CABLE BRIEFS

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32494, 2 January 1971, Page 15

CABLE BRIEFS

Gifts for goddess About 500,000 voodoo cultists welcomed in the New Year along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, where they threw gifts into the Atlantic for the sea goddess Yemanja. Many Brazilians, including a large number of Roman Catholics, believe that Yemanja will decide their fortunes for the coming year, and to attract her favour, white-robed “priests” of the voodoo cult waded into the water, bearing lighted candles, gifts of white flowers, perfume and cosmetics, combs and mirrors, and rum and champagne.— Rio de Janeiro, January 1. Looking ahead

The Lockheed Aircraft Corporation is investigating the possibility of building a nuclear-powered airliner capable of flying 600 passengers non-stop to any city in the world at just under the speed bf sound. The world’s airlines are expected to fly 10 times as many passengermiies in the year 2000 as they do today, according to a corporation executive.—Burbank, California, January 1. Icy celebration

Twenty-five Russian men and women greeted the New Year by swimming across the freezing Moscow River, and then celebrated by drinking champagne. Moscow itself celebrated with the opening of a new underground railway line linking two suburban branches of the system with the centre. The new line, which has a station almost next to the Communist Party headquarters, brings the total length of tunnels on the Moscow Metro to 87 miles.—Moscow, January 1.

Pakistan embargo Pakistan has announced a complete ban on the import of cars as part of an embargo on imports of nonessential consumer goods during the January-June shipping period. Other items included in the ban are arms and ammunition, earthenware, china, porcelain, domestic air conditioners, electric accessories and domestic appliances, sewing machines and expensive clocks and watches.—lslamabad, January 1. Cheese project More cheese for Japan will soon be on its way from ■the Irish Republic. A new cheese-making factory, to be built jointly by Irish and Japanese interests at Letterkenny, in County Donegal, is designed to give Ireland a larger slice of the Japanese cheese market. The factory expects to produce 500 tons of “natural” cheese in its first year, and, within five years, to raise its production to 5000 tons a year. —Dublin, January 1. New president A gynaecologist with no known political affiliations, Professor Benjamin Sheares, has been elected unanimously by Parliament as Singapore’s President-elect. He will succeed the late President Yusof Bin Ishak, a former journalist who died last month after 11 years as the island’s first Head of State.—Singapore, January Road toll forecast The National Safety Council in America estimates that between 400 and 500 people will die and at least another 19,000 will be injured in traffic accidents in the United States during the New Year holiday weekend. The executive vicepresident of the council (Mr John Lawlor) forecasts that the combination of drinking and driving will be responsible for at least half of the fatalities and injuries.— Chicago, January 1. Soldier charged The Australian Army has laid three charges against a regular soldier after the shooting in Vietnam on Christmas Day of three sergeants, two of whom were killed. The Army headquarters in Canberra has refused to name the soldier or to disclose the nature of the charges, pending a summary of the evidence against him. —Canberra, January 1. Cheaper gas Domestic gas consumers in New South Wales have been promised 20 per cent cheaper bills because of an agreement for the supply of natural gas from South Australia. Rates for industrial users will also be greatly reduced. Under the agreement, natural gas will be piped over a 850-mile-long system from the Gidgealpa field, in the north-eastern comer of South Australia, probably by the end of 1972. —Sydney, January 1. Aust, prison reform Prisoners in Queensland will soon be able to continue or begin, university and technical college studies outside prisons. The state’s reformminded Minister of Justice (Dr Delamothe) says the plan is a natural extension of the state’s pioneer release-to-work scheme. Brisbane, January 1. Air travel forecast The International Air Transport Association forecasts that airline passenger traffic will increase 10 per cent to reach 265 million next year, but says that decreasing yields and rising costs this year have offset the financial advantages to be expected from increased traffic. The 1.A.T.A., which groups 107 airlines, has already decided to raise passenger fares in most parts of the world from April I.—Geneva, January 1. Safety move President Nixon has signed new legislation governing the occupational health and safety of nearly three-quar-ters of America’s 80 million working people. Its aims are to help to reduce the 14,000 industrial deaths and 2,500,000 job-related disabilities reported in the United States last year. The bill becomes effective within 120 days, and requires the Secretary of Labour to introduce its industrial health and safety standards within two years.—Washington, January 1. Gas to go The United States Defence Department has announced that the first shipment of mustard gas stored at the United States base on Okinawa will be moved from the island next month. The initial shipment of 150 tons of “mustard-filled munitions,” will be taken to Johnston Island, in the midPacific, on January 12. — Washington, January 1. U.S. population The United States begins the New Year with a population of 206.5 million or 2.27 million more than a year ago, the Census Bureau reports. The figure includes the population of 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the armed forces, and Federal employees and their dependants living abroad.— Washington, January 1.