Cable briefs

Press, 22 October 1976, Page 5

Cable briefs

Three cleared Three Rhodesian black nationalists, two of them key military commanders, have been acquitted in the Zambian High Court of murdering the nationalist leader, Herbert Chitepo. Mr Chitepo, chairman of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Z.A.N.U.), was killed in a bomb explosion at his Lusaka home on March 18, last year. The three — Hosiahn Tongogara, former Chief of Defence in Z.A.N.U., Joseph Chimurenga Siwela. former Z.A.N.U. field commander; and Sadat Kufa Mazuba, former bodyguard to Mr Chitepo — have been in detention in Lusaka since shortly after Mr Chitepo’s death—Lusaka. Nuclear test The Soviet Union has apparently conducted an underground ndclear test at its Arctic test site, the United States Energy Research and Development Administration has said. It gave no idea of the size of the test—Washington. Election hint

The Indian Prime Minister (Mrs Indira Gandhi) has hinted that a General Election for India, already postponed for one year, may be put off once again. Speaking to a Congress Party meeting in Lucknow, she accused some foreign countries of supporting Opposition parties in India in the name of democracy, especially during an election.—New Delhi.

Pact ratified The United States has formally ratified a pact with 12 Latin American nations to prevent and punish acts of international terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. The United States became the sixth nation to ratify the pact, which was drawn up by the general assembly of the Organisation of American States and signed by 13 nations in 1971. The other countries that have ratified it are: ■ Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.— Washington. Two rescued Canadian rescue services have found 11 bodies and two survivors — including the captain — from the 15man crew of the Dutch freighter Gabriella, abandoned in rough seas off Newfoundland on Tuesday. Canadian coastguard and navy aircraft and ships yesterday were still searching for the two missing crew members.—Halifax, Nova Scotia. Chain-store aid

A United Nations agency has announced a programme to help developing countries sell their products through chain stores in industrialised nations. A chain store in each of the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark has so far pledged to join the scheme, Mr Peter Colberg, senior market development adviser for the International Trade Centre has told a press conference in Geneva.—Geneva.