Dalai Lama says he will have successor after his death: ‘Gaden Phodrang trust has sole authority to…'
"I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue", 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.
The decision ended years of waiting by followers of the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader for details about his succession.
The Wednesday's announcement will have a profound impact on his Buddhist followers, AFP news agency reported.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
20 minutes ago
- Indian Express
2 Indians killed, one missing in Niger: What is happening in the West African nation?
Two Indian migrant workers were killed in the West African country of Niger on Tuesday (July 15), and another was abducted after a terror attack on their worksite, officials said. One of those who died was Ganesh Karmali, 39, from Jharkhand's Bokaro district. An activist from Jharkhand who has been working on the repatriation of the bodies told The Indian Express that the other man had been identified only as Krishnan from a southern Indian state. The abducted worker has been identified as Ranjeet Singh, hailing from Jammu and Kashmir. 'The Chief Minister has expressed concern over the abduction of Ranjeet Singh, a resident of Ramban, in Niger. He urges the Hon'ble EAM @DrSJaishankar and #MEAIndia to urgently intervene to secure Ranjeet's safe and swift return,' a post on X by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Office said on July 20. The Indian Embassy in Niger said the Mission, in the capital city of Niamey, was in touch with local authorities to repatriate the mortal remains and ensure the safe release of the abducted Indian. It also advised all Indians in Niger to maintain vigilance. How many Indians are known to be in the country, and what is the prevailing political situation there? We explain. According to the Union Ministry of External Affairs, around 150 Indians are currently in Niger. They are mostly engaged in the hospitality/service/business sectors. This presents a decline from 2023, when around 250 Indians were in the country. The Associated Press reported that foreigners are increasingly becoming targets of armed groups in Niger. Several have been kidnapped this year, including an Austrian woman who has lived in Niger as an aid worker for more than 20 years, a Swiss woman seized from her home in April and five Indian workers, also in April. In its modern history, Niger received independence from French colonial rule in 1960. For a majority of its post-independence era, it has seen single-party rule, military coups and limited space for the survival of democratic governments. Bazoum Mohamed's 2021 victory in the presidential election marked the country's first transition from one democratically elected president to another. But it was short-lived, and Niger again saw a military coup in 2023 led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who was officially sworn in as the president in March this year. He is supposed to serve for a transitional period of five years. Even before the recent political upheaval, the Sahel region (which Niger is a part of) was facing problems like climate change, poverty and terrorism. Lying to the south of the Sahara desert, it stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, including countries such as Nigeria, Senegal and Chad. It is also among the youngest regions of the world, with about 64% of the population under the age of 25. In some cases, the rise of terrorism has been cited in many countries as a justification for coups. Niger's western neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, also saw coups in 2022 and 2020, respectively. The AP also cited the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project as noting that June was one of the country's deadliest months on record. Islamic State-backed fighters launched a major offensive across the Tillaberi and Dosso regions, the latter being where Indians were killed. More than 100 civilians were killed in the exchange of fire. What complicates the existing issues is the presence of international actors. In an article for Foreign Policy in 2020, Samuel Ramani, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, wrote, 'Instead of taking constructive steps to address the array of challenges facing the Sahel, great powers and regional institutions are exacerbating the region's problems.' 'Due to their intense focus on geostrategic competition and willingness to equate authoritarianism with stability, great powers such as France, the United States, Russia, and China, have actually perpetuated conditions, such as corruption and fragile state institutions, that contribute to rising political violence in the Sahel,' he added. One example is the Russian Wagner Group, which has supplied mercenaries to the region. On March 23 last year, Malian and Wagner Group soldiers launched a five-day attack on a border town to 'root out Islamist militants, killing more than three hundred civilians', according to the Council on Foreign Relations. According to a BBC report, the regional bloc ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) also imposed 'crippling sanctions' on Niger after 2023, such as border closures and a no-fly zone for all commercial flights. However, in January, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger formally left the grouping. Historically, India and Niger had limited exchanges in terms of trade, but that has changed in recent years. The volume of trade has grown from around $95 million in 2018-19 to $203 million in 2022-23, and while Indian exports composed a major share seven years ago, of late the balance of trade is in Niger's favour. The main items being exported from Niger to India are Gum Arabic, Resins and other Vegetable saps and extracts, semi-precious stones, Oil seeds (Sesame), misc. grains, goat skins. etc. India has also extended Lines of Credit to Niger, for the construction of infrastructure and community projects. In 2020, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the country.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
