Cable Briefs

Press, 26 February 1980, Page 8

Cable Briefs

Tito ti’orse? President Tito has entered his seventh week in hospital still gravely ill and doctors disclosing no details of his condition. The 87-year-old President’s medical panel has issued one of. its briefest) daily bulletins,' saying only that his condition remained grave and “intensive treatment is being contfijued.’’ Doctors disclosed on Satur-i day that President Tito, eark ier reported suffering heart' and kidney, weaknesses, had also contracted pneumonia.—Belgrade. Ford accused

Black and mixed-raca workers . with the Ford Motor Company in South Africa are underpaid and subjected to racial dis-i crimination, the Institute,of Race Relations has said. Id also said black union leaders believed Ford’s industrial relations officers had close connections with South African security agencies. Ford,-, the firsts .American eoriipah'y in. Soutli ; -.ft) recognise an unofficial black trade union, invited the irn stitute to assess its Port! Elizabeth. ;plant, hit by a lengthy' strike .. last yeai! when- 700 blacks walked outl in protest against poor, pay, and alleged discrimination. The company decided, fo re< lease the report I itself to give “a bettei? . understanding’’ of the strike. —Johannesburg.

Siting to Labour Negotiations between the Liberals and the National Country Party on a new coalition government and its Ministry will begin this week after the state election in Western Australia on Sat’ urday. The coalition Government of the Premier (Sir Charles Court) survived a big swing to Labour to be returned for its third term. —Perth.

B/g oil spill A flotilla of tugs stood by yesterday- 'to combat a big crude-oil ’slick spilled into the sea from the Greeh tanker Irenes. Serenade which sank off the Greelt port of Pilos at dawn. A spokesman for harboui authorities said experts whc arrived from Athens hopeq to keep the slicks undel control. The /tanker, fully laden with 100,000 tonnes ol crude oil, caught fire after an explosion which killed it! first mate and a sailor, Th! other 28 members of -tht crew abandoned ship ani reached shore safely.—Pilos.