongli in northern China's Hebei Province on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. China is host to the 2022 Winter Olympics with rumblings of a boycott and calls to remove the games from Beijing because of widespread human rights violations. China is host to the 2022 Winter Olympics with rumblings of a boycott and calls to move the games from Beijing because of alleged human rights violations. The world must ask whether China, slowly strangling an entire people, has the moral standing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics," it said. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the IOC member who oversees Beijing 2022, declined to answer questions from AP about reported human rights violations in Xinjiang and referred to comments from the IOC.
Mourners honor Nobel laureate and peace advocate John Hume
Read full article: Mourners honor Nobel laureate and peace advocate John HumeFirst Minster of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster attends former Northern Ireland lawmaker and Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume's funeral Mass at St Eugene's Cathedral in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Hume was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize with fellow Northern Ireland lawmaker David Trimble, for his work in the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. Hume shared the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize with the Protestant leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, David Trimble. Although he advocated for a united Ireland, Hume believed change could not come to Northern Ireland without the consent of its Protestant majority. His son, John Hume Jr., pointed out that his father had a few weaknesses.
US hits Chinese officials with visa bans over Tibet access
Read full article: US hits Chinese officials with visa bans over Tibet accessWASHINGTON The Trump administration fired a new shot in its diplomatic war with China on Tuesday by imposing travel bans on Chinese officials it says are restricting foreigners access to Tibet. While waging concurrent battles over Beijings policies in Hong Kong, human rights in western Xinjiang province, global trade practices and aggressiveness in the South China Sea, the administration hit an unspecified number of Chinese officials with visa restrictions, limiting or entirely eliminating their ability to travel to the United States. Successive U.S. administrations have sought to press China to ease restrictions on foreigners' travel to Tibet, where human rights activists say Beijing has engaged in a decades-long campaign to suppress local culture, the Buddhist religion and minorities. Permission to travel to the region is rarely granted, and visitors are subject to strict regulations when it is. China crushed a Tibetan uprising in 1959, forcing the spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and over 80,000 Tibetans into exile in India and other countries.
New this week: 'Stateless,' 'Palm Springs,' The Dalai Lama
Read full article: New this week: 'Stateless,' 'Palm Springs,' The Dalai Lama(Netflix via AP)Heres a collection curated by The Associated Press entertainment journalists of whats arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Its directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who also helmed Love & Basketball and the criminally underseen Beyond the Lights (currently available on Kanopy). Palm Springs: If a rom-com is more your speed, theres also Palm Springs, on Hulu Friday, starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti as wedding guests who find themselves caught in a time-loop. AP Film Writer Lindsey BahrMUSICThe Dalai Lama: To commemorate his 85th birthday on Monday, the Dalai Lama is releasing his first-ever album. Viewers seeking to stir their hearts and minds should consider Netflixs Stateless, set in an immigration detention center in the Australian desert.
AP Exclusive: The Dalai Lama to release 1st album in July
Read full article: AP Exclusive: The Dalai Lama to release 1st album in JulyThis cover image released by Hitco Entertainment and Khandro Music shows "Inner World," the first album by The Dalai Lama. Thats when the musician and practicing Buddhist proposed an idea to The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Lets make an album fusing music with mantras and chants from the Tibetan spiritual leader. But on a trip to India where Kunin says she typically gets a chance to meet the Dalai Lama she asked again, this time writing a letter and handing it to one of his assistants. The album featuring teachings and mantras by the Dalai Lama set to music will be released on July 6, his 85th birthday. Shankar said being invited to perform on the album was a huge honor.She first met The Dalai Lama as a child with her father, the legendary musician Ravi Shankar.
AP Explains: What's behind latest India-China border tension
Read full article: AP Explains: What's behind latest India-China border tensionThe officials said the standoff began in early May when large contingents of Chinese soldiers entered deep inside Indian-controlled territory at three places in Ladakh, erecting tents and posts. (AP Photo/Channi Anand, File)NEW DELHI Tensions along the China-India border high in the Himalayas have flared again in recent weeks. Indian officials say the latest row began in early May, when Chinese soldiers entered the Indian-controlled territory of Ladakh at three different points, erecting tents and guard posts. They said the Chinese soldiers ignored repeated verbal warnings to depart, triggering shouting matches, stone-throwing and fistfights. More than 100 Chinese companies, many of them state-owned, have established offices or operations in India, according to Indias External Affairs Ministry.
Ai Weiwei says new security law is the end of Hong Kong
Read full article: Ai Weiwei says new security law is the end of Hong KongIn this image made from a Skype video interview with Chinese artist dissident Ai Weiwei comments on the recent security law planned for Hong kong from a location in Cambridge, England, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city. (AP Photo/Park Juwon)SEOUL Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city. Critics of the new law say it may allow mainland security organs to interfere in local law enforcement, among other things. Young people in Hong Kong, they are smart, they are rational, and they are very brave, Ai said.
China says boy picked by Dalai Lama now a college graduate
Read full article: China says boy picked by Dalai Lama now a college graduateBEIJING China said Tuesday that a boy who disappeared 25 years ago after being picked by the Dalai Lama as Tibetan Buddhisms second-highest figure is now a college graduate with a stable job. He is generally viewed as a political figure under Beijing's control and shares none of the Dalai Lama's global fame. The Dalai Lama named the original Panchen Lama with the help of Tibetan lamas trained in reading portents and signs. Traditionally, the Panchen Lama has served as teacher and aide to the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhisms highest leader who is now 84 and is accused by Beijing of seeking independence for Tibet. The Dalai Lama denies that and says he advocates greater autonomy for the region.
Tibetans demand China disclose fate of boy taken away in '95
Read full article: Tibetans demand China disclose fate of boy taken away in '95Tibets self-declared government-in-exile marked the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of the boy named as Tibetan Buddhisms second highest figure by calling on China on Sunday, May 17, 2020 to account for his whereabouts. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia, File)BEIJING Tibets self-declared government-in-exile marked the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of a boy named as Tibetan Buddhisms second highest figure by calling on China on Sunday to account for his whereabouts. The dispute mainly focuses on political power and the arcane rituals for naming a new Panchen Lama, believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor. Traditionally, the Panchen Lama has served as teacher and aide to the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhisms highest leader who is now 84 and accused by Beijing of seeking independence for Tibet. The 10th Panchen Lama was imprisoned by China and died under what some consider suspicious circumstances in 1989 after making speeches calling for greater religious and social freedoms for Tibetans.
Dalai Lama apologizes for 'attractive' female successor remark
Read full article: Dalai Lama apologizes for 'attractive' female successor remarkWin McNamee/Getty Images(CNN) - The Dalai Lama wants to clarify his recent joke that a female Dalai Lama would have to be "more attractive." He had previously told the British broadcaster in 2015 that a future Dalai Lama could be a woman but would have to be good-looking or "not much use." Message of tolerance and peaceIt's unclear who, if anyone, will replace the current Dalai Lama when he dies. Tibetan Buddhists regard the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of his 13 predecessors. The current Dalai Lama has lived in India since his self-imposed exile from Tibet in 1959 after Chinese troops arrived in the region.