Man dies after self-immolation protest at UN in New York

A man died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Thursday evening. The incident, which occurred near the intersection of First Avenue and 42nd Street, was an act of protest related to China's governance of Tibet.

The New York Police Department responded to a 911 call at approximately 6:32 p.m. and found a man with severe burns. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have not officially released his identity, pending notification of his family.

Multiple reports, however, identified the deceased as Lobga Rangzen, a 52-year-old Uber driver who had lived in the United States for about two decades. According to a friend and activist groups, Rangzen was a Tibetan advocate protesting China's policies. Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, said Rangzen had been protesting a new Chinese law aimed at promoting ethnic unity, which critics argue undermines minority rights.

Video footage and witness accounts described Rangzen planting a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk before dousing himself with an accelerant and setting himself ablaze. The act was reportedly livestreamed on...