Cable briefs

Press, 26 April 1989, Page 11

Cable briefs

Air collapse feared Australian travel agents yesterday urged a special levy on air tickets to protect travellers and agents against the certain collapse of some new airlines under the Australian deregulation of domestic aviation next year. The Federal Government should consider imposing the levy if the airlines failed to reach a voluntary agreement among themselves, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents’ domestic air chairman, Geoff Purnell, said. —Canberra. Anger over Royals Anger has been growing in Liverpool over the top Royals’ decision to stay away from the official Hillsborough memorial service to be held in Liverpool at the week-end. Only the Duke and Duchess of Kent will be there to remember the 95 who died in British soccer’s worst tragedy.—Liverpool. Human rights prize A $410,000 international prize for human rights, bearing the name of its initiator, the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, has been set up in Geneva, a member of the prize-giving committee, Jean Ziegler, said. Nelson Mandela, jailed leader of the African National Congress, would be the first prizewinner, said Mr Ziegler, a Swiss member of Parliament.—Geneva. Reactor to close West Germany will close its only high-temperature nuclear reactor, the news magazine "Der Spiegel” reported. The reactor is in Hamm-Uentrop, in Rhine-land-Westphalia. The magazine said the Federal Research Minister, Heinz Riesenhuber, has authorised the closing of the plant, primarily for safety reasons.— Hamburg. Dissolution in Egypt President Hosni Mubarak has dissolved Egypt’s upper house, the consultative Shura Council, and called for elections in June under a new system aimed at making it more democratic.—Cairo. Whalers welcomed Whaling supporters welcomed home the mother ship of Japan’s whaling fleet yesterday after a fourmonth hunt in the Antarctic in which it dodged protesters and killed 241 whales. The Nisshin Maru No. 3’s return marked the end of the second year of Japan’s controversial research whaling programme.—Tokyo. Taiwan protest Nearly 1000 farmers, students and environmental activists have marched through Taipei in protest at Government plans to build Taiwan’s fourth nuclear power plant.—Taipei. Concern on security The International Air Transport Association warned yesterday that security standards in the airline industry are not being properly applied in many parts of the world. A spokesman, David Kyd, declined to name the countries, saying “that would be a give-away to terrorists.”—Geneva. Thuggery excused A judge has condemned an unscrupulous employer for bad working conditions that turned two men affected by glue fumes into violent thugs. They brutally beat up a motorist, leaving him with brain damage, but were given suspended sentences. Judge Rucker said breathing in solvents 10 to 14 hours a day in confined spaces, sometimes seven days a week, caused them to lash out.—London. Time off for witch An Air Force woman who says she is a witch has been granted permission to observe her faith’s eight holidays. Airwoman Patricia Hutchins, aged 21, who says she has been a wiccan, or witch, for four years, asked the Air Force to allow her to take time off for religious holidays just as it does members of other religions.—San Antonio. Swan halfway to Pole The British-led Icewalk expedition to the North Pole has almost reached the halfway stage, according to the London organisers. The leader, Robert Swan, aged 32, reported that the eight-man team was 354 km through the 756 km walk to the North Pole.—London. Man a ‘public danger’ An Israeli bachelor has been jailed for 30 days because of his “permanent erection,” the “Al-Hamish- ■ mar” newspaper has reported. A court in Tel Aviv ruled that Ezra Ezra, aged 34, from Kiron in central Israel, was a “public danger” and should spend time behind bars.—Jerusalem.