Dalai Lama taken to New Delhi hospital for chest pain

NEW DELHI, India - The Dalai Lama has undergone a check-up at a New Delhi hospital following chest pains, according to an aide who said the octogenarian Tibetan spiritual leader was in stable condition.

Ngodup Tsering, the 83-year-old Buddhist monk's representative in the United States, told AFP the Dalai Lama flew to New Delhi early Tuesday for a doctor's visit at Max hospital after he experienced a "light cough."

"The doctor said there's nothing to worry about. It's not that serious," Tsering said, without confirming whether the Dalai Lama had been admitted for hospital treatment. "He's taking a few days' rest."

Kangra police superintendent Santosh Patial told The Indian Express that the Dalai Lama, who is based in Dharamshala and has been in permanent Indian exile for some 60 years, took a regular morning flight Tuesday and was not airlifted.

"There is nothing to panic," he added.

Although the exiled leader remains a hugely popular speaker, he has cut back on his global engagements and has not met a world leader since 2016 -- while governments have been wary of extending invitations to him for fear of angering Beijing.

The Dalai Lama has sought to pre-empt any attempt by Beijing, which has effectively wiped out any organized opposition to its rule in Tibet, to name his reincarnated successor, even announcing in 2011 that he may be the last in the lineage.

Even India, which offered asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959 when he made a daring escape across the Himalayas dressed as a soldier, has turned its back, with the government reportedly warning officials against attending events featuring him, citing diplomatic sensitivities.

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source: news.abs-cbn.com

China says countering Dalai Lama is top ethnic priority in Tibet

BEIJING - China will make countering the Dalai Lama's influence the "highest priority" in its work on ethnic affairs in Tibet, the region's Communist Party boss has said, vowing to uproot the monk's "separatist and subversive" activities.

Beijing says its Communist troops peacefully liberated Tibet in 1950 and regards the 80-year-old, Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist monk as a separatist.

The self-exiled Dalai Lama says he merely seeks genuine autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.

China's Foreign Ministry expressed anger and threatened countermeasures this month after the Tibetan spiritual leader spoke at the European Parliament in France.

"First, we must deepen the struggle against the Dalai Lama clique, make it the highest priority in carrying out our ethnic affairs, and the long-term mission of strengthening ethnic unity," Tibet party secretary Wu Yingjie said in a speech published on Friday in the official Tibet Daily.

"(We must) thoroughly expose the reactionary nature of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, crack down on separatist and subversive activities, and strive to eliminate at their roots harmful elements that damage ethnic unity," Wu said.

Public veneration of the Dalai Lama, who fled China in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, is prohibited in Tibet, though in private, many Tibetans revere the monk and display his picture.

Identifying the effort to crack down on his influence the top task in the region's ethnic affairs suggests Wu will ratchet up the government's already hardline approach in the devoutly Buddhist region, which is prone to anti-Chinese unrest.

Wu was appointed Tibet's top official in late August, and has vowed stronger criticism of the Dalai Lama.

The government rejects criticism from rights groups and exiles who accuse it of trampling on the religious and cultural rights of the Tibetan people, saying instead that its rule has brought prosperity to a once-backward region.

Nonetheless, China faces no shortage of problems in the region, including those stemming from poverty, language barriers, and development that has at times clashed with a traditional herding lifestyle.

Tibetans, one of China's 56 officially recognised minority groups, are guaranteed legal protection for their languages and cultures. But they are often marginalised and treated with suspicion by Beijing, which views them as potential separatists.

Officials see ethnic affairs work, such as improving Mandarin proficiency among minorities, as key to ensuring national cohesion and creating economic opportunity.

There has been resistance to greater Mandarin education in schools in Tibet, with people fearing the government wants to culturally assimilate them. The government denies that.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Dalai Lama, in Europe, urges 'constructive criticism' of China

STRASBOURG - Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said on Thursday the European Union should offer "constructive criticism" of China.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, he said he hoped that the Tibetan issue would be resolved but urged the outside world and the European Union in particular not to hold back from criticising Beijing.

Communist troops marched in and took control of Tibet in 1950 in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising against the Chinese.

"Some constructive criticism is sometime necessary, helpful," the Dalai Lama told reporters.

Beijing denounces the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist who wants an independent Tibet. He denies espousing violence and says he only wants genuine autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.

Contact between the Dalai Lama and foreign governments is frequently a source of friction with Beijing. Although a guest of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Dalai Lama did not meet French government officials while in France.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

What Pacquiao will do at DC's National Prayer Breakfast

WASHINGTON DC – Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has arrived in Washington DC along with his wife, Jinkee, to attend the National Prayer Breakfast that is held annually at the Washington Hilton on the first Thursday of February.

Thousands of people from over 100 countries, including the Philippines, attend the National Prayer Breakfast yearly.

"It's people from all over, from all countries coming to Washington DC, and the President of the United States, the First Lady, the Vice President and his wife will be present," said Jonathan Frank of the National Prayer Breakfast.

