Zairean rebel leader Laurent Kabila (left) with South Africa President Nelson Mandela making a statement to the press during a meeting in Cape Town to discuss a transitional settlement in the conflict in Zaire.

DUBLIN: Irish Prime Minister John Bruton today announced a national election for June 6, a contest likely to influence the search for peace in neighbouring Northern Ireland. Bruton revealed the poll date on the floor of the 166-seat Dail, the main chamber of Parliament, then travelled across town to the official residence of President Mary Robinson, symbolic head of the Irish republic, for her formal assent.

Bruton's 29-month-old administration faces an uphill fight to win re-election, according to recent opinion polls that place his three-party coalition 10 to 15 percentage points behind the opposition in this country of 3.5 million.

10 dead in boat capsize

JAKARTA: At least 10 people are dead and six others were missing when a motorised boat packed with political activists capsized off south Sulawesi province, news reports said today. The boat, Harapan Jaya, was loaded down with about 50 people travelling from a rally for the representative to the national legislature when it sank yesterday near Pasi Palampuang island.

Six people were reported missing and five others were injured. Thirty-five survivors were rescued by two passing boats. Survivors said the boat sank in a rainstorm after it had been hit by huge waves and strong wind.

Azerbaijan airliner crash

BAKU (AZERBAIJAN): A passenger airliner crashed while on a routine training flight today in western Azerbaijan, killing six people, officials said. The Soviet-built Yak-40 three-engine jetliner operated by the state-run Azerbaijani Airlines slammed onto the edge of the runway at the airport of Gyandzha, the Itar-Tass news agency reported. Its crew of three and three students of the national air academy died during the crash, Itar-Tass said.

The report did not say whether there were any other people on board.

Uproar over gay rights lessons

SYDNEY: An explosion of taxpayer outrage followed an announcement by the Australian government that lessons on gay rights will be taught in the country primary schools. The Labour Party-led state government of New South Wales will kick off the scheme in its primary and secondary schools.

Children will be taught that homosexuality is natural and normal and that gay pupils should be tolerated and not abused. The announcement, which was made yesterday is a response to alleged bullying of openly homosexual pupils in the state's schools.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.