THE US ELECTION SCENE warmed up, with the Democrat Convention
in Atlantic City heralded by threats of racial riots and by publication of the Johnson family accounts, showing a fortune of Just over CI million. Meanwhile Mr. Robert Kennedy decided to fight for a Senate seat; in Southern Rhodesia Sir Roy Welensky found that he was to be opposed in his October I by- election by the Deputy Prime Minister. At home the Liberals added a novel twist to the election scene by promising to print some leaflets in Urdu. During the election campaign Mr. Grimond is to make 100 speeches, none of them in Urdu.
'DRUGS SPLIT LABOUR says Barber': but the press headline covered the Minister of Health's attack on the Opposition's health plans. This week also the Minister of Labour promised an inquiry into the trade unions, and though the TUC showed little alacrity in accepting, its secretary, •Mr. Woodcock, claimed that in view of recent Lords decisions the threat to strike was now actionable. Nevertheless. TV technicians did threaten to strike. Police put in a 10 per cent pay claim, and the Postmaster-General insisted that the recent Postal stoppage would not mean higher charges. In between worrying about the .trade gap, Mr. Maudling told young actors to quit his flat in London, and the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions received notice to quit its new premises after two months to make way for housing.
cYPaus was little more optimistic, with President Makarios replacing his food blockade of 'Turkish Cypriots with tight food rationing. Mean- while Greece and Cyprus announced they would take the problem to the UN General Assembly. and the President attacked the `fraudulent solu- tions of self-appointed mediators.' U Thant com- mented that the UN force was in debt : defaulting countries on payment included the US (£1.35 million) and the UK (£0.7 million). Russia launched three space, satellites and the US is this Year to send two unmanned craft on a nine- month journey to Mars. Equally unconventional was the US Army's award of a /62.000 contract, to a Philadelphia firm for 'a. research programme of training birds for field surveillance.'
•
JUST LIKE OLD TIMES in the Congo, with Mr. irshombe bringing in highly paid mercenaries to lead his attack on the rebels. Three days' fighting in Bukavu was reported to have resulted in 300 rebel deaths. In South Vietnam Presidint Khanh resigned after five days of student rioting. Mean- While ex-President Peron of the Argentine gave another promise of returning from exile this Year. Malta is to become independent on -September 21. and Court circles in Norway banned any romance between the Crown Prince and a commoner.
THE HOTTEST DAY for three years was regi;tered in 'many parts of England. In Southern Rho- desia, too, temperatures were rising, as an African Suburb of Salisbury was sealed off under a `state of emergency' order, with protest demonstrations outside the Parliament building: and a local Paper controlled by Lord Thomson faced an official close-down.
AN ESTIMATES COMMITTEE report slated un- necessary Services spending abroad—singling out naval officers' flats in Gibraltar that cost £9,000 each to build and criticising the staff of twenty- four in Hongkong needed to provide advice on air matters to the Colonial Governor. Birming- ham racecourse is to close and Worcester won the county cricket championship for the first time.
Previous page
