Earth Hour around the world

Sydney’s Harbour Bridge (pictured) and Opera House went dark as Australians switched off lights around the country for an hour yesterday as part of a global effort to shine a spotlight on climate change.

Hundreds of major landmarks around the world, including Washington’s National Cathedral, the Great Wall of China and Tokyo Tower, were all dimmed at 8.30 p.m. local time.

The central Sydney landmarks have been taking part in the annual event since Earth Hour began as a Sydney-only event in 2007. Australia is among the first countries to hit the light switches each year. (PA)

Monks set themselves on fire

Two Tibetan monks – identified as Tenpa Darjey and Chimey Palden – set themselves on fire in a western Chinese city in the latest in a wave of self-immolations protesting against Chinese rule, exiled monks and a Tibet advocacy group said.

The conditions of the two monks were not known after the simultaneous immolations in Maerkang, London-based Free Tibet said.

The exiled monks in Dharmsala, India, said one protester died, and police took him and the other monk to a government hospital to prevent them from becoming a focus of larger demonstrations. (PA)

Cuba to mark Good Friday

Cuba’s President Raul Castro has decreed this year’s Good Friday a holiday, granting a request Pope Benedict XVI made during this week’s visit, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said yesterday.

The official newspaper said the decision was taken last Friday by the council of ministers, but Castro had told the pope moments before he left that his request would be granted.

Granma said Castro agreed that Good Friday on April 6 would be made a holiday “in consideration of His Holiness and the happy outcome of this transcendent visit to our country.” He said a decision on whether to make the holiday permanent would be left to the national leadership.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombard said the decision was a “very positive sign”.

“The Holy See hopes that this will be good for the participation in religious celebrations and Easter,” Lombardi said in a statement.

During the visit, Benedict criticized the US economic embargo on Cuba for imposing an “unfair burden” on Cubans, but also called for “respect and promotion of freedom.” (AFP)