Global Briefs: China to pick Tibet’s next Dalai Lama

Tibet

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a Chinese Communist Party official said Aug. 5 that the next Dalai Lama will be revealed by the Chinese government, not by the Dalai Lama’s nonprofit. At his recent 90th birthday celebration in India, where he lives in exile, the Dalai Lama assured followers he’d be reincarnated after his death, but said an organization set up by him would have sole authority to find and identify his purportedly reincarnated successor. But China views the Tibetan leader, who has sought full autonomy for Tibet, as a political separatist and wants to bring Tibetan Buddhism and its global following under Chinese control. “The central government has the indisputable final say in the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama,” said local Communist Deputy Secretary Gama Cedain. China created the Tibet Autonomous Region after invading Tibet in 1950. —Jenny Lind Schmitt

The World Factbook-CIA; Center for Studies of New Religions

Italy

Right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Cabinet passed a draft law Aug. 4 that would more strictly ­regulate puberty blockers and hormones for minors experiencing gender dysphoria. The government says the bill is needed “to protect the health of minors.” In recent years, doctors in Scandinavia and the United Kingdom have called for more caution in transgender treatments for children and teens due to their potentially irreversible effects. Finland even required minors to receive psychological intervention prior to receiving hormone therapy. Most countries in Western Europe have laws reflecting a transgenderism-affirming stance, but Italy’s move marks a shift. Though the bill still requires the approval of Italian Parliament, many are confident Meloni’s majority coalition will ensure the law passes. —Elisa Palumbo

The World Factbook-CIA

Nepal

The government has announced plans to hire 36 nurses to work in hospitals around Nepal as specialists in breastfeeding. The positions, previously funded by USAID, were dropped earlier this year due to Trump administration funding cuts at the agency. Although multiple health programs in Nepal have lost funding, the government chose to invest in breastfeeding education because of the long-term health benefits associated with breastfeeding for infants and mothers. From 2011 to 2021, the percentage of babies in Nepal who were exclusively breastfed in their first five months decreased from 70% to 56%. The rate is lowest among women who are educated or well-off. By contrast, North America’s rate is just 26%. Globally, breastfeeding is on the increase compared with past decades. —Evangeline Schmitt

Associated Press / Photo by David Keyton

Antarctica

In early August, regulators shut down krill fishing near Antarctica four months early after trawlers hauled in a record annual catch. A vital food source for many seabirds and marine mammals—notably whales—krill are an economic hot commodity, used as a source of omega-3 oil in pet food and dietary supplements. Last year, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, made up of over 20 member states including the United States, Russia, and China, failed to renew a management plan that limited krill harvesting to certain areas. As a result, a surge in krill harvesting has produced a 620,000 metric ton catch, triggering an unprecedented season shutdown. —Evangeline Schmitt

Marcela Villatoro Marvin Recinos / AFP via Getty Images

El Salvador

The Trump administration on Aug. 5 voiced unusual support for a series of constitutional amendments that remove presidential term limits in the Central American country. The July 31 reforms also extend presidential periods, abolish run-off elections, and move forward the next presidential election from 2029 to 2027. In a speech, opposition leader Marcela Villatoro said “democracy in El Salvador has died,” alluding to President Nayib Bukele’s chance to stay in power. But the U.S. Department of State rejected “the comparison of El Salvador’s … legislative process with illegitimate dictatorial regimes elsewhere in our region.” Bukele has claimed he will not run for a third consecutive term. —Carlos Páez

The World Factbook-CIA

Zambia

The U.S. Embassy declared a health alert Aug. 6, ordering its staffers to withdraw from Kitwe town and also avoid food and water from the region. In February, 50 million liters of heavy metals and toxic waste spilled from a Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine tailings dam. Fish and maize crops subsequently died, and drinking water for 700,000 people was contaminated. The Zambian government claims tests show water pH levels now meet World Health Organization standards, but the U.S. Embassy says new information shows the extent of hazardous substances and possible airborne contaminants. The Zambian government is aiming to quadruple copper production amid increased demand, but the country has suffered four mining spills this year alone. —Amy Lewis