Cable Briefs

Press, 12 June 1978, Page 8

Cable Briefs

Healing dvlay The Pakistani Supreme Court hearing of the death sentence appeal by the deposed Prime Minister, Zulfikar Aii Bhutto, will be adjourned for two weeks, the (Court has announced, lhe hearing, which began May 20, will continue until June 13. then will resume July 1. I the Court announced. The appeal is expected to last (several months. The Chief 1 Justice of Pakistan (Sheikh Anwarul) has orde-ed the break because he will be out of Pakistan, attending the seventh Asian jurists conference in Jakarta, Indonesia. — Islamabad. 'Rebels surrender' More than 1000 Muslim secessionist rebels, including 14 field commanders, have surrendered to the Philippine Army, according to the Defence Department. The armed forces chief of staff, General Romeo Espino, accepted their weapons and 1 administered the oath of allegiance to the Government. The rebels were considered one of the biggest groups of : Moro National Liberation ; Front members to surrender in the six vear Muslim rebellion in the southern Philippines. — Manila. Talks 011 refugees

The Bangladesh Foreign Secretary (Mr Tabarak Huslsain) has flown home after (inconclusive talks in Burma on repatriating about 200.000 (refugees who have fled into (Bangladesh in the last two months, and who Bangladesh (wants to send back. The refugees have alleged they were driven from their ; homes at gunpoint by Burmese troops in a concerted campaign against the counI try’s Muslim minority. They fled to makeshift camps on the Bangladesh border alleging murder, rape, and arson by the troops, charges Burma has flatly denied. Mr Hussain said Burma recognised the seriousness of the situation and keenly desired to maintain good relations. —Dacca. Huge drug haul The police involved in Australia’s biggest drug raid expect it to take several days before they can place an exact figure on the value of a haul of marijuana sticks seized in a pre-dawn raid on Saturday on the quiet seaside resort of Lake (Cathie, on the New South Wales north coast. The (street value of the drugs 1 was placed by agents, at imore than sAust4o million. ITie raid netted six men. two of whom were later charged (with being involved with a (prohibited import, and the | interception of a Queens-land-registered yacht south of Lake Cathie Four men (detained in the Lake Cathie (raid were still being questioned amid continuing inquires in Australia and overs seas. — Sydney.

Malaysian poll The Malaysian Prime Minister (Datuk Hussein Gan) has announced that the Federal Parliament and Legislative Assemblies in 10 states will be dissolved today to pave the way for a mid-term General Election, ending months of speculation about a snap poll. He said the Election Commission would announce dates for the nomination of candidates within the next two days. The election must follow within two weeks of the nomination. — Kuala Lumpur. Boy jailed A 14-year-old schoolboy who boasted to a friend, “How about I kill someone,” then stabbed a girl, has br er sentenced to 12 years jail on a charge of malicious wounding. Mr Justice Taylor, in the Central Criminal Court in Sydney described the attack in a church yard at night as “a quite appalling crime” which was without any motive. The girl, who suffered no serious lasting injury, was given the maximum of $4OOO in crimi-nal-injury compensation. — Sydney. ' Cen. Broun goes General George Brown will retire as chairman of the American joint chiefs of staff and from military service on June "0. the Defence Department says. The 59- . year-old general underwent an operation for prostate cancer in February but no further surgery is planned. ■ The Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Jones has been named to take over as chairman of the joint chiefs. During his nearly four vears as America's top military officer. General Brown . caused controversy with his ‘outspoken comments about American Jews and Britain’s armed forces — which he I described as largely made up 'of "generals, admirals, and bands.” — Washington. i Relief bore ! Technicians have been ■drilling a relief well in Iran’s south-western oilIfields to snuff out a fire iwhich has blazed away tens lof thousands of barrels of Soil in the last two weeks. ■ Working in searing summer heat, the drillers started boring the deviation well last (week, a spokesman for the I National Iranian Oil ComIpany said The well-head tire 'has killed seven people. It I could take up to six weeks to finish the job. — Tehe<ran.