European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pages the stars and stripes thursday january 11,1990 Mandela to be freed soon s. Africa s state radio says world today Johannesburg. South Africa a govern ment run radio said wednesday that the release of jailed Black nationalist Nelson Mandela was Only a matter of time the strongest signal yet that his Freedom is imminent. The editorial by the South Africa broadcasting corp. Also said Mandela the country s Best known Black Leader can play a Central role in opening Black White political dialogue. It has been Clear for some months that it is Only a matter of time before or. Mandela s release is announced the broadcast said. Moreover by identify ing himself with the ideals of peaceful development he has redefined his  in recent weeks there has been almost daily speculation in the news Media about Mandela s release. President . De Klerk is widely expected to make an announcement on Mandela s status when de Klerk opens parliament on feb. I. For most of Mandela s 27 years in prison the White led government has portrayed him and the outlawed african National Congress guerrilla movement he leads As terrorists and communists. But recently it has described Mandela in favourable terms in an apparent attempt to prepare the White Community for his release. He would be in a position to make an important contribution to the creation of the conditions in which Black White talks could get under  the editorial on wednesday said. Meanwhile the citizen a pro government daily newspaper said a planned visit within the next monthly former . Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson May affect the Date of Mandela s release. The government docs not want to give or. Jack son an arc critic of South Africa any kudos As a result of the release of Mandela which would be the Case if an announcement were made during his visit the citizen said quoting unidentified government sources. The government has said it will Grant Jackson a visa but no dates for his trip have been announced. Mandela 71, has been jailed since 1962 and is serving a life sentence for sabotage and plotting to overthrow the government. He has refused to renounce the Ancs guerrilla Campaign saying he will do so Only if the Organiza Tion is legalized and apartheid is dismantled. Mandela has received a steady Stream of visitors in recent weeks ranging from Cabinet ministers to prominent anti apartheid leaders. He met dec. 13 with de Klerk at the presidential office. Business Dav. The country s leading daily financial newspaper said the speculation on Mandela s release is filled with an expectancy that Borders on religious Fer Vor As though it were the coming of a  the reality is Likely to be much More  the business Day editorial said. Mandela s release must be seen As part of the jockeying if not the struggle for Power within the anti apartheid  de Klerk wants to open negotiations on a new Constitution with Black leaders but says the Anc must commit itself to peaceful solutions before it can participate. Dupont to invest $1 billion in new factories in Asia Tokyo up the giant . Chemical maker Dupont plans to invest is billion in the Asia Pacific Region Over the next decade to meet the growing demand for Nylon products there its japanese subsidiary reported wednesday. Dupont Japan Ltd. Said the plan involves construction of plants for Nylon intermediate Sand polymer i said the company also plans to build downstream manufacturing facilities in strategic locations including Singapore. To begin with Dupont Japan said a $200 million facility will be built in Singapore to Start operations in 1993. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 1990. It said. Methane Gas explosion kills 7 polish Coal miners Warsaw. Poland a seven miners were killed and 22 others injured on wednesday when methane Gas caused an explosion in the pit. Polish Media reported. The explosion at the Halemba mine on the outskirts of the Industrial City of Katowice 185miles South of Warsaw occurred just after 2 . Greenwich mean time during the night shift the Pap news Agency reported. Polish radio said that six miners were killed instantly and a seventh died at the Hospital an that 10 of the miners who were hospitalized were in very serious condition. On Eiffel slopes ski in so Roclor Dominique Galello leaps High into inc air As de cavort on huge Mounds of Snow dumped in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Snow was brought in by Winter resort officials who concerned Over mild tempera Tures wanted to draw attention to the Good skiing conditions in Alpine areas. 31 drug traffickers hanged at Iran prisons Nicosia. Cyprus a Iran executed 31 people including three women and Lour afghan nationals after they were convicted on drug trafficking charges the islamic Republic news Agency said. The Agency monitored in Nicosia said 10 of those hanged were members of an International ring that smuggled Var ious drugs including opium heroin and hashish throughout the Middle East. Irna did not name the traffickers but said 23 were hanged at Dawn in the icel Ellasar prison in Karaj. About 25miles West of Tehran. The remaining eight were sent to the Gallows in Shira. Sab Evar and saved. All of those executed were involved in the spread of corruption by drug smuggling the Agency said. Under Iran s theocratic Laws anyone convicted of spreading corruption on Tarth can face the death penalty for offences that include drug smuggling sex offences and financial corruption. A draconian. Anti narcotics Law stipulates the death penalty for anyone found with even Small amounts of heroin or opium the base for heroin. Wednesday s execution toll is not a record for Iran. Authorities have executed As Many As 80 people in a single Ila often in Public. Human rights organi Lions have condemned the Large number of executions in Iran s crackdown since it was launched a year ago. Government opponents contend that Many of those executed arc not drug smugglers but Politi Cal prisoners. Iran says it broke up More than 140 smuggling rings last year and seized More than 21 tons of drugs. The financial times of London re ported tuesday that for the first time indecent memory three people were be headed rather than hanged in an earlier execution in the Western City of Hama Dan. The prisoners who were convicted for drunkenness and sexual offences were whipped before they were executed. The paper said. Canadian politician acquitted of shoplifting items Worth $7 Ottawa a a judge on tues Day acquitted parliament member Lorna no Strom of shoplifting agreeing with Nystrom that he was absent minded but not dishonest when he failed to pay for two disks used to clean Contact lenses. The merchandise was valued at less than $7. Judge Brian Lennox who heard the Case without a jury noted that the new democratic Deputy from Saskatchewan said he absentmindedly dropped the cleaner into his pocket and "1 am satisfied on the basis of his evidence alone that it is  Mindy Gosman a Security guard at shopper drug Mart said she saw Nystrom take the disks from a package last nov. 29 and that he later paid for two toothbrushes but not for the cleaner. Nystrom 43, expressed Relief that the highly publicized Case was behind him. It s something 1 would t wish on anybody he said. It s More horrible than i can even describe because it was so Public in terms of my friends and my family and my  his lawyer Clayton Ruby has a reputation As one of the highest priced Crimi Nal lawyers in Canada. Ruby refused to estimate his Bill but said. It s not going to be  nor would Ruby estimate the Cost of lining up an array of expert witnesses some of whom were flown in. The theft charge against Nystrom car ried a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a Fine of is 700