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Chinese set themselves on fire | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Three people have set themselves on fire in the Chinese capital, Beijing, state media says. | |
The group were in a car at a busy intersection near Tiananmen Square when they set themselves alight. | |
The fate of the group was unclear and no immediate motive was given for their actions. | |
There have been a number of self-immolation incidents in Beijing in recent years. Most involve petitioners with grievances at the government. | |
The state-run news agency, Xinhua, said it was not known if the three people survived. | |
Since the suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in 1989, Tiananmen Square has become a known venue for protest and its traffic is closely watched by the police. | |
One report suggested at least one of the men was a member of the Muslim Uighur minority from the north-west of China. | |
But others suggested a possible link to Tibet, which is marking its New Year holiday today. |