April 6, 1959
COLD WAR: London, 1 – Following incidents between US military aircraft flying toward Berlin and Russian fighter jets, after Russia demanded that Allied planes fly at elevations below 3,000 feet, a US representative in Berlin said the best altitude for Hercules C-130s to fly was 6,500 to 10,000 feet. US authorities are awaiting instructions from Washington before sending a second C-130 to Berlin, when Russia’s intentions with regard to creating conflict will become evident. In East Berlin, a spokesman for the Soviet Embassy warned today that there could be complications in the event that the USA does not comply with its warning to fly below 3,000 feet in the three air corridors between Berlin and West Germany. PANCHEN LAMA: Communist China announced that it has installed a new regime in Tibet, which is headed by the pro-Communist Panchen Lama, 21, the Dalai Lama’s rival. The move has been expected since 1950, when the Dalai Lama began to oppose the invasion of Tibet by Chinese communists. The Panchen Lama is the spiritual equal of the Dalai Lama, but has never exercised any political power. The two spiritual leaders are believed to be incarnations of the two great disciples of Je Tsongkhapa, a 15th-century Tibetan holy man.
