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Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday as crowds throng his home-in-exile

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Dharamshala / Hong Kong
CNN
 — 

Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone in the life of the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate known for his message of compassion and his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing’s rule.

Undeterred by heavy monsoon rain and thick fog, crowds dressed in their finery packed the narrow streets from early morning and queued in droves hoping to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex.

Hundreds of hopeful attendees were left waiting to see if they would be allowed into the temple which reached full capacity before the festivities began, and was heavily manned by Indian police and security personnel.

Masked dancers in traditional outfits twirled to the sounds of gongs, pipes and horns as the Dalai Lama was led into the complex by two attendants.

Indian government ministers were set to attend the cutting of the celebratory cake, as well as Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.

The gathering marked the culmination of a days-long celebration that brought supporters and spiritual heads to the small city in India’s Himalayan foothills, which has served as the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and home of the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet during a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese communist rule.

Many had traveled far to join the celebration, such as Namgyal Dorjee Gongpa, from New Jersey in the United States.

The 49-year-old, at the celebration with his wife and three sons, told CNN: “This is a very momentous occasion for myself and my family.”

“Every year, we take trips to India, which is the epicenter of the exile Tibetan setup so that my kids who are born in a foreign country… get back to their roots and learn and live their culture. So this is a great occasion because we can all take part in the celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.”

In a birthday message on X, the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of “achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate.” Woven into his reflections was a pledge to continue promoting human values, religious harmony, ancient Indian wisdom and Tibetan culture, which “has so much potential to contribute to the world.”

At a ceremony on Saturday, as attendees prayed for his long life, he assured them of his “great physical condition” and raised his longevity goal to 130, two decades beyond his previous prediction.

While crowds gathered to celebrate his life, this year’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic leader to address the looming question of what happens after his death.

In a video message to religious elders on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama announced that he will have a successor after his death, and affirmed that his office has the “sole authority” to recognize his future reincarnation.

“No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” the Dalai Lama said in his recorded message.

The statement sets the stage for a struggle over his succession between Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Party, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the next dalai lama.

The Dalai Lama’s announcement was welcomed by many Tibetan Buddhists, who had been waiting for his decision on whether the centuries-old institution would end with his death – a question he had earlier said he would re-evaluate around his 90th birthday.

Speaking from the crowds, Tenzin Nyidon, 26, originally from Odisha, eastern India, told CNN she holds his reincarnation “with deep respect” and raised concerns over China’s “attempts to politicize” this process.

“I feel that he has thoughtfully considered the future and made it clear that the decision will be guided by the Tibetan people and Buddhist traditions and not by any external political interference,” she added.

“At the same time, like many Tibetans, I do have concerns about China’s attempts to politicize the reincarnation process by potentially appointing its own dalai lama… Their appointment of a dalai lama would not only be a distortion of our faith but also a strategy to undermine Tibetan identity.”

Students wait in line for the gates to open at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex on Sunday.

Tibetan Buddhists believe in the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened spiritual master like the Dalai Lama dies, he will be able to choose the place and time of his rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.

But the religious tradition has increasingly become a battleground for the control of Tibetan hearts and minds, and experts expect that Beijing will seek to establish its own dalai lama after the current one – part of the party’s campaign to “sinicize” religion to ensure it aligns with Communist Party leadership and maintain its tightening grip over Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has previously stated that his successor will be born in the “free world” outside China, urging his followers to reject any candidate selected by Beijing.

Asked about the Dalai Lama’s latest statement on his reincarnation, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday reiterated Beijing’s long-held stance that the spiritual leader’s reincarnation must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, with search and identification conducted in China and approved by the central government.

Beijing has long sought to discredit the Dalai Lama and claims he is a dangerous “separatist.”

Since the 1970s, however, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he no longer seeks full independence for Tibet, but “meaningful” autonomy that would allow Tibetans to preserve their distinct culture, religion and identity. His commitment to the nonviolent “middle way” approach has earned him international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

As China’s political and economic clout has grown, however, the Dalai Lama’s global influence appears to be waning, especially as old age makes it difficult to sustain his extensive globe-trotting. The spiritual leader has not met a sitting US president since Barack Obama in 2016, after numerous visits to the White House since 1991.

On his birthday, however, heartfelt messages poured in from world leaders, politicians, lawmakers and artists in a video compiled by Tibet TV, run by the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Actor Richard Gere, right, kisses the the Dalai Lama's hand at an event celebrating his 90th birthday in Dharamshala, India, on Sunday.

Obama wished a “very happy birthday to the youngest 90-year-old I know,” and thanked the Dalai Lama for his friendship.

“You’ve shown generations what it means to practice compassion and speak up for freedom and dignity. Not bad for someone who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk,” he added.

Former US President Bill Clinton described the Dalai Lama as “one of the world’s greatest voices for peace, for dialogue, for understanding” whose teachings have “inspired millions to follow in your footsteps.”

He added: “In a time when we see the forces of division tearing at the fabric of our common humanity, we need your wisdom more than ever to remind us that what we share is more important than our interesting differences.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement on X: “I join 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday.

“He has been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline. His message has inspired respect and admiration across all faiths. We pray for his continued good health and long life.”

But in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama’s life and legacy were center stage on Sunday, a day Nyidon said “holds deep spiritual and emotional meaning for our community, symbolizing resilience and hope.”



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Camp Mystic says it’s grieving 27 counselors and campers

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Prime Day Anker Deals: Over 25 Discounts on the Best Mobile Accessories, Home and Security Tech Devices

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Amazon’s Prime Day sale brings around the next opportunity to score deals if you missed out on Independence Day shopping. Prime Day arrives tomorrow; however, brands like Anker are already offering discounts on their appliances, gadgets and devices. We’ve listed some early Prime Day deals below.

