Head of UN OPCW meets Syrian leader
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Observer
a day ago
- Observer
Dalai Lama reassures followers of his successor
McLEOD GANJ: The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday that the 600-year-old Tibetan spiritual institution would continue after his death, reassuring Buddhist followers around the globe and saying his office "exclusively" would name his successor, even as China insisted it would. Followers of the Dalai Lama laud his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for Tibet, a vast high-altitude plateau in China about the size of South Africa. It is a landmark decision for Tibetans, many of whom had feared a future without a leader, as well as for global supporters who see the Dalai Lama as a symbol of non-violence, compassion and the enduring struggle for Tibetan cultural identity under Chinese rule. According to Tibetans, Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. He and thousands of other Tibetans have lived in exile in India since Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959. The charismatic Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist had previously said the institution of Dalai Lama would continue only if there was popular demand. He said on Wednesday he had received multiple appeals over the past 14 years from the Tibetan diaspora, Buddhists from across the Himalayan region, Mongolia and parts of Russia and China, "earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama continue". "In particular, I have received messages through various channels from Tibetans in Tibet making the same appeal," he said in a video broadcast at the start of a meeting of religious leaders in the Indian Himalayan town where he has lived for decades. "In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue," he added, according to an official translation. The announcement was made ahead of his 90th birthday on July 6. The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday that responsibility for identifying the 15th Dalai Lama "will rest exclusively" with the India-based Gaden Phodrang Trust, the office of the Dalai Lama. Samdhong Rinpoche, a senior Tibetan leader from the Gaden Phodrang Trust, told reporters that the Dalai Lama was "in excellent health" and that, at this time, there were "no further instructions for succession". However, Rinpoche said the next Dalai Lama could be of "any nationality", and would come from a place where there is "access to freedom". China said on Wednesday that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama "must be approved by the central government" in Beijing, and that it would be carried out "by drawing lots from a golden urn", foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. The Dalai Lama's announcement about the continuation of the role was welcomed with relief by Tibetans, including by Jigme Taydeh, a civil servant with the India-based Tibetan government. — AFP
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
US pushes for Gaza truce
WASHINGTON: The United States is pushing for a truce in Gaza by "sometime next week," US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday. The Republican leader was asked by reporters if a ceasefire in the devastating war between Israel and Palestinians could be in place before a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House, set for July 7. "We hope it's going to happen and we're looking for it to happen sometime next week," Trump responded as he departed Washington for Florida. The swift resolution of Israel's 12-day war with Iran has revived hopes for a halt to the fighting in Gaza, where more than 20 months of combat have created dire humanitarian conditions for the population of more than two million. Trump has previously urged Israel to "make the deal in Gaza," but on the ground, Israel has continued to pursue its offensive across the Palestinian territory. Israeli planes and tanks struck heavily in north and south Gaza on Tuesday, destroying clusters of homes, while Netanyahu's confidant was in Washington, expected to discuss a possible ceasefire. Thousands of Gaza residents again took flight as Israel issued new orders to evacuate, while its tanks pushed into eastern areas of Gaza City in the north and into Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south, residents said. Local health authorities said Israeli gunfire and military strikes across the enclave had killed at least 112 people and wounded more than 400 in the past 24 hours, with clusters of houses reported destroyed in Gaza City's Shejaia and Zeitoun districts, east of Khan Yunis and in Rafah. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The intensified operations came after days of mounting calls for a ceasefire, with Trump among those urging Israel to strike a new deal to halt the war and bring home the hostages still held in Gaza. Israel's campaign to destroy the Palestinian group Hamas has continued unabated, however, with Gaza's civil defence agency reporting Israeli forces killed 17 people on Tuesday. In response to reports of deadly strikes in the north and south of the territory, the Israeli army said it was "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities". Separately, it said on Tuesday morning that in recent days it had "expanded its operations to additional areas within the Gaza Strip, eliminating dozens of terrorists and dismantling hundreds of terror infrastructure sites both above and below ground". Hamas official Taher al Nunu said the group is "ready to agree to any proposal if it will lead to an end to the war and a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of occupation forces". "So far, there has been no breakthrough." — AFP
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Gaza rescuers say Israeli forces kill 34 as ceasefire nears
Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed 34 people on Monday, including 11 waiting for aid, as momentum built behind a ceasefire push for the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a day earlier that his country's 'victory' over Iran had created 'opportunities', including for freeing hostages held by fighters in Gaza. His comments raised hopes for a new ceasefire in the conflict that has created dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Key mediator Qatar said on Monday that 'momentum' had been created by the Iran-Israel ceasefire. "We won't hold our breath for this to happen today and tomorrow, but we believe that the elements are in place to push forward towards restarting the talks," foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told journalists. Meanwhile, on the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency said that 34 people had been killed by Israeli strikes or gunfire since midnight. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said that "11 people (were) killed near aid distribution points in the central and southern parts of the territory." Eyewitnesses and local authorities have reported repeated killings of Palestinians near distribution centres over recent weeks. Samir Abu Jarbou, 28, said by phone that he had gone with four relatives to pick up food aid in an area of central Gaza around midnight. "Suddenly the (Israeli) army opened fire, and drones started shooting. We ran away and got nothing," he said. "The situation is catastrophic. We are suffering from terrible hunger. My only wish is to succeed in getting a bag of flour to feed my seven siblings." Bassal said 23 people were killed in at least seven separate strikes across the territory, mainly in the north. When asked for comment, the Israeli military said it needed more information to look into the reports. Restrictions on media in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean the news agency is unable to independently verify the full tolls and details provided by rescuers. Israel's military issued a fresh evacuation order on Monday, for several areas in and around Gaza City. "For your safety, immediately evacuate further westward and southward toward Al Mawasi," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X. Despite being declared a safe zone by Israel, Al Mawasi has been hit by repeated strikes. Of the 251 hostages seized during the assault, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. - AFP
