US President signs Tibetan Policy and Support Act, stalls China from installing its own Dalai Lama

News Network
December 28, 2020

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Washington, Dec 28: US President Donald Trump has signed the Tibetan Policy and Support Act (TPSA) of 2020 into law, thus, stalling China from installing their own Dalai Lama.

On Sunday (local time), Trump signed into law, "H.R. 133, an Act making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, providing coronavirus emergency response and relief, and for other purposes."

With the TPSA becoming a law, Lobsang Sangay, President of the Central Tibetan Administration, took to Twitter and said, "History made again! President Trump signs the Omnibus bill, which means the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 is now LAW!"

The US Congress had on December 21 passed the TPSA of 2020, which has been included in a government spending bill, could become another source of friction in the already strained ties between US and China, Kyodo News reported.

In February this year, the House of Representatives had unanimously passed the Bill to strengthen policy in support of Tibet, a move that was reciprocated as "encouraging and empowering" by the representatives of the Himalayan Buddhist region that has been under the control of China for several decades.

The spiritual leader has exiled himself in India ever since the rebellion against the Chinese rule in 1959. The Dalai Lama is known for his messages of unity and compassion.

The Dalai Lama institution has existed for more than 600 years, during which there have been changes. On the religious level, the US does not have and neither do Chinese who are not Tibetan Buddhists, the right to interfere with the decisions regarding the succession of the Dalai Lama, which absolutely rests with the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhist leaders and the people of Tibet.

The 14th Dalai Lama has dealt with all Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders, from Mao Zedong to Xi Jinping, and is in a unique position to not only have a deep understanding of the complexities of Chinese leadership but also to stay ahead of them in the geopolitical game between Beijing and Dharamshala.

The present Lama has further stepped up his game over the past few years.

As China prepares in its own thorough manner to identify the 15th Dalai Lama -- the reincarnation of the current, 14th Dalai Lama -- the simple monk has let loose a series of statements meant to confuse, and Beijing seems to be reeling from the impact.

China has been planning to use the archaic Golden Urn process (draw of lots) to identify the next Dalai Lama as if choosing the head of the religion with the largest following in China is a matter of a lottery.

But the Dalai Lama has been pointing towards a denunciation of this process for a long time. The Buddhist spiritual leader has repeatedly pointed out that the Golden Urn process would not apply to his reincarnation, and that the traditional method of leaving a letter containing signs would be followed.

However, putting the Chinese leadership back into confusion, the Dalai Lama has, in interactions with media and common devotees, said the institution might end with him (which atheist China opposes), or there might be a female Dalai Lama, and even that the system of reincarnation is a feudal one.

Beijing, as per information coming from the Buddhist Association of China (BAC), the officially sanctioned body dealing with the religion, has asked it to dive into the archives of Tibetan Buddhism, in all parts of China, to gather documents relating to the reincarnation process.

The Dalai Lama, for now, is in good health. During the Long Life offering ceremony at Gaden Jangtse Monastery in India at the end of last year, the leader had declared that he will be living until the age of 113 -- by which time another couple of generations of the Chinese Communist leadership will have come and gone.

Apart from scientific grounds, maybe the Lama's declaration of his living for another 22 years is a subtle way to express his confidence that he will outlive the Chinese communist regime.

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News Network
November 7,2024

Udupi, Nov 7: In a tragic turn of events, a young woman, Prasanna, aged 29, allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday, struggling to cope with the demands of work and motherhood after the birth of her daughter, according to police reports.

Prasanna had married on December 2, 2022, and was the mother of a 10-month-old baby girl. Her husband works in Bengaluru, while she lived with her in-laws, who, according to her family, treated her kindly.

In a complaint, Prasanna's mother revealed that her daughter often called her, expressing deep concerns over her readiness for motherhood. Despite receiving supportive care from her family, Prasanna felt unprepared and overwhelmed by the balance of work and home life that early motherhood required.

