&w=3840&q=100)
Tibet at one remove: Little Lhasa maps a people's emotional geography
How, by a historical accident, India, despite her own poverty and exploding population, became an ideal home for exiled Tibetans
Listen to This Article
Little Lhasa: Reflections on Exiled Tibet
by Tsering Namgyal Khortsa
Published by Speaking Tiger
264 pages ₹499
Tibetans living under Chinese occupation and in various other parts of the world are waiting with bated breath for July 6, the 90th birthday of their leader Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. As China shows no indication of relinquishing its control over Tibetan territory, the monk's advancing age is a cause for concern for his people who have been yearning to return to a free Tibet. The question of succession is a critical one, and a public statement clarifying his plans for the future
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Germany asks Apple, Google to ban Chinese AI app DeepSeek over privacy concerns
Germany's data protection commissioner has formally requested Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek from their app stores, citing concerns over illegal transfer of user data to China. Meike Kamp, the country's commissioner for data protection, stated on Friday that DeepSeek failed to prove it safeguards German users' personal information at a level consistent with EU privacy standards. According to its own privacy policy, the company stores user queries and uploaded files on servers located in China. 'Chinese authorities have sweeping access rights to personal data held by Chinese companies,' said Kamp. She emphasized that DeepSeek had been given an opportunity in May to comply with EU data transfer regulations or voluntarily withdraw its app—neither of which it followed through on. In response, Google confirmed receipt of the notice and said it was reviewing the request. Apple has yet to comment. DeepSeek also did not respond to media inquiries. The move comes amid growing global scrutiny of DeepSeek, which made headlines in January by claiming to have developed a low-cost AI model competitive with ChatGPT. While the announcement stirred interest, regulators in the EU and U.S. have since raised red flags about its data handling. Earlier this year, Italy blocked DeepSeek from app stores due to insufficient transparency around personal data use. The Netherlands banned it on government devices, and Belgium advised officials to avoid the app pending further investigation. Spain's OCU consumer group has requested a national probe, while the UK government has called its use a personal choice but is monitoring potential security risks. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers are preparing legislation that would bar federal agencies from using Chinese-developed AI, with a recent Reuters report alleging DeepSeek's involvement in Chinese military and intelligence operations. Germany's demand marks another blow to the Chinese firm's global credibility as governments become increasingly wary of foreign AI platforms and their data governance practices.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Dalai Lama hinted at his reincarnation in a ‘free world' that most certainly be in India: Tibetologist Claude Arpi
Renowned historian, author and Tibetologist Claude Arpi on Saturday said the 14th Dalai Lama in his recent book stated that he would reincarnate in a 'free world' and that he believed it would most certainly be in India. 'I believe it will never be in China or Tibet, as that land is under illegal occupation. It will most certainly be in India,' he said, addressing a seminar in Shimla, adding: 'China is deeply unsettled by the possibility of a forthcoming statement by the Dalai Lama on the sensitive issue of his reincarnation.' The Buddhist spiritual leader turns 90 on July 6, and global attention is on Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, where a three-day international conference of Buddhist scholars, senior monks and representatives from various Buddhist traditions from around the world will be held from July 2 to 4. The event is expected to culminate in a much-anticipated address by the Dalai Lama, during which he is likely to offer clarity on the future of the reincarnation tradition and his succession. 'China is very upset because the Dalai Lama may speak openly about his reincarnation, possibly offering guidance on where and how he will return,' said Arpi, a leading authority on Tibet and Buddhism. Arpi recalled that in 2007, the Chinese government passed a regulation giving the Communist Party the authority to approve reincarnations of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, a move widely seen as 'a political attempt to control the succession of the Dalai Lama'. Arpi said, 'This has nothing to do with spirituality or religion. The Dalai Lama has been vocal about this threat, publicly stating that people should not accept any future Dalai Lama appointed by Beijing. That would be a very, very bad thing, not just for Buddhists but for all of humanity.' Arpi noted, 'China is particularly agitated by the fact that the Dalai Lama is expected to deliver his statement in Tibetan, English and Chinese. This multilingual outreach will ensure his message reaches not only Tibetan Buddhists but also global followers, governments and scholars. There are millions, including Western Buddhists and even non-Buddhist Indians, who deeply admire him. He is respected as a man of peace, compassion and non-violence. His message will carry enormous weight.' Asked whether it is confirmed that the Dalai Lama would announce or hint at his reincarnation on his 90th birthday, Arpi said, 'In 2011, he convened a similar high-level religious conference in Dharamshala, where hundreds of Rinpoches had gathered. At that time, he explained the meaning and importance of reincarnation and said he would provide a precise indication of his return when he reached his 90s. I believe this moment is now approaching. In the meantime, China is working very hard to block this process.' Arpi emphasised that the Dalai Lama has 'no intention of returning within a Communist regime that rejects the spiritual basis of reincarnation. He has made it clear that he will never reincarnate under such a system'. Arpi, however, said, 'I do not believe in the concept of reincarnation, but the significance of the Dalai Lama's message transcends religious boundaries — it is spiritual, cultural and deeply political.'


Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
The investment story in charts: How South-East Asia is defying global FDI trends
The movement of capital across countries is going through a tumultuous phase. Data released in mid-June by a United Nations body on trade and investment shows that global foreign direct investment (FDI), adjusted for probable conduit financial flows (or capital flows from one country, through an intermediate country), fell 11% in 2024, marking its second consecutive decline. This year, US President Donald Trump has triggered a tariff war, which could have more ramifications on FDI. In his previous term, Trump dealt a blow to the functioning of the organisation that frames rules for global trade by blocking appointments to its dispute settlement body. There are other triggers. The economic rivalry between the US and China—the world's top two economies—is forcing companies with manufacturing facilities in the communist nation to look for alternatives to ensure supply chain continuity. India, the world's fifth-largest economy that is currently seeing a demographic dividend, would have liked to be a frontrunner to draw such foreign capital. However, the latest World Investment Report by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that even as Asia remained the largest recipient of FDI in 2024 (40% share), South-East Asia was the only sub-region that grew in 2024. Each of the top seven FDI draws in South-East Asia recorded FDI growth in 2024, led by the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. In manufacturing, the global rebalancing of locations by multinationals is driving greenfield FDI in South-East Asia, especially in the digital economy. As many as five South-East Asian countries (Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand) figure in the top 10 countries for FDI in the digital economy. FDI decoupling Outside of South-East Asia, North America and Africa showed higher growth. North America was driven by FDI inflows into the US towards high-tech (semiconductors) and clean energy sectors. The CHIPS Act (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act), passed in the US in 2022, was an enabler. "...among the top 10 highest-value greenfield projects announced globally in 2024, four were in semiconductor manufacturing, with three of them located in the US," said the latest World Investment Report by the UNCTAD. But that is an anomaly. Global trade, facilitated by the easy movement of FDI, has lifted millions out of poverty in developing economies. But in recent years, FDI has decoupled from global GDP and world trade (exports of goods and services). The decline in FDI in 2024 is more pronounced in sectors vital for development: infrastructure (35% over 2023), renewable energy (31%), water, sanitation and hygiene (30%) and agrifood systems (19%). Chinese outreach The other challenge is the concentration of FDI in a few countries. Ten major emerging markets received 75% of FDI flows to the developing world—the order being China, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and India. For most of this century, companies in China have received more FDI than they have invested in other countries. However, in recent years, this has reversed. In the 11 quarters since July-September 2022, China has recorded a negative net FDI figure. China was a significant investor in several South-East Asian countries in 2024, according to reports specific to these countries. China was among the top three foreign investors in Vietnam, accounting for the largest share of FDI projects (28%). In Malaysia, too, China was among the top three FDI investors. In Indonesia, which drew FDI in metal refining and mining, China was the second-largest FDI investor. Digital play Digital is the fastest-growing FDI segment, increasing its share in all greenfield FDI globally from 20% in 2020 to 28% in 2024. This covers both the core digital space (digital infrastructure like data centres, ICT manufacturing and cloud service) and the narrow-scope digital space (like sharing economy, e-commerce, fintech and artificial intelligence services). The top 100 ICT companies by sales have about 40% of their assets outside their home country, and South-East Asia has been a top draw for them. One challenge in the digital space is concentration. Among the top 100 ICT companies by sales, the top five companies account for about 26% of this set's sales. Concentration is also seen at the country level. There are 29 companies from the US, followed by 13 apiece from China and Taiwan, and 12 from Japan. In a fickle policy environment, many of these companies—including Apple, the biggest of them—are reviewing their FDI strategy. is a database and search engine for public data