CABLED BRIEFS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32164, 6 December 1969, Page 13

CABLED BRIEFS

’Quake Hits Town

An earthquake early yesterday rocked the central Jugoslav town of Banja Luka, which was nearly wiped out by two earthquakes in late October. No casualties or serious damage were reported.—Belgrade, December 4.

Volcano Threatening

The Philippines Commission on Volcanology today ordered the evacuation of six villages near the Taal volcano in Batangas Province, south of Manila, because the volcano was threatening to erupt violently.—Manila, December 5. Franco 77

General Francisco Franco celebrated his seventy-seventh birthday yesterday amid increasing speculation that he will retire within six months and allow Prince Juan Carlos de Bourdon to become Spain’s first king for nearly four decades.—Madrid, December 5. Liver Transplant Surgeons have transplanted the liver of a chimpanzee into a boy aged seven months, officials at the University of Colorado medical centre announced. The patient, who was not identified, remained in critical condition after the operation. He was surviving with the aid of a respirator.— Denver, Colorado, December 5. By-election Defeat The British Labour Party today suffered its fifteenth defeat in 34 by-elections since the last General Election three years ago. The marginal seat of Wellingborough, a country town in central England, went to a Conservative challenger, Mr Peter Fry, who won a majority of more than 6000.—Wellingborough (England), December 5. W.E.IJ. Proposal Mr Pierre Harmel, the Belgian president of the ministerial council of the Western European Union (W.E.U.), yesterday submitted to his six partners proposals to enable France to participate again in all the W.E.U.’s work, a Belgian spokesman said. Because of a dispute over procedures, France has boycotted the work of the council of the W.E.U. which links Britain and the six Common Market States.— Brussels, December 5.