"It's an opportunity for people to come around and unite in faith, setting aside their political differences in prayer and fellowship," he added.

Members of the U.S. Congress host the Prayer Breakfast, which is why Pacquiao, as a representative of Sarangani, was invited.

"He has a position with the government, the Philippines, because of him being a world renowned boxer, and being a Christian, we felt important to the country, the Philippines, to invite him to be part of this prayer breakfast. Who knows, he might end up being the President of the Philippines one day," said Frank.

The Dalai Lama is expected to watch the Prayer Breakfast as well.

Pacquiao will be given 20 minutes to speak, and the "Pacman" said he will emphasize the themes of unity and love and the greatness of God in his speech.

"We'll be giving Manny an opportunity to talk about his faith and how it's affected his life, the change that's been made in his heart," said Frank.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao and his camp have decided to stay mum about the negotiations for a potential fight against unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"Right now we don't have any comments on the boxing issues," Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, said. "We will just wait and see what happens. We just pray and be hopeful."

Pacquiao was also silent when asked about his relationship with Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum, after it was revealed by boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz that Mayweather had questioned Pacquiao's financial arrangement with his promoter.

"No comment muna tayo diyan," said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is also scheduled to meet with members of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday night.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Dalai Lama says no problem with gay marriage

WASHINGTON - The celibate Dalai Lama has thrown his considerable moral weight behind gay marriage, condemning homophobia and saying sex was fine as long as it was consensual.

The Buddhist monk offered his views on the hot-button social issue during his latest tour of the United States, where he was welcomed Thursday in Washington by top lawmakers and offered the customary prayer that opens each Senate session.

The Dalai Lama, in an interview, said that gay marriage was up to each government and was ultimately "individual business."

"If two people -- a couple -- really feel that way is more practical, more sort of satisfaction, both sides fully agree, then okay," he told an online talk show by veteran radio and television host Larry King.

The Dalai Lama said though that people should still follow their own religions' rules on sexuality.

"But then for a non-believer, that is up to them. So there are different forms of sex -- so long (as it is) safe, okay, and (if both people) fully agree, okay," the Dalai Lama said in English.

"Bully, abuse -- that's totally wrong. That's a violation of human rights," he said.

The Dalai Lama is Tibet's exiled spiritual leader and one of the most prominent leaders in Buddhism.

Gay marriage has won growing acceptance in the Western world and Latin America. But no predominantly Buddhist nation allows gay marriage, although several places with Buddhist influence including Nepal, Taiwan and Vietnam have increasingly debated the issue.

The Dalai Lama, who fled his Chinese-ruled homeland for India in 1959 and later won the Nobel Peace Prize, has prided himself on progressive positions and described himself as a feminist.

But his past comments on gay rights have occasionally bothered some of his Western audiences. In one of his books, the Dalai Lama, while not explicitly criticizing homosexuality, said that sex should only involve "organs intended for sexual intercourse."

'The leading nation'

The Dalai Lama, whose meeting on February 21 with President Barack Obama was angrily condemned by China, separately told lawmakers that one of his main goals was "preservation of Tibetan culture."

Offering advice as a "longtime friend" of the United States, the Dalai Lama said that he considered the nation to be "really a champion of democracy, freedom."

"These traditional values are, I think, very, very relevant in today's world. After all, you are the leading nation in the free world, So, (show) self-confidence," the Dalai Lama said.

The Dalai Lama sat between House Speaker John Boehner, who said he wanted to show bipartisan support for the Buddhist monk, and the Republican leader's often bitter rival Nancy Pelosi, a longtime activist on the Tibetan cause. He later met top senators.

"What is happening in Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world," said Pelosi, the leader of Obama's Democratic Party in the House of Representatives.

More than 120 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in recent years to protest what they describe as a stifling Chinese control over their religious, cultural and political freedoms. Obama called for the protection of Tibetans' rights in a statement after his meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Reflecting on mortality

In contrast to his meeting with Obama, which the White House took pains to portray as private, the Dalai Lama was accompanied in his talks at Congress by Lobsang Sangay, who was elected in 2011 as the prime minister of Tibetans in exile.

The Dalai Lama told the lawmakers that he had transferred his political role to the elected leader.

While the globe-trotting monk has been instrumental in throwing a worldwide spotlight on Tibet, he has increasingly been looking ahead to the future of the movement without him.

The Dalai Lama appeared to reflect on his own mortality as he served as the guest Senate chaplain.

Offering prayers to the Buddha "and all other gods," the Dalai Lama recited what he described as "my favorite prayer," which he recites daily for inner strength.

"As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to help dispel the misery of the world," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Obama to meet Dalai Lama

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama will meet Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at the White House on Friday, in an encounter likely to draw the ire of China.

The meeting will take place in the Map Room on the ground floor of the president's residence and not the Oval Office in the West Wing, which Obama usually uses to meet foreign leaders and visiting dignitaries.

