NEW DELHI — A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation made rare calls for Tibetan self-determination on Indian soil during a visit to the Dalai Lama’s Himalayan home on Wednesday, as speculation mounts over Tibet’s future.
Washington
U.S. lawmakers support Dalai Lama amid questions over Tibet’s future
The Communist Party-led Chinese government, which rules Tibet as an autonomous region, has insisted that it holds the power to effectively choose the Dalai Lama’s successor, a claim rejected by most Tibetans.
Tibet, a deeply religious Buddhist region, has traditionally used the practice of reincarnation to anoint its political leader. The Dalai Lama, or a committee of senior monks, is expected to choose a successor close to his death who is believed to be his reincarnation.
The Dalai Lama, who turns 89 in July, has long said that he may not be reincarnated at all, which would deny legitimacy to whomever Beijing chooses to be his successor in the eyes of many Tibetans.
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The U.S. delegation, which was led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) and included former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), told reporters Wednesday that U.S. support for Tibet remains steadfast and urged Beijing to engage in “unconditional dialogue” with the Dalai Lama.
The legislators also presented to the Dalai Lama, at his home in Dharamshala, a framed copy of the Resolve Tibet Act that was passed by Congress last week and represents a shift in U.S. policy toward Tibet. It states that Washington believes the dispute between Tibet and China remains unresolved in accordance with international law, and it rejects China’s claim that the Tibet issue is an internal matter and that Tibet has been part of Chinese territory since “ancient times.” President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law.
For decades, official U.S. policy has recognized Tibet as part of China.
“It is still my hope that one day the Dalai Lama and his people will return to Tibet in peace,” McCaul told reporters following the meeting, according to Reuters. He added that the United States “will not let” Beijing play a role in the selection of the Dalai Lama’s successor.
The Chinese government, which considers the Dalai Lama a separatist, asked the United States to stop meddling in Xizang — the Chinese name for Tibet — while its state media called the trip a U.S. effort to “contain” China.
“Xizang affairs are China’s internal affairs,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Thursday ahead of the meeting. “We urge the U.S. to clearly see the sensitivity and importance of Xizang-related issues … and stop sending out wrong signals to the world.”
Lobsang Gyatso Sither, a member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and director of technology at the Tibet Action Institute, a Tibetan advocacy group, said the presentation of the Resolve Tibet Act, which would challenge Chinese claims that Tibet has long been part of China, was significant and showed that the United States is no longer cowed by the Chinese government’s warnings and outrage.
“This is China’s playbook, and the world has wisened to it,” he said. “This no longer works.”
Indian officials did not comment on the visit, but the U.S. delegation’s trip was notable given that foreign officials visiting India are usually not permitted to address the media, particularly on political or human rights issues deemed sensitive by the New Delhi government. Pelosi has addressed public audiences on previous visits to Dharamshala, including a visit in 2017, when she called for an “autonomous, authentic” Tibet. But she and other U.S. lawmakers went further on this visit in calling for Tibetan self-determination.
“The People’s Republic of China must respect the rights of the Tibetan people under international law, including their right to self-determination,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said in a speech. “This is about basic human dignity.”
“The comments on self-determination appear to be a major departure, and what that exactly means needs to be studied,” said Srikanth Kondapalli, an expert on India-China relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University. He added that India tends to be “cautious” about the Tibet issue compared to Washington because of its ongoing border dispute with China, which takes place precisely in the Himalayan highlands once controlled by the ancient Tibetan kingdom.
“One of the issues India is concerned about is that the fallout over the territorial dispute and the military clashes,” Kondapalli said. “The U.S. doesn’t have a border with Tibet and China. It’s a luxury the United States has, unlike India.”
Following their Dharamshala visit, the U.S. delegation also held meetings in New Delhi with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and discussed the bilateral strategic relationship.
The Catholic archbishop of Washington DC on Wednesday removed a well-known priest as an exorcist of the archdiocese after he made public comments suggesting that UFO sightings were the work of demons.
Cardinal Robert McElroy said the archdiocese also was cutting ties with the St Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, a Washington-based non-profit headed by the priest, Monsignor Stephen Rossetti.
