Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday as crowds throng his home-in-exile
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Olympia Watershed tour on Saturday, July 12 in Felton
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is partnering with the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County. The tour is open to the public and will take visitors on a 1.5-mile hike. Visitors will learn about the rare sandhills, the watershed and how the project removed invasive plants.
The tour is set to happen from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 12.
It is intended to showcase the recently completed habitat and wildfire resilience project.
The tour is open to the public and will take visitors on a 1.5-mile hike at the Olympia Watershed to learn about the rare sandhills, the watershed and how the project removed invasive plants to reduce the risk of wildfire and enhance habitat.
As a part of the tour, visitors will also learn about the animals and plants that call the watershed home, including several endangered species.
To learn more and register for the free tour, visit www.slvwd.com.
Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday as crowds throng his home-in-exile
Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama. Crowds queued in droves hoping to catch a glimpse of the spiritual leader at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex. Hundreds of hopeful attendees were left waiting to see if they would be allowed into the temple which reached full capacity before the festivities began. The gathering marked the culmination of a days-long celebration that brought supporters and spiritual heads to the small city in India’s Himalayan foothills. The Dalai Lama announced that he will have a successor after his death, and affirmed that his office has the “sole authority” to recognize his future reincarnation. The statement sets the stage for a struggle over his succession between Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Party, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the next dalai lama. In a video message to religious elders on Wednesday, he assured them of his “great physical condition” and raised his longevity goal to 130, two decades beyond his previous prediction.
Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone in the life of the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate known for his message of compassion and his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing’s rule.
Undeterred by heavy monsoon rain and thick fog, crowds dressed in their finery packed the narrow streets from early morning and queued in droves hoping to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex.
Hundreds of hopeful attendees were left waiting to see if they would be allowed into the temple which reached full capacity before the festivities began, and was heavily manned by Indian police and security personnel.
Masked dancers in traditional outfits twirled to the sounds of gongs, pipes and horns as the Dalai Lama was led into the complex by two attendants.
Indian government ministers were set to attend the cutting of the celebratory cake, as well as Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.
The gathering marked the culmination of a days-long celebration that brought supporters and spiritual heads to the small city in India’s Himalayan foothills, which has served as the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and home of the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet during a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese communist rule.
Many had traveled far to join the celebration, such as Namgyal Dorjee Gongpa, from New Jersey in the United States.
The 49-year-old, at the celebration with his wife and three sons, told CNN: “This is a very momentous occasion for myself and my family.”
“Every year, we take trips to India, which is the epicenter of the exile Tibetan setup so that my kids who are born in a foreign country… get back to their roots and learn and live their culture. So this is a great occasion because we can all take part in the celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.”
A devotee looks at a tall layered cake at the Dalai Lama’s birthday celebration in Dharamshala on Sunday. Ashwini Bhatia/AP
In a birthday message on X, the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of “achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate.” Woven into his reflections was a pledge to continue promoting human values, religious harmony, ancient Indian wisdom and Tibetan culture, which “has so much potential to contribute to the world.”
At a ceremony on Saturday, as attendees prayed for his long life, he assured them of his “great physical condition” and raised his longevity goal to 130, two decades beyond his previous prediction.
While crowds gathered to celebrate his life, this year’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic leader to address the looming question of what happens after his death.
Reincarnation
In a video message to religious elders on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama announced that he will have a successor after his death, and affirmed that his office has the “sole authority” to recognize his future reincarnation.
“No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” the Dalai Lama said in his recorded message.
The statement sets the stage for a struggle over his succession between Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Party, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the next dalai lama.
The Dalai Lama’s announcement was welcomed by many Tibetan Buddhists, who had been waiting for his decision on whether the centuries-old institution would end with his death – a question he had earlier said he would re-evaluate around his 90th birthday.
Speaking from the crowds, Tenzin Nyidon, 26, originally from Odisha, eastern India, told CNN she holds his reincarnation “with deep respect” and raised concerns over China’s “attempts to politicize” this process.
“I feel that he has thoughtfully considered the future and made it clear that the decision will be guided by the Tibetan people and Buddhist traditions and not by any external political interference,” she added.
“At the same time, like many Tibetans, I do have concerns about China’s attempts to politicize the reincarnation process by potentially appointing its own dalai lama… Their appointment of a dalai lama would not only be a distortion of our faith but also a strategy to undermine Tibetan identity.”
Students wait in line for the gates to open at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex on Sunday. Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
Tibetan Buddhists believe in the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened spiritual master like the Dalai Lama dies, he will be able to choose the place and time of his rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.