The US leader last met the Dalai Lama, a fellow Nobel peace laureate, at the White House in 2011 in talks that triggered an angry response from Beijing, which said the encounter had harmed Sino-US relations.

With the Dalai Lama already in the United States on a visit, National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden announced the meeting.

"The president will meet the Dalai Lama in his capacity as an internationally respected religious and cultural leader," Hayden said on Thursday.

In a sign of the sensitivity of the occasion, the event was listed on the president's daily schedule as closed to the press.

Hayden also underlined that the United States supported the Dalai Lama's approach but recognized Tibet to be "a part of the People's Republic of China.

"We do not support Tibetan independence," Hayden said.

"The United States strongly supports human rights and religious freedom in China. We are concerned about continuing tensions and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China."

Hayden said the Obama administration would renew calls for the Chinese government to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions.

China has for decades opposed foreign dignitaries meeting the Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The revered Buddhist leader says he advocates greater autonomy for Tibetans rather than independence.

But tensions between Tibetans and the Chinese authorities run high.

More than 120 Tibetans have set themselves on fire and committed suicide in recent years to protest what they see as oppression by China's government and controls on their right to exercise their religion.

The Dalai Lama enjoys wide support across the political spectrum in the United States, and is currently on one of his regular visits to the country which will also see him go to Minnesota and California.

In an unlikely audience with free market advocates on Thursday, he called for a humane form of capitalism.

At the conservative American Enterprise Institute, he pointed to late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who started the Asian power's shift toward capitalism in the 1980s, as proof that as evidence that the "centralized economy, no matter how much effort, fail(s)."

"I think Deng Xiaoping (was a) very, very realistic leader," he said.

"He accepted the reality (and had) courage to change the economic system."

But the Dalai Lama also pointed to the gap between rich and poor in the United States -- a central preoccupation of Obama's second term, and to the debates about economic justice in India.

"We need a sense of concern toward other human beings... on the basis of the sense of oneness of humanity," the Dalai Lama said.

Billionaire hedge fund manager Dan Loeb said it was an "incredible honor" to spend time with the Dalai Lama and explained that he has practiced yoga since the start of his career.

"Contemplation and meditation, they are not just for monks and for hermits," Loeb said.

"It can really improve all of our lives - and can really improve (lives) of business people as well."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Whatever makes you happy': Dalai Lama kicks off tour with Russell Brand

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom - The Dalai Lama kicked off Saturday a series of talks across Britain, forming an unlikely double act with comedian Russell Brand.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader began his week-long program at the Manchester Arena in northwest England, with a talk to young people entitled "Stand Up And Be The Change."

The Buddhist monk was in jovial form as he bantered with Brand, 37, the ex-husband of US pop star Katy Perry, who is as well-known for his hedonistic past as he is for his stand-up routines and film roles.

"Day is for work, night is for sleep but you can do what makes you happy," the 76-year-old said.

"Thank you for sanctioning my lifestyle," Brand replied.

"Going from junkie to Shagger of the Year...three times... to now introducing the Dalai Lama. It has been an interesting journey," the hirsute comic said.

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, said the future was in the hands of youth.

"The 21st century belongs to you. My generation belongs to the 20th century, it has already gone so my generation are ready to say bye bye," he said.

"I think quite certain this century can be more pleasant, more peaceful, and more equal."

He said dialogue was the key to avoiding violent conflicts.

"At the age of 16 I lost my freedom. At the age of 24 I lost my own country. During these 50 or 60 years I have faced a lot of problems but I never give up hope. Hope based on truth, hope based on reason," he continued.

He is due to give further talks and teachings in Manchester before heading to London and then Edinburgh, Dundee, and Inverness in Scotland.

Speaking Friday, he was asked about the economic crisis in the European Union.

"It is very, very serious but then if you ask me what my advice is then I say I am not an expert," he said.

"You have experience of the First World War and the Second World War by rebuilding.

"Looking at Germany they rebuilt their economy as did Japan, so why not?"

The Tibetan leader, who fled his homeland for northern India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, announced last year that he was giving up his political role to focus on spiritual duties.

Despite his calls for autonomy rather than independence for Tibet, Beijing has repeatedly accused him of trying to split Tibet from the rest of China and has stepped up pressure on world leaders not to meet him.

source: interaksyon.com

'Beastie Boys' MCA Dead at 47

11:30 AM PT -- MCA's publicist just released a statement, writing, "It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam 'MCA' Yauch ... passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old."

1:00 PM PT -- A rep for the Dalai Lama -- of whom MCA was a huge supporter -- tells TMZ, "Adam had helped us raise awareness on the plight of the Tibetan people by organizing various freedom Tibet concerts and he will be remembered by his holiness and the Tibetan people."

Adam met several times with the Dalai Lama while he was sick -- most recently last July, when the Dalai Lama blessed him.

article source: TMZ