The archbishop said Rossetti’s statements “linking UFOs to demonic presence and the Center’s recent use of social media gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism”.
“There’s a danger here,” Rossetti said in a 29 May video posted on his Facebook page addressing UFO sightings and the existence of aliens. “As an exorcist I wanted to raise that danger. And that is that demons like to hide … They don’t want us to know what they’re doing because they’re more effective when we don’t realize it.
“They can kind of get into your head, you know, and manipulate things in the world to influence us to do evil.
“It’s my personal belief that probably many if not most of these UFO sightings are in fact demons,” Rossetti added.
Rossetti also said that people can be good Catholics and believe there’s life on other planets, though he does not personally believe life exists elsewhere.
In a statement posted on the St Michael Center website, Rossetti said he was saddened by the action of the archdiocese.
“I ask forgiveness for any ways that I have not been faithful to the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium, particularly in the cited video on ‘aliens and the demonic’,” he said. “I believe it is of the utmost importance to be obedient to the Church and I will continue to endeavor to subject all that I do and the Center to be thus obedient.”
Rossetti, who has more than 148,000 followers on Instagram, is a prominent psychologist as well as an exorcist. His center has specialized in offering spiritual healing for priests troubled by various difficulties.
In 2023, he told the Associated Press there was increasing and renewed appetite for information about demonic possession and exorcism.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping Darnell Washington around for another four years, signing the former third-round tight end to a contract extension, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Washington is the team’s third contract extension this spring, joining kicker Chris Boswell and edge rusher Nick Herbig. He’s the second member of the 2023 draft class after he and Herbig signed in back-to-back days.
Washington’s deal is worth $42 million and includes $21 million in guaranteed money.
Sources: The #Steelers and TE Darnell Washington have agreed to a 4-year, $42m extension.
The massive tight end has developed into a key piece of Pittsburgh’s offense and has been everything the Steelers hoped for when they drafted him. pic.twitter.com/PVLVF5Qh8S
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 4, 2026
The 6-foot-7 tight end out of Georgia found a nice groove for himself on the offensive side of the ball last season and became a reliable target for Aaron Rodgers while being used as a key piece to the running game. Under new head coach Mike McCarthy, Washington’s role is expected to grow even more.
“Love Darnell, he’s been here every day, in the classroom, good student, he’s a pro’s pro,” McCarthy said about Washington during minicamp. “I’ve been veryimpressed with him. He’s done everything we’ve asked. I know I keep saying this, it’s year one that you get to know your players, go to certain schemes, you may tilt one way or the other variations of schemes, and definitely we’ve been doing that with our tight ends, and he’s a big part of that reason.”
With Washington under contract for the next five years and Pat Freiermuth having three more years on his deal, the Steelers solidify their tight end room for the future. Both players will be heavily involved, as Freiermuth remains the top pass-catching option and Washington grows into an all-around weapon.
Steelers Moves Aren’t Done Yet
The Steelers aren’t done with their offseason extensions, either. Outside of Washington, Herbig and Boswell, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton and Spencer Anderson could all ink deals before the season.
Porter Jr. was the talk of the town heading into the offseason, but with a contract that is likely top five in the NFL at his position, it may take longer than hoped for the two sides to sign a deal. Both sides remain optimistic, but also realistic that it may take time.
As for Benton, the team is currently negotiating with him and he could be the next domino to fall in the signings. Don’t rule out Anderson getting a deal done as well.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) – The Washington County Sheriff’s Office released video of deputies using a drone to track down a man wanted for damaging a car.
On Saturday, May 30, a 911 caller reported a man damaging a car outside their home on Southwest 179th Avenue in Aloha. The sheriff’s office said it was reported the suspect, 21-year-old Santos Paulino Castro-Ramirez, was punching the car.
Deputies used a drone to follow the suspect as he ran toward Southwest Barcelona Lane. The sheriff’s office said Castro-Ramirez then entered a white SUV that did not belong to him on SW Barcelona.
Deputies arrested Castro-Ramirez. He was booked into the Washington County Jail for first-degree burglary and attempt to commit a crime – second-degree theft.
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