Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama has pointed to what he called China’s “ruthless policy” as prompting the recent deaths of Tibetan monks who set themselves on fire in protest. He called on Beijing to change its approach to ruling over the Himalayan region.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was speaking during a trip to Japan to visit victims of this year’s devastating tsunami.
At least nine Tibetans in their late teens and 20s have self-immolated since March in protest at Chinese rule. Many Tibetans consider the Dalai Lama as their rightful leader. Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of encouraging the immolations.
Air France flights hit by staff strike
Air France said yesterday it has cancelled about 20 per cent of its flights due to a strike by flight attendants.
The action is affecting mostly short- and medium-haul flights out of French airports, but 10 long-haul flights were also cancelled yesterday.
The airline said the situation at Paris’s main airport, Charles de Gaulle, was largely normal, with most passengers on cancelled flights rebooked on other airlines. At the capital’s Orly airport, however, about 200 passengers were waiting to be rebooked.
The strike, in protest against cuts to cabin crews, comes during an extended school holiday and at the start of a long weekend in France. Tuesday is a public holiday and many people go away for the four-day weekend.
Three killed in knifeman rampage
Three people were killed and at least two others seriously injured when a man went on a stabbing rampage at his apartment building, Spanish officials said yesterday.
An Interior Ministry official said the suspect left his upper floor apartment in the eastern city of Valencia late on Friday and went downstairs knocking on doors at random as he descended.
The occupants of one apartment opened the door and the suspect knifed and killed a 50-year-old man and his 13-year-old son. He also seriously injured the man’s 48-year-old wife.
The official said that elsewhere in the building a 77-year-old woman was stabbed to death and a 44-year-old man was seriously injured.
The man has been arrested, but a motive for the attack has not been given.
Commander admits raping sailors
A US Navy commander will serve more than three years behind bars after admitting sexual assault and raping two of his female sailors.
A military judge ordered Jay Wylie’s dismissal and sentenced him to confinement.
Navy spokeswoman Sheila Murray said Wylie was sentenced to 10 years, but would serve 42 months as part of a plea deal.
During the San Diego, California, hearing, the judge also ordered that Wylie forfeit future benefits.
He was immediately sent to the brig at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.
His lawyer Jeremiah Sullivan said Wylie was extremely remorseful.
Mr Sullivan said the dismissal case would be appealed, but only because all dismissal cases automatically go through such a process.
Gaza blast kills five
Five men have been killed in an explosion at a militant training camp in the southern Gaza Strip, a Palestinian medical official said.
Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Adham Abu Salmia said the blast happened inside a training site for militants from the Islamic Jihad group. He said 11 other men were injured in the blast.
The Israeli military said it carried out an air strike against the militants but would not elaborate.
Nuclear offer
Japan and India are moving forward on a deal for Tokyo to provide nuclear plant technology to India despite widespread worries about safety after the March 11 disaster triggered by a massive tsunami.
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told reporters that agreement was reached at a meeting in Tokyo with his Indian counterpart, SM Krishna.