Cable Briefs (Press, 7 March 1978)

On 7 March 1978, a book authored by David Rorvik, which claims that a human being has been successfully created in a laboratory, is eliciting both intrigue and skepticism. The book is published by J. P. Lippincott as a non-fiction piece, citing Rorvik's reputable background as a former medical writer for "Time" magazine. Although the publisher acknowledged his credentials, they stated they could not confirm the authenticity of his claims. Rorvik is noted for being the first winner of the Pulitzer travelling fellowship and a 1967 honours graduate from the Columbia School of Journalism. Since 1970, he has worked as a freelance writer and was recognised for his extensive reporting in science and medicine. In Australia, the Waterside Workers’ Federation announced that workers at all ports will now load uranium. This decision follows a series of meetings and comes after the federation's federal secretary, Mr Charlie Fitzgibbon, stated that they had endorsed the Australian Council of Trade Unions' stance on uranium mining and export, thereby lifting previously imposed bans from the last year. In a recent vote during a special meeting of unions affiliated with the A.C.T.U. in Sydney, it was decided that while existing contracts would be honoured, there would be a withholding of labour on new projects until discussions about safety procedures and Indigenous land rights could take place. In Beirut, clashes between rightist and leftist gunmen have erupted once again, prompting threats from the Arab peacekeeping force to use artillery to quell the violence. Reports indicate that a woman has been killed and four others wounded during the fighting, which involved heavy weaponry such as mortars, rockets, and machine-guns. This surge in conflict is described as the most severe since the Lebanese civil war ended in November 1976. Lastly, in the UK, the House of Lords engaged in intense debate over a bill that sought to abolish the offence of blasphemy. The discussion was sparked by a legal case last year in which "Gay News," a magazine, was fined £1,000 for blasphemous libel. This prosecution, led by anti-pornography campaigner Mary Whitehouse, stemmed from a poem describing a centurion’s homosexual feelings towards Jesus Christ during the Crucifixion. This was the first blasphemous libel prosecution since 1921, and the bill would have prevented future cases of this nature, but ultimately it was rejected by the packed House.

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