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TIN sources report that a Tibetan from Nenying in Khangmar Shen, Shigatse prefecture, passed away at the home of a relative on 27 September 2003, three days after being released following six months in detention.

On the occasion of Human Rights Day, a group of 100 Tibetans and supporters protested China’s information policy in Tibet. A banner saying “China: Tibet can’t be silenced.” was displayed outside the conference building of the World Summit on Information Society.

Exiled Tibetans are elated that an album of their monks' chants has been nominated for the most prestigious American music award - the Grammy - and they see the music's increasing popularity as a way to raise awareness of their culture and history.

Two former Tibetan political prisoners are to give a talk at the University of Nottingham about what happened to them in Chinese prisons. They will also meet Sir Colin Campbell, the vice-chancellor, to discuss the university's plans to open a Chinese campus.

There's no shortage of "Free Tibet" bumper stickers on East Bay thoroughfares. And one group takes that activism one step further. A Berkeley organization is preparing to send nearly200,000 books of Buddhist teachings to Tibetan refugees, part of a 12-year tradition.

A severely overloaded bus plunged into a valley in Tibet, killing 14 passengers and injuring 43, the official Xinhua News Agency reported today. The bus was carrying 64 people including two drivers - 20 people over its capacity - when it crashed early yesterday, the report said.

As we commemorate the 55th Human Rights Day on 10 December, it is a day to reflect upon the situation of the world in the year gone by and resolve further to work towards a more peaceful and free world.

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has urged Western countries not to consider Islam a "militant religion" and said all conflicts should be resolved through dialogue.

testing

President George W. Bush is expected to raise the issue of religious freedom with the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao, in the White House on Tuesday, following a decision by a US commission to call off a visit to China after it had been ordered not to speak to anyone in Hong Kong.