Note that some Anker power banks were part of a recent recall. So be sure to claim your free replacement or gift card if you own one of the affected devices sold between 2016 and 2022.

Also, don’t forget, Prime Day offers the chance to score some of the biggest discounts of the year. You can shop for price cuts on everything from vacuums to headphones and projectors. We will regular update this page and others, leading up to and throughout the entire sale, so be sure to check back often for all of the latest and greatest deals.

Best Prime Day Anker deals

Best Anker audio and video deals

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 is an excellent value according to our experts. It’s compact, IPX7 waterproof and has an impressive sound. It also has cool LED lighting and a solid battery life. The speaker even won an Editors’ Choice Award and is our favorite Bluetooth speaker overall this year.

More audio and video deals:

Best Anker mobile deals

This tiny three-in-one charging station is a must-have for frequent travelers. It has three wireless charging pads for your phone, smartwatch and earbuds and can deliver up to 15W of power. Plus, it’s just 2.3 inches when folded up, so it hardly takes up any room in your bag.

This Anker MagSafe power bank is one of our favorites of 2025, thanks to its support for Qi2 wireless charging and its slim design. It has a 10,000 mAh capacity and delivers 715W of power wirelessly or 30W of power via USB-C. It’s guaranteed to be a great add-on to your daily carry if you’re in the market for a power bank.

More mobile deals:

Best Anker home deals

With a 3-liter base station, this Eufy robot vacuum can run for up to 60 days maintenance-free. It also boasts 4,000 Pa of powerful suction and with a slim 2.8-inch design it can easily fit underneath beds, couches and other furniture. It can also map multiple floors of your home, which makes it easy to set custom cleaning schedules and no-go zones.

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When is Amazon’s Prime Day event?

The online retailer’s massive sale officially kicks off on July 8 this year and will run through July 11. However, the Fourth of July just passed and several retailers have been offering a massive slate of Independence Day deals as well. Amazon didn’t have an official Fourth of July sale but Prime Day deals have started already.

Are Amazon Prime Day deals worth buying?

Depending on what you are after, the short answer is yes. You can expect thousands of items to go on sale, including some deals that match or exceed the previous all-time low prices. Just note that Amazon stock can fluctuate wildly, which means there’s no telling how long the item will remain on sale or available. If you see a deal you don’t want to miss, we’d recommend taking advantage of those savings sooner rather than later.

Will other retailers be offering Prime Day deals?

While the official Prime Day sale is exclusive to Amazon, other retailers will absolutely be getting in on the action. Walmart has already announced that it will be having its own summer sale event that runs from July 8 to July 13 and it’s likely that at least a few other competitors will follow suit. For example, last year at this time we saw Best Buy launch a “Black Friday in July” sales event.

How we choose the best Amazon Prime Day deals

Many of us here at CNET have covered shopping events for several years, including Black FridayPrime DayMemorial Day and countless other sales. In that time, we’ve learned how to spot the best deals among a sea of thousands of superficial offers and scams and we only surface the best offers from trusted retailers. We look for real discounts, quality reviews and remaining sale time when choosing the best deals to show you. 

  • Real discounts mean genuine savings. We check pricing history for products listed as on sale so we know when it’s a case of an inflated list price rather than an actual discount. 
  • Quality reviews and testing are super important for any product. A discount isn’t worthwhile if it results in a subpar product experience, no matter how much you saved. 
  • Remaining sale time is important, too. Some deals are only around for a short time or may be limited in supply. If that’s the case, we’ll let you know upfront so you don’t come back to the deal later only to be disappointed. 





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Heart disease and BMI linked with increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women

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In postmenopausal women with heart disease, excess weight could be linked to an especially high risk of developing breast cancer, according to international researchers. The team looked at data from over 168,000 postmenopausal women who did not have type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease when they agreed to participate. After a follow-up of around 10 years, over 6,000 developed breast cancer, and the team found that in women who developed cardiovascular disease during the study, each 5 point increase in BMI was associated with a 31% higher risk of breast cancer when compared to women without cardiovascular disease.

Journal/conference: CANCER

Research: Paper

Organisation/s: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization



Funder: Funding was obtained from World Cancer Research Fund (UK), as part of the World Cancer Research Fund International grant program.

Media release

From: Wiley

How does body mass index affect breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women with and without cardiovascular disease?

Analysis shows that weight-associated breast cancer risk is higher in women with cardiovascular disease.

New research reveals that excess weight is linked to an especially high risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women with cardiovascular disease. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Although higher body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women, it’s unclear whether this risk differs among women with and without cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. To investigate, a team led by Heinz Freisling, PhD, of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization) analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) and UK Biobank on 168,547 postmenopausal women who did not have, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease when they agreed to participate.

After a median follow-up of 10.7 years in EPIC and 10.9 years in UK Biobank, 6,793 postmenopausal women developed breast cancer. In a pooled analysis of both studies, each 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with a 31% higher risk of breast cancer in women who developed cardiovascular disease during follow-up and a 13% higher risk in women without cardiovascular disease. The development of type 2 diabetes did not seem to affect breast cancer risk: women with or without type 2 diabetes had a similarly elevated breast cancer risk related to higher BMI.

The combination of overweight (BMI≥25 kg/m2) and cardiovascular disease was estimated to lead to 153 more cases of breast cancer per 100,000 people per year than expected.

“The findings of this study could be used to inform risk-stratified breast cancer screening programs,” said Dr. Freisling. “This study should also inspire future research to include women with a history of cardiovascular diseases in weight loss trials for breast cancer prevention.”



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