20 minutes ago
- First Post
Russia could soon attack Ukraine with 2,000 drones at once, warns German general
At a time when Vladimir Putin has escalated his war on Ukraine, a German general has warned that Russia could soon attack Ukraine with up to 2,000 drones at once. read more Flames and smoke billow from buildings during mass Russian drones and missile strikes on the Ukraine's capital Kyiv on July 4, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo: OLEKSII FILIPPOV/AFP) As Vladimir Putin has ramped up the war on Ukraine, a German general has warned that Russia could soon attack with up to 2,000 drones at once. For weeks, Russia has been attacking Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles on a near-daily basis. It has ramped up attacks consistently and mounted the largest barrage with 741 drones and missiles on the night of July 8-9. Russia is actively expanding its drone production capacity and could soon attack Ukraine with up to 2,000 drones at once, according to Major General Christian Freuding, the head of the Situation Center for Ukraine at Germany's Ministry of Defense. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In an interview with the German military's 'Nachgefragt' programme, Freuding said that such mass deployment of drones could present a major challenge for Ukraine's air defence systems, which are not optimised for intercepting large volumes of low-cost drones simultaneously, according to a translation of his remarks. From a high of around 500 drones and missiles on Ukraine in overnight attacks, Russia went to raining more than 700 drones and missiles in a matter of mere weeks, suggesting it has huge stockpile, well-oiled production capacity, and smooth supply chains. Russia is not alone in its war efforts. China has not just kept the Russian economy afloat by making up for the loss of trade after the invasion of Ukraine but has also provided Russia with drones, machinery to make weapons, and dual-use goods used to make weapons. Iran has provided Russia with several thousands of drones and has also transferred the production know-how. Russia is playing low cost-high effect game against Ukraine Freuding flagged that the cost of launching these attacks is much less for Russia than the cost of tackling these attacks for Ukraine and its partners. While an Iranian-origin Shahed drone costs €30,000 and €50,000, one Patriot interceptor missiles costs more than €5 million, according to Freuding. The US-origin Patriot missile is the mainstay of Ukrainian air defence against Russian missiles and some high-end drones. Due to costs, Ukraine uses conventional anti-aircraft guns, interceptor drones, and electronic warfare to take down drones and reserves Patriot interceptors for largely taking down Russian missiles. Freuding said that Ukraine needs cost-effective air-defence systems, ideally in the €2,000–€4,000 range per interception. The development of such systems is essential to respond effectively to large-scale Russian drone attacks, said Freuding. 'Russia is trying to exhaust Ukraine's air defence supplies' With such continuous attacks, Russia is trying to exhaust Ukraine's air defence supplies, according to Michael Kofman, an analyst focussed on the Russian war on Ukraine, who serves at a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 'They [Russians] target population centres because they're trying to exhaust Ukrainian air defence, and they know Ukrainian air defence will prioritise defending the cities and critical infrastructure,' Kofman told The Telegraph earlier this month. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the beginning of this month, Russia launched 537 drones and missiles over the weekend — the highest in the war until then. A few days later, Russia broke the record with 550 drones and missiles. Days later, Russia again broke the record with 741 drones and missiles. Despite such attacks, US President Donald Trump has refused to take any punitive action against Putin, who has continued to refuse to make peace. Instead, he has given him a 50-day window to hit Ukraine with all that he has got.
The Hindu
20 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Kerala Governor Arlekar expresses condolences on V.S. Achuthanandan's passing
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has condoled the passing of former Chief Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader V.S. Achuthanandan. In a message here, Mr. Arlekar said that Mr. Achuthanandan was a towering figure in Indian politics and a stalwart of the Communist movement and that his demise marks the end of an era in India's Left political history. A founding leader of the CPI(M) after the 1964 split, he was instrumental in shaping the party's direction both in Kerala and at the national-level. As the 11th Chief Minister of Kerala, he earned acclaim for his firm actions against land encroachments, promotion of public education, anti-corruption measures, and environmental protection. He also served as Leader of the Opposition and chaired the Administrative Reforms Commission, Mr. Arlekar remembered. From humble beginnings, he rose to top through hard work, integrity, simplicity, and a lifelong commitment to the marginalised. His contributions to public life and the Left movement will always be remembered with deep respect, he said.
