Today marks the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama, a spiritual icon, a refugee, and the voice of a nation in exile. For decades, the world has wondered: What happens after him? Now, for the first time, the Dalai Lama has given a definitive answer, his spiritual lineage will continue, and his successor will be born in the “free world.” This is not just a religious statement. It’s a direct challenge to China.Beijing has flatly rejected his claim, insisting that the next Dalai Lama must be approved by the Chinese Communist Party. That sets up a high-stakes clash between monks in exile and a government that doesn’t believe in religion. And between India, the host of the Tibetan exile government, and China. To break this down, we speak to Dr. Jagannath Panda, expert on Indo-Pacific strategy. How might India respond? Could there be two Dalai Lamas? And what’s really at stake in this ancient-modern standoff?#DalaiLama90 #Tibet #IndiaChina #TibetanBuddhism #FreeTibet #DalaiLamaSuccessor #ReincarnationRow #Geopolitics #TibetanExile #ChinaTibet #XiJinping #IndoPacific #SouthAsia #Dharamshala #BorderPolitics #AsianFlashpoint #ReligiousFreedom #VoiceForTheVoiceless #TibetIssue #IndiaChinaTensions #HumanRights #PanchenLama #BeijingPolicy #NewColdWar #TibetUprisingDay #AnanyaDutta

In this episode of Point Blank, Hindustan Times Executive Editor Shishir Gupta delves into the escalating tensions between China and the Tibetan Buddhist community following the Dalai Lama’s recent succession declaration. The 14th Dalai Lama said the institution will continue after him, and added that his successor will be chosen by a trust he founded, not by the Chinese authorities.

With his 90th birthday approaching, the Dalai Lama’s announcement directly challenges China’s efforts to assert control over Tibet and its spiritual leadership.

So why is atheist China rattled by the Dalai Lama’s announcement? What does this mean for India-China ties? Watch this episode of Point Blank for all the details.POINT BLANK#China #Tibet #DalaiLama #India #Buddhism #HindustanTimes

Syria’s civil war is over. Assad is gone. But a new chapter has begun, one that’s raising eyebrows across the Middle East. The United States is lifting sanctions. Israel is pushing for peace. And Syria, broken and broke, is being nudged toward normalisation with a country it once called its enemy. So what’s really going on?In this episode of Grey Zone, Ananya Dutta breaks down how Trump flipped U.S. policy overnight, why Israel is piggybacking on the opportunity, and what Syria could lose in the name of “peace” including the Golan Heights. From backchannel deals via the UAE to raw anger on Syrian streets, we unpack the real motives behind the diplomacy, the risks Syrians now face, and the uncomfortable trade-offs ahead. Is Syria selling its sovereignty for sanctions relief?Will the Golan Heights be the price of reintegration?And who benefits the most - Damascus, Tel Aviv, or Washington?#Syria #Israel #Trump #GolanHeights #MiddleEast #GreyZone #Geopolitics #Normalization #AbrahamAccords #Damascus #Assad #HTS #AlJolani #Iran #Russia #USForeignPolicy #SanctionsLifted #ArabWorld #UAE #BasharAlAssad #MiddleEastPolitics #PeaceDeal #IsraeliFlag #Diplomacy #SyriaWar #AnanyaDutta