Taiwan’s President Allows Dalai Lama Visit

If you’re in a mess, say yes. That may be what Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou was thinking when he gave his official nod to the controversial visit of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s leader-in-exile, to Taiwan next week. Ma has been facing his lowest approval ratings — around 20% — since he took office more than a year ago

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‘Dragon Fighter’ shines the light on Uyghur grievances

She’s been compared to the Dalai Lama, the Chinese Tibetan Buddhist leader, but the name Rebiya Kadeer doesn’t ring a bell to many people outside of China. Nevertheless, the world-famous man and the relatively obscure woman share similarities that chime with political relevance.

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Happiness conference promises key to inner joy

The state of the economy may be out of people’s hands, but their happiness isn’t, according to a group of researchers meeting at an international conference on happiness Thursday. Experts from fields ranging from neuroscience and philosophy to psychology and theology will gather to discuss the latest insights on living happier lives at the meeting in Sydney, Australia. Drawn to workshops with titles like The Architecture of Sustainable Happiness and Practical Tools for Positive Relationships, more than 2,000 participants are expected to attend the conference.

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Tibet reopens to foreign tourists, China says

Tibet reopened to foreign tourists Sunday after a month-long suspension, the state-run Chinese Xinhua news agency reported. Twenty-five tourist groups were to arrive Sunday in Lhasa, the capital of the autonomous region in China, the agency said. More than 500 foreigners are expected in Tibet in the next two weeks, according to the Tibet Autonomous Regional Tourism Bureau, Xinhua said

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Dalai Lama thanks India for 50 years in exile

Cloaked in a traditional flowing red and saffron Tibetan robe the Dalai Lama took a deep breath as he began to express his gratitude to the country that took him in as a refugee 50 years ago. “I think in this country (there are) many other refugees,” the Dalai Lama reflected, sitting cross legged

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China dismisses cyber-espionage claims

Analysts in China are dismissing claims that nearly 1,300 computers in more than 100 countries have been attacked, and have become part of a cyber-espionage network apparently based in China. “This is purely another political issue that the West is trying to exaggerate,” Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based strategy and military analyst, told the state-run news agency, Xinhua.

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Reports: Cyberspy network targets governments

Nearly 1,300 computers in more than 100 countries have been attacked and have become part of an computer espionage network apparently based in China, security experts alleged in two reports Sunday. Computers — including machines at NATO, governments and embassies — are infected with software that lets attackers gain complete control of them, according to the reports

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Dalai Lama denied visa for South Africa peace conference

South Africa has refused the Dalai Lama a visa to attend an international peace conference in Johannesburg this week, a presidential spokesman said. The Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Laureate did not receive a visa because it was not in South Africa’s interest for him to attend, said Thabo Masebe. South Africa thinks that, if the Dalai Lama attended the conference, the focus would shift away from the 2010 World Cup — the global soccer championship it will host next year.

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Tensions high in advance of Tibet anniversary

March 10 marks the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule and the chasm between Beijing and critics of its Tibet policies remains deep and wide. Pro-Tibet supporters have marched in London and other cities to mark the anniversary. “Tibetans have had enough Chinese rule,” said Matt Wiskase, a protest organizer in London

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