A bone discovered in Taiwan turns out to have belonged to a Denisovan, a lineage previously identified only thousands of miles away.

Mr. Thondup’s influence in Tibet has been seen as second only to his younger brother, Tenzin Gyatso, the exiled head of Tibetan Buddhism, whom he spent decades trying to help return to their homeland.

The hydropower dam, in quake-prone Tibet, is set to be the world’s biggest. But China has said little about the project, which could affect nearby countries.

The spiritual leader of Tibet has published amply but seldom written in depth about politics. Now, as he approaches 90, he shares a detailed and personal account of his decades dealing with China.