PRIME MINISTER TUESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 1979
From the Press Office
SUMMARY OF ABC'S 7: 45 am NEWS
The Iranian students who have been holding hostages in the
American Embassy in Tehran for more than a fortnight are to
release 10 more of their captives. This will bring to 13 the
number of hostages set free following a directive'-from the
Ayatollah Khomeini that the women and blacks should be released.
It appears not all the women in the Embassy are to be released
in accordance with the Ayatollah's directive. One of the women
being released said other women still remain hostage.
About 50 Americans and some 20 foreigners are believed to be
still held in the Embassy. The students and the Ayatollah have
said they will be tried in an Islamic court on charges of spying.
Esso Australia has announced a big oil and gas exploration
program in-central Queensland. It will cost about $ 13 million
and will one of the biggest undertaken in Australia in recent
years. The program consists of 4,500 kms of seismic testing
and 12 wells to be carried out over the next two years.
ABC's Finance Report in Melbourne says it is more than the
entire exploration program being carried out in Australia by all
companies this year. The exploration in Queensland will cover
140,000 sq. kms. One of Esso's directors, Mr. Ken Richards,
says it is hoped that the first testing will begin after the
wet season in March or April next year.
An operation has begun in Thailand to move hundreds of thousands
of refugees away from the Kampuchean border where a new Vietnamese
offensive is expected. Plans are also underway to move refugees
from the northern frontier. Report from Paul Lockyer at
Thai-Kampuchean border..
Leaders of the Patriotic Front guerilla movement are demadintwhat
they call a substantial Coimmonwealth force to keep the peace
in Zimbabwe Rhodesia. They have rejected as ineffi cient
Britain's plan for a small Commonwealth force to monitor a
cease fire.
The man who confessed to spying for the Soviet. Union, Anthony-Blunt,
is to come out of hiding in Britain and tell his side of the
story at a news conference. He made the announcement a few hours
after the Prime Minister, Mrs. Thatcher, scheduled a full-scale
debate in a special session of the House of Commons tomorrow.
Commercial shipping in the Indian Ocean southwest of Fremantle
has been called to the aid of one of the Parmelia yacht race
competitors. English schooner radioed yesterday that she had
an injured crew member.
President Sadat of Egypt has visited Mt. Sinai on the second
anniversary of his journey to Jerusalem which began his peace
initiative. The mountain was handed back to Egypt last week,
after being held by Israel for 12 years.
Cricket: Australia's test captain, Greg Chappell, believes the
team to meet the West Indies will perform well. / 2
2
A former Rugby League player from Townsville in Queensland
has been successful in bringing a civil action against another
player and has been awarded over $ 2,000 damages. A jury in
Townsville awarded the damages for unlawful assault.
One of West Germany's most wanted terrorist suspects has been
arrested following a bank raid in Switzerland. The man,
Rolph Clements Wagner, was being sought in connection with the
kidnapping and murder of West German industrialist two years ago.
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