But the religious tradition has increasingly become a battleground for the control of Tibetan hearts and minds, and experts expect that Beijing will seek to establish its own dalai lama after the current one – part of the party’s campaign to “sinicize” religion to ensure it aligns with Communist Party leadership and maintain its tightening grip over Tibet.
The Dalai Lama has previously stated that his successor will be born in the “free world” outside China, urging his followers to reject any candidate selected by Beijing.
Asked about the Dalai Lama’s latest statement on his reincarnation, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday reiterated Beijing’s long-held stance that the spiritual leader’s reincarnation must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, with search and identification conducted in China and approved by the central government.
Beijing has long sought to discredit the Dalai Lama and claims he is a dangerous “separatist.”
Since the 1970s, however, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he no longer seeks full independence for Tibet, but “meaningful” autonomy that would allow Tibetans to preserve their distinct culture, religion and identity. His commitment to the nonviolent “middle way” approach has earned him international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
As China’s political and economic clout has grown, however, the Dalai Lama’s global influence appears to be waning, especially as old age makes it difficult to sustain his extensive globe-trotting. The spiritual leader has not met a sitting US president since Barack Obama in 2016, after numerous visits to the White House since 1991.
On his birthday, however, heartfelt messages poured in from world leaders, politicians, lawmakers and artists in a video compiled by Tibet TV, run by the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Actor Richard Gere, right, kisses the the Dalai Lama’s hand at an event celebrating his 90th birthday in Dharamshala, India, on Sunday. Ashwini Bhatia/AP
Obama wished a “very happy birthday to the youngest 90-year-old I know,” and thanked the Dalai Lama for his friendship.
“You’ve shown generations what it means to practice compassion and speak up for freedom and dignity. Not bad for someone who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk,” he added.
Former US President Bill Clinton described the Dalai Lama as “one of the world’s greatest voices for peace, for dialogue, for understanding” whose teachings have “inspired millions to follow in your footsteps.”
He added: “In a time when we see the forces of division tearing at the fabric of our common humanity, we need your wisdom more than ever to remind us that what we share is more important than our interesting differences.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement on X: “I join 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday.
“He has been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline. His message has inspired respect and admiration across all faiths. We pray for his continued good health and long life.”
But in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama’s life and legacy were center stage on Sunday, a day Nyidon said “holds deep spiritual and emotional meaning for our community, symbolizing resilience and hope.”
Body found amid search for missing American Brian Tarrence in Turks and Caicos
Brian Tarrence was on vacation with his wife and was last seen on surveillance video walking away from his hotel early in the morning of June 25. Police have been searching for him ever since, and a private investigator was brought on to assist. Saturday morning, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force again organized a search for Tarrence. A few hours into the search, they said they found “the body of a deceased male in a decomposed state.”
Click here for updates on this story
New York (WCBS, WLNY) — Investigators have made a grim discovery during the search for Brian Tarrence, a New Yorker who disappeared in Turks and Caicos.
Tarrence was on vacation with his wife and was last seen on surveillance video walking away from his hotel early in the morning of June 25.
Police have been searching for him ever since, and a private investigator was brought on to assist.
Saturday morning, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force again organized a search for Tarrence. A few hours into the search in an area of Grace Bay, they said they found “the body of a deceased male in a decomposed state.”
They have not yet established, however, if the body is Tarrence’s.
“We the police extend condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and ask that the public not speculate and await positive identification of the deceased,” acting Commissioner Rodney Adams said in a statement.
So far, there’s nothing to indicate any criminality
Carl DeFazio, formerly of the NYPD, was brought on as the private investigator in the case.
“If he was robbed, by now I think I would have seen a credit card charge, or found his wallet, or found him, you know,” DeFazio told CBS News New York’s Tony Aiello earlier this week.
DeFazio said there was nothing thus far to point to any criminality in the case.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Oakland resident injured, 2 dogs dead in fire caused by illegal fireworks
An Oakland resident was injured, and two dogs died in a structure fire caused by illegal fireworks. About 30 firefighters responded to the scene, and the fire was under control by 11:15 p.m.
Click here for updates on this story
OAKLAND, California (KPIX) — An Oakland resident was injured, and two dogs died in a structure fire caused by illegal fireworks on Friday, the Oakland Fire Department said.
The Fire Department, around 10:40 p.m., said it responded to a fire at a 2-story duplex on the 1600 block of 78th Avenue.
About 30 firefighters responded to the scene, and the fire was under control by 11:15 p.m.
One person was injured, and two dogs died, the fire department said. According to Oakland Fire, the cause was illegal fireworks.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.