Cable Briefs

Press, 5 July 1978, Page 8

Cable Briefs

I Publicity stunt 1 More than 500 people turned up at a Darwin park yesterday after organisers of the Campaign for a Indepen-* dent East Timor threatened to napalm a dog to protest against allyed American involvement in the bombing of civilians in East Timor. The threat was only a publicity stunt, however: the intended victim was a fluffy toy dog owned by one Of the organisers. And even it was not burned: the Darwin Fire Brigade had instructions to turn its hoses on the crowd if anything at all was set on fire. As the spectators left some were heard expressing genuine disappointment that no live dog had been lit. — Darwin. Economy drop The United States Government has said that its index of leading indicators declined 0.1 per cent in May. reinforcing predictions of slower economic growth in the second half of the year. The index is a combination of signs that are intended to predict economic performance. The May fall was the first since a 1 per cent drop in January at the start of severe winter weather. It usually takes several months to establish a trend. — Washington. Vote /nils Italian politicians have failed for the seventh time to elect a new president after another round of inconclusive backstage negotiations. The ruling Christian Democrats, rejecting the Socialists’ call for the election of 81-year-old Sandro Pertini, abstained in the electoral college vote and proposed talks with other parties to agree on a candidate. Mr Pertini said he did not want to become a formal candidate until the other main parties agreed on him and the Socialists cast blank votes. — Rome. Singh support The ousted Indian Home Minister, Charan Singh, has continued to rally support around him as the crisis within the ruling Janata Party drags on. The AIN India Kisan Sammelan (farmers’ conference) called on farmers throughout the country to join a mass rally in New Delhi on July 17 — opening day of a new Parliamentary session — in protest against the sacking of Mr Singh and his chief supporter, the Health Minister, Raj Narain, last Friday. — New Delhi. Charles defended A leader of Roman Catholic moves towards church unity has defended Prince Charles in the row over his remarks about doctrinal differences and the “needles; distress” they cause many people. Canon Richard Stewart, secretary of the Ecume nical Commission of Roman Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, said the Prince “was not setting out t< make a precise theologica statement, but was voicinf impatience that many people feel at Christian divisions These are the feelings wit! which the churches sympathise, and that is precisely why we are working oi things ecumenical,” he said — London.