Cable Briefs

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 8

Cable Briefs

‘Obserrer’ call The general-secretary of the National Graphical Association (Mr Joe Wade) has warned that the threatened closing of the “Observer” newspaper might be brought forward from October 19 because of a run-down in advertising. He called for direct talks with Atlantic Richfield, which owns the paper, in a last bid to save the “Observer.” He did so after failing to persuade 25 machine managers, members of his union, to accept the “Observer” management’s pay offer. — London. Flood toll 430

The flood death toll in India’s Northern Uttar Pradesh state has reached 430, according to the Press Trust of -India. An estimated 6.5 million people in at least two-thirds of the state were • affected by monsoon floods, ‘ the ; Ganges River threatening the ancient Hindu city of Varanasi (Benares), and Mirzapur. Flood control forces fought to save waterbattered embankments. Damage in the state was estimated at $27 million. — New Delhi.

Mafia round-up The Italian police have arrested 30 suspected gangland figures, in a two-day sweep of the hills and countryside in southern Calabria. Three men slipped through the dragnet and were at large. Authorities said the arrests were made after the killing of a local Communist leader last month and a series of attacks against a Romebased construction companj f , actions believed staged by the Calabrian Mafia. The company, which is building a highway, received threats demanding more than $1 million in protection money — Reggio, Calabria.

Guerrillas free pair A wealthy Englishwoman and, her son, captured seven months ago by Communist guerrillas and held for ransom, have been freed and are in good health, the office of the Colombian President (Mr Julio Cesar Turbay) has said. Mrs Teleri Jones, aged 43, arid her son, Owen, aged 17, “returned safe and sound yesterday to their ranch in the area of Chiriguana,” a spokesman said. The Colombian Army believed that Mrs Jones and her son were held in Venezuela, close to the Colombian border, after being kidnapped on January 4. ■ — Bogota

Defence man charged

A top official of the West German Defence Ministry has been charged with corruption in taking more than $60,000 in bribes from a Dutch firm trying to secure orders, ■ according to ; the Bonn Public Prosecutor’s Office. The official, head of an armaments research unit at the Ministry, was 'alleged to have received -the money from the firm, between April, 1970, and December, 1976. The unnamed firm paid him $715 a month for “professional services”, the office said. —r Bonn

Israeli vice scandal Several high ranking Israeli military officers 'are being ' investigated l on charges of accepting bribes from leaders of. organised crime in Israel and participating in orgies, the-Israeli; press has - reported. No names have been mentioned while the inquiry, 7 ordered by the- Israeli chief-bf-staff (Lieutenant-General Raphael Eytan) -is in progress. But official; military sources said that one of the officers, a brigadier-general,-, :had been discharged. The' investigation was prompted by a letter from a- soldier .denouncing his officer’s activities, a newspaper reported. The evidence included compromising photographs of several officers “in the company of young women of little virtue.” The photos , were taken during orgies, organised in a hotel owned by a man often referred to as the head of organised crime in Israel. L— Tel Aviv.