Cable briefs

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 8

Cable briefs

Popular lecture Soviet students were yesterday given a rare insight into the workings of the British media. Journalists from the Press Association news agency, “The Times,” the “Sun” and the “Daily Mail” gave the first lecture on British journalism to 500 students at Moscow’s State University. The surprise invitation to the reporters covering the five-day trade mission to the Soviet Union, by the British Energy Secretary, Cecil Parkinson, came from the head of the university’s faculty of journalism. Students filled a lecture hall to capacity and eagerly snapped up copies of British newspapers not on sale in the city.—Moscow. Crash kills 22 All 22 people aboard a French airliner were killed when it crashed into a mountain in the French Alps. The Europe Aero Service Fokker-27 was on a scheduled flight from Paris to Valence in south-east France when it crashed about 25km from its destination. Rescuers said the 19 passengers and three crew would have died instantly when the twin-prop Fokker crashed into a cliff and exploded.—Col Tourniol. Guest missing Everyone who is anyone in British theatre went to Sir John Gielgud’s 85th birthday party except the guest of honour. The actor sent a message from his home in Aylesbury near London, saying “I can’t face birthday celebrations and I dread making speeches.” Plans had been made to honour him at a lunch in London attended by 350 show business celebrities who went ahead with their tributes anyway.—London. Disastrous start A motor-cycle courier’s first day ended in disaster when she lost a vital package worth more than £200,000 ($NZ566,000). Exclusive film belonging to Chubb Security fell off the motor-cycle of Lisa Osbourne, aged 20, as she travelled between two colour laboratories in West Sussex. As she was confined to a desk job at the courier firm in Portslade yesterday, her employer was facing a legal claim for almost £500,000 (5NZ1.415,000) and police forces were on alert for the missing pictures.—London. Families to sue The families of people killed in the bombing of a Pan American Boeing 747 over Scotland in December have decided to sue the airline in the United States, a lawyer said. Chris Erving said the move was agreed on Monday by lawyers representing families of those killed in the aircraft and residents of the town of Lockerbie who were injured or lost relatives when houses were hit by wreckage. “We're very disappointed we’ve effectively had no response from Pan Am's underwriters to our letters ... It seems they're not anxious to negotiate, so we havelo go to the courts." he said.—London. *