Cable Briefs (Press, 22 November 1984)

On 22 November 1984, a significant break in the ongoing British coal strike occurred as around 900 miners resumed work, contributing to over 3,000 miners who had left the strike in recent days, according to the State-owned National Coal Board. This development came amid escalating tensions, as pickets had set up flaming barricades and vandalised a colliery powerhouse at Welldale, where equipment was destroyed and documents were shredded. There were several arrests linked to the vandalism, but no injuries reported. In other news, animal rights activists sent Mars Bars containing rat poison to the 8.8.C. and the "Sunday Mirror," which was confirmed by Scotland Yard to contain a substance called Alphakil. Although Alphakil is generally harmless to humans in small doses, its presence raised alarm. Additionally, the Indian Supreme Court mandated that Associated Press correspondent Brahma Chellaney report to Punjab police to assist in investigations regarding a report he filed in June, which the Punjab state government claimed violated press laws and incited communal unrest. In cultural news, renowned Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, known for his impactful Urdu poetry and political activism, passed away in Lahore at the age of 73. Faiz had been hospitalized for heart troubles shortly before his death and was also a recipient of the Lenin Peace Prize, having supported the Palestine Liberation Organisation. In Australia, blood donation centres experienced a surge in female donors in response to a campaign aimed at reducing the risk of AIDS transmission through blood transfusions. In Queensland, only blood from female donors is being used for transfusions due to concerns over contamination from blood supplied by homosexual men. Lastly, Irish Prime Minister Dr Garret Fitz Gerald faced substantial criticism following a recent summit with British leaders, described by the "Irish Press" as an unnecessary meeting that yielded disappointing results. The "Irish Times" echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the modest outcomes of the meeting would likely lead to disappointment among the public and within Dr Fitz Gerald's Fine Gael party. In Grenada, the trial of 19 individuals accused of murdering Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was adjourned indefinitely by the Chief Justice due to ongoing challenges in establishing a defence team. The trial was initially scheduled to begin but faced multiple delays since the coup that led to the Prime Minister's death on 19 October 1983.

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