Her family shared that she had been undergoing treatment, but between 10 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, she allegedly took her own life at her husband’s residence. The Karkala Rural Police Station has registered a case and is conducting further investigations.

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News Network
November 12,2024

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The UN humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon has warned that the “picture of life in Lebanon remains grim,” highlighting an "alarming" level of human suffering and significant humanitarian consequences due to the ongoing Israeli carnage.

Imran Riza, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), provided a stark overview of the Arab country's dire circumstances in a statement released on Monday.

“The current picture of life in Lebanon remains grim. Yesterday, airstrikes reportedly killed 23 people, including seven children, in the village of Aalmat in Mount Lebanon,” Riza said on X.

An airstrike in the city of Tyre on the same day resulted in the tragic deaths of five siblings from a single family, all of whom had special needs, according to his statement.

He added that in the last week, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 241 individuals and left 642 others injured in Lebanon, as reported by the Ministry of Health.

“In the past month, more than 185,000 people have fled their homes in their search for safety within the country, bringing the total to over 870,000 people internally displaced,” Riza said

The UN official highlighted that numerous individuals, including the elderly and those with health issues, are staying behind while witnessing the ruins of their ancestral homes.

He urged for the swift safeguarding of civilian people and infrastructure, emphasizing the necessity to uphold international humanitarian law and end the ongoing violence.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli forces bombed a house in the town of Maydoun in Bekaa on Monday night, killing three people and destroying the house.

Earlier, Israel bombed the northern town of Ain Yaaqoub, killing at least 14 people.

The killings came as Israeli military continued to pound Lebanon, bombing shops selling electrical appliances in the southern city of Tyre and carrying out air raids on the towns of Shamshtar in eastern Baalbek and Roumine in southern Nabatieh.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said Israeli attacks killed at least 54 people across the country on Monday.

Israel’s merciless attacks continue despite calls from the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire and directives from the International Court of Justice urging measures to prevent genocide and alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and Lebanon.

In Lebanon, at least 3,243 people have been killed and 14,134 others wounded in Israeli attacks since the war on Gaza began on October 7, 2023.

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah opened a support front for Palestinians in Gaza only a day after the Israeli regime unleashed its genocidal war on the besieged territory.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar emphasized the urgent need for local job creation and a dedicated tourism policy to address communal tensions and rejuvenate the Dakshina Kannada region. 

He spoke during "Ashoka Jan-Mana," a clothing distribution event organized by Rai Estates Educational and Charitable Trust, under the leadership of MLA Ashok Rai, at Kombettu’s taluk stadium in Puttur on Saturday.

“There are challenges to communal harmony across the coastal and interior regions of Dakshina Kannada. To counter these issues, we must provide opportunities for our youth," Shivakumar stated. "The government is considering a specialized tourism policy for the coastal areas to attract more visitors and retain local talent."

Shivakumar expressed concern about a rising trend among local youth to migrate to Saudi Arabia, Mumbai, and Bengaluru due to limited job opportunities in the area. "Communal disturbances have also discouraged students from other districts from enrolling in our institutions, and several banks that originated here have closed down," he said.

Highlighting the region's potential, Shivakumar remarked, “Dakshina Kannada is home to many temples and boasts a rich coastline. Yet, despite Mangaluru having a major port, we still lack five-star hotels. Developing tourism here will be essential for creating jobs and fostering harmony.”

He also hinted at development projects proposed by Ashok Rai for Puttur, which are currently under wraps due to by-election restrictions. Assuring commitment, Shivakumar said, “Although we secured only two seats in Dakshina Kannada, we are committed to developing all constituencies in the region.”

The Deputy Chief Minister concluded with a powerful message on leadership, likening Ashok Rai to a modern embodiment of ancient virtues. “For success, one should have Dharmaraya's righteousness, Karna's generosity, Arjuna's focus, Vidura's ethics, Bhima's strength, and Krishna's strategy. Ashok Rai has all these qualities," he said, praising Rai’s dedication to the people of Dakshina Kannada.

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