CABLE ITEMS IN BRIEF

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33360, 19 October 1973, Page 11

CABLE ITEMS IN BRIEF

28,000 home More than 28,000 people have returned home in the United Nations’ three-way repatriation of Bengalis and Pakistanis since September 29. About 14,000 Bengalis have been sent home in exchange for more than 7000 Pakistanis, and India has sent home more than 7000 of the Pakistani prisoners of war and civilian internees she held. —Lahore, October 18.

Pontifical proposal Pope Paul has called for an immediate reform of the conditions now faced by Europe’s growing number of migrant workers, and has suggested the drafting of a “migrant workers’ charter.” The Pontiff said: “Worker migration has taken on giant proportions in Europe’s highly-industrial countries, creating such problems that some people are asking: ‘Would it not be better to export factories, rather than to import men?’ Such a document as a workers’ charter would guarantee the rights of migrants to respect for their own personalities, to security of work, to training, to family life, to education adapted to the needs of their children, to social security, and to freedom of expression and association.” —Rome, October 18. Pablo Casals The world-famous cellist, Pablo Casals, whose heart condition is steadily deteriorating, is reported to be in a grave condition in the Auxillio Mutuo Hospital, San Juan. He is 96.—San Juan, October 18. Elvis Presley The American singer, Elvis Presley, who is 38, is in hospital again with pneumonia. Pleurisy forced him to cancel his final three appearances last May at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. —Memphis, Tennessee, October 18. Tran Van Huong Vice-President Tran van Huong of South Vietnam is reported to be seriously ill in hospital, suffering from kidney, lung, and diabetic trouble. He is 69.—Saigon, October 18.

Noise and sex Amid laughter in the House of Commons yesterday, a Labour Opposition member called for a Government study into the relationship between continuous noise in factories and the desire, or lack of it, to make love. An unsmiling Mr Tom Tomey (Bradford S.) said that a recent report compiled by West German doctors had stated that industrial noise could take away the desire for love-making, and cause impotence. “Do you realise the effect that this could have' on family life?” he asked. Mr Robin ChichesterClark, a Junior Minister, replied that this was an emotive subject best left to investigation by an independent body.—London, October 18. Commons complaint Two British Parliamentarians complained yesterday that the Irish Republic had issued a postage stamp showing the whole of Ireland in one colour, and with no border between the Republic and Northern Ireland. Both Protestant Unionists from Ulster, the two members called in the House of Commons for a British Government protest to Dublin, but the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign Office (Mr Anthony Royle) told them: “The stamp marks the centenary of the World Meteorological Organisation, and shows a meteorological map of Western Europe. No international frontiers are shown. There has been no protest, nor do we intend to make one." — London, October 18.

Exile’s return Mr Constantine Mitsotakis, a former Greek Cabinet Minister, has returned to Athens from Paris after about six years of self-im-posed exile abroad. Mr Mitsotakis, a Liberal politician and former Minister of Finance and Co-ordination, left Greece a few months after the Army seized power in April, 1967.—Athens, October 18. Grechko honoured The Soviet Union Minister of Defence (Marshal Andrei Grechko) has been awarded his second Gold Star, to mark his seventieth birthday. Given his first 15 years ago, he has been further decorated “for the development and strengthening of the armed forces,” according to the official citation.—Moscow, October 18. Obituary

The Austrian writer, Ingeborg Bachmann, who was burned when her nightdress caught fire three weeks ago, died in a Rome hospital last night, at the age of 47. When she was taken to hospital, friends said that she had apparently fallen asleep with a lighted cigarette between her fingers The bums led to a blood infection, and her doctors were never optimistic about her recovery Miss Bachmann’s volume of poetry, “Die Gestundete Zeit,” brought her acclaim 23 years ago, but since then her fame had rested mainly on short stories, the bestknown collection of which was called, in English, "The 30th Year.” Her novel, "Malina,” published two years ago, was a best-sell-er.—Rome, October 18.