Cable briefs

Press, 25 August 1988, Page 10

Cable briefs

Martial law ends

The embattled Burmese Government yesterday lifted martial law in the capital, Rangoon, as an estimated 200,000 people marched in peaceful protests. Radio Rangoon said martial law imposed three weeks ago on Rangoon and Prome, north of the capital, had been cancelled with immediate effect. The radio said the newly-installed leader, Maung Maung, the first civilian to head the Burmese Government in 26 years, would address his rebellious people in a nationwide broadcast.— Bangkok. Boost for Bush Kicking off a series of campaign events in his home state of California, President Reagan has signed a popular U.S. trade bill and given the Republican Presidential nominee, George Bush, part of the credit. “Our Administration and Congress have come together in an effort to ensure open markets around the world,” Mr Reagan told about 500 officials and

dockworkers gathered to watch the signing ceremony at Long Beach — Los Angeles.

Mob deaths

Five people died and 60 were injured when hundreds of people invaded a police station in Brazil and tried to lynch a man and a youth who murdered a 14-year-old girl in a Sao Paulo state town. A crowd of 500 on Monday night hurled Molotov cocktails and started a fire in the station where the two were being held. The two confessed on Sunday they had killed the girl.—Sao Paulo. Crash kills 11 At least 11 people were killed and 12 severely injured in a crash between a car and a Hungarian' tourist coach. Four helicopters and 20 ambulances sped to the scene, 20km east of Vienna. All the dead found so far were in the 50-seater coach, which was on its way to Hungary when its side was ripped open in the collision.—Vienna.

Gangs arrested Israel said it had arrested three Palestinian gangs in the occupied West Bank suspected of having hurled fire bombs at Israeli buses, incited protests and stabbed to death an Arab suspected of helping Israel. The army destroyed the houses of three suspects in Jalazoun refugee camp and confined 150,000 people to their homes in the occupied territories to prevent violence as residents staged a general strike in memory of Palestinians who died in jail.—Tel Aviv. Guards for Bhutto The Pakistani opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, has been given armed guards following the suspected assassination of President Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq. The police said they knew of no specific threat to the leader of the Pakistan People's Party but said the four guards were assigned as “a security precaution.” Ms Bhutto’s movements were not restricted, they said.—Karachi.