Cable Briefs

Press, 17 April 1979, Page 9

Cable Briefs

i Jackson floods \ The Pearl River, Mississippi, enlarged by last week s ■ heavy rains, has sent murky I flood waters into Jackson, I the capital city, leaving businesses abandoned and forcing an estimated 15,000 people (from their homes. On a sunny day, residences in well-to-do (areas and along shanty-lined (streets alike were inundated with almost three metres of water as the Pearl emptied into the eastern rim of the city and crept into parts of the centre. — Jackson.

Train-crash 101 l 18 i Two runaway locomotives slammed into a train bringjing Easter holiday-makers to (Mexico City from the Gulf ; Coast city of Vercruz. The (Red Cross says 18 persons (were killed, and at least 70 (hurt, — Mexico City. : Jury-change likely The New South Wales (Cabinet is expected to decide today whether to change legislation, now before Parliament. which would end trial by jury for some whitecollar crimes. One option before the Cabinet would give a defendant an option of appearing before a judge and jury or having the case heard by a judge alone. The New South Wales AttorneyGeneral (Mr Frank Walker) has argued that the trial-by-jury system breaks down when dealing with corporate crime, saying that long proceedings cost the public and the defendant large sums of money and complex evidence is beyond the grasp of must jurors. — Sydney. Riots toll 104

The official death toll has mounted to 104 in savage fighting between Hindus and Muslims in the north-east India town of Jamshedpur as one person was stabbed to death and the police recovered three decomposed bodies. Three persons were injured when policemen opened fire to break up a group of rioters on the fifth day of the inter-communal violence, the worst in India for about 10 years. Fighting broke out last Wednesday after Muslims objected to a Hindu religious procession passing through their area. More than 270 people are in hospital with gunshot and stab wounds. Some 25,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, and are being looked after in camps under heavy police guard. — New Delhi.

Liberia violence Thirty-two persons have been killed, and 200 injured, in violence sparked by protests against the announcement of a possible increase in the price of rice. More than 90 per cent of the capital’s stores were damaged — many of them destroyed — by rioters. An informed source estimated the damage at up to S4OM. — Monrovia. Ministers stay

The Pakistani military ruler, General Zia-Ul-Haq, faced with the threat of a walk-out by more than half his civilian Cabinet, has persuaded Ministers to stay on for a few days until he can form a new Government, informed sources say. The Pakistan National Alliance decided on Sunday to with-! draw its 13 members from the 22-strong Government, apparently because they feared being linked with the execution earlier this month I of the former Prime Minister ■ Zulfikar A 1 i Bhutto. — Islamabad. Refugees defiant A Vietnamese refugee boat with about 570 people on board has defied a police warning and sailed into Hong Kong, whose refugee transit camps are already filled to the brim. A Government spokesman said the 37 metre vessel had been intercepted by a Navy patrol craft in international waters just outside Hong Kong, and it had dropped anchor there. Marine police launches sped to the scene. But after standing off for several hours, the refugees taised anchor and sailed into Hong Kong despite a police warning that they had no permission to enter. — Hong Kong. Papal message

Pope John Paul II has appealed for peace and respect for human rights in his Easter message delivered to 350,000 pilgrims and tourists in St Peter’s Square. He called Easter “the day of universal hope.” As the festive crowd, one of the largest in Vatican history, called out “Viva il Papa” (“Long live the Pope”) and held up their national flags, the Pontiff gave Easter greetings in 32 languages, apologising if |he misprounced any. The (Pope wished peace to all those who suffer, are humiliated, disappointed, oppressed, repressed, and to those whose human dignity is violated. —Rome. Bangladesh Council President Ziaur Rahman has appointed a 42-member Council of Ministers and has sworn them into office. President Rahman, who also heads the Bangladesh Ministries of Defence and Science and Technology, appointed Vice-President Justice Abdus Sattar as the Minister Of the I Law and Parliamentary Af- | fairs in the new Cabinet. — Dacca.