Cable Briefs

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 8

Cable Briefs

Mae Best buried The organ softly played “Frankie and Johnny” and “St Louis Blues” and 95 mourners heard Mae West eulogized as “an. original and nobody’s copy.” The blonde star made her final appearance at the afternoon funeral in the Old North Church of Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. The satin-lined casket was open and Miss West , looked astonishingly youthful in platinum wig, full make-up and a jewelled white negligee,, the lower part of the casket covered with a blanket of white roses. — Hollywood. ,

Job to lose status President-elect • Ronald Reagan seems intent, on easing friction between the White House and the State Department over' foreign policy by downgrading the job of National Security Adviser. previously held by Henry Kissinger and now held by Zbigniew Brzezinski. But veterans 0f... the Washington bureaucracy say much will depend on the personalities and professional standing of. the two people Mr Reagan nominates to fill the job and that of Secretary of State. — Washington.

Rightist charged Turkey’s right-wing leader. Alpaslan Turkes, has gone on trial in a civilian court on minor charges of “insulting” the Government during a news conference in 1978. It was Mr Turkes’ first public appearance in court since he was detained by military authorities after the coup d’etat that toppled the civilian government on September 12. A public prosecutor demanded one to six years imprisonment for Mt Turkes, aged 63, on grounds that he “insulted and vilified” the Government of the then Prime Minister, Buien Ecevit, in 'October, 1978. — Ankara.

British M.P. fined The Labour member of Parliament George Morton, aged 40, who has admitted gross indecency with another man in a Manchester public lavatory, seems certain to receive a vote of confidence from local party officials. Mr Morton, the member for Manchester, Moss Side, and a bachelor, was fined $52. A 22-year-old computer controller, Martin Wannell, also pleaded guilty and received the same punishment. —London.