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"Beware the wild dogs," advises William Jans in his popular slide show on travel to Tibet. Because of the rocky terrain and lack of wood for cremation in the Himalayas, he says, the Tibetans dispose of their dead in what they call a "sky burial."

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend the annual Maha Guru prayer offering (Bumtsok- Tibetan Buddhist ritual that involves distribution of food and edibles on large scale to the devotees) at the Tsuglakhang main temple tomorrow.

First of all, I am happy to report, as has been widely covered in the press, that two of my envoys have re-established contacts with the Chinese authorities. These culminated in meetings in September last year and May/June of this year.

The Associazione Italia-Tibet celebrated the fifteenth anniversary since its establishment in 1988 last weekend on 27th and 28th September. The event was celebrated in the wonderful setting of Tibet House in Votigno di Canossa, near Reggio Emilia.

Tibetan Association of Southern California invited Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche during his visit near the city. On Sept 27th 2003 Sat. 8.00pm Samdhong Rinpoche met members of Tibetan Association of Southern California. Rinpoche briefed them on the policies of the KASHAG and the role of the Tibetan Government in Exile and people. Following his talk questions were asked 1) Recent issue of Kahsag and Chithue on TIBET FUND. 2) Regarding GADHEN PHODRANG CHOG-LAE NAMGYAL. 3) Recent delegation to China and Tibet. 4) Regarding Middle Path policy. 5) Tibet support Groups demanding on Tibet Independent, 6) Tibetan Support Group conference in Chex. Kalon Tripa Rinpoche answer all those above question with detail information. Rinpoche promised to comeback to California as official visit in near future. By Thepo Tulku California

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Patrick French, the prize-winning author, turned down the offer of an honour from the Queen for "his contribution to Indo-British relations" because he felt this might undermine his status as an independent writer, it was revealed today.

AT A CROSSROADS: Uighur men chat at a bazaar in Minfeng. China's Uighurs, who are of Turkic Muslim origin, face assimilation policies to force them to learn Chinese and end separatist activities. (ROBERT MARQUAND)

In the blurry quarter-light of dawn, a long line of Uighur men streams silently out of morning prayers at the Idkah Mosque - known as the "Mecca of Xinjiang." The men walk in twos and threes, wearing dark clothes and solemn expressions, and head off to work or homes.

The valley is nestled in the green Himalayan foothills, a wedge of cultivated land where the scenery is so idyllic and the wheat and highland barley grow so high that it is easy to overlook the tiny man sitting by the road with a black pig on his lap.