European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 6, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 9rescuers search rugged Region for Dupont Jet Kuala Bumpur Malaysia apr a search for a missing twin engine executive Jet carrying american and British Oil executives on a business trip with their spouses resumed at Dawn thursday. The Grumman aircraft belonging to the Dupont company was carrying three Crew members and nine passengers. It was reported missing wednesday afternoon shortly after it was cleared to land at Kota Kinabalu capital of Sabah state on Borneo Island. The Pilot intended to make a refuelling Stop in route to Jakarta Indonesia from Tokyo said civil aviation director Mohd Adnan Yah a. Houston based Conoho inc., which is owned by Dupont said that those aboard included four company executives. Their wives and an administrative assistant. The new Straits times said thursday that a resident in Bangawan near Kota Kinabalu had reported flames in the Jungle near his Village. Mohd said by Telephone that three helicopters of Sabah air and a fixed Wing aircraft from the Royal malaysian air Force were taking part in thursdays search. They concentrated along the Crocker Range and the coast near Kota Kinabalu he said. Mohd said the plane was about 33 Miles South of Kota Kinabalu when it lost radar Contact with the Kota Kinabalu Airport. Other officials said the plane had been cleared to come in to land from 4,000 feet just before it disappeared. Constantine s. Nicandros president and chief executive of Conoho said search conditions were poor. A the area is rugged and mountainous and the weather has been foggy and conditions poor for a search Effort a Nicandros said. A we continue to Hope for the Best and Pray for the Safe return of these dear  the company identified those aboard As William k. Dietrich 53, executive vice president of exploration and production his wife Gayle. 54 Colin h. Lee. 55, executive vice president of refining marketing Supply and transportation his wife Brooke 53 . A a Kent Bowden 57, senior vice president of administration his wife Connie 56 James Myers 50, general manager of Petroleum Coke and specially products his wife Linda 41 and Ann k. Parsons 35, executive assistant to Lee. The Crew members were identified As pilots Kenneth r. Fox 46, and Gary Johnston 55, and Mechanic Steve p. James 40. All were from Houston where the trip originated aug. 29. James and Linda Myers were listed As British citizens. The others were identified As americans. Nicandros said it was common for wives of executives to travel with their husbands on such trips for Conoho a major Oil  Hedges on Pace of Hong Kong reforms sketch shows Manuel Noriega foreground and his lawyers left to right Leon Toso Jon May and Frank Kushino. . Agent sold out Noriega defense attorneys Tell judge Miami apr Manuel Noriega s lawyers made a last minute attempt to derail the Start of his drug trafficking trial thursday with allegations that his former attorney a a secret . Government informant a sold him out. The Issue arose wednesday As a Federal judge considered final motions in preparation for jury selection for the trial of the former panamanian dictator who was brought to the United states after a . Invasion in 1989. Never before has the . Government gone to such lengths to prosecute a foreign head of state a and a former ally. The defense vows to put the government on trial documenting its 20-Vear support of Noriega a activities and revealing the sordid secrets of . Drug policy. Federal prosecutors Don t dispute that former Noriega lawyer Raymond Takiff was a . Justice department informant in an unrelated Case. However they say its irrelevant because As a foreigner Noriega had no constitutional rights. Noriega s defense on wednesday asked to be allowed to question Takiff. . District judge William Hoeveler did not say when he would Rule on the request. 1. Defense lawyer Frank Rubino said Takiff never told Noriega or other defense attorneys he was a secret agent. It was Takiff who advised Noriega not to accept a state department Deal to drop the charges in october 1989 and who advised him to surrender when . Troops invaded Panama two months later Rubino said. As soon As Noriega surrendered Takiff resigned from the Case blaming ill health. A is he compromised is he Selling out his client. Because the same people prosecuting his client Are prosecuting him a Rubino asked the judge. Takiff snared for tax evasion has worked since August 1989 for Federal prosecutors in a judicial corruption Case As part of a plea bargain. Assistant . Attorney Sonia o Donnell said Noriega had no right to a confidential attorney client relationship when he was in Panama. A a the Constitution does not protect non citizens until they Are in the United states a she said. She also said Takiff and prosecutors had filed statements swearing they never discussed the Noriega Case in his capacity As an informant. Hong Kong up British prime minister John major thursday pledged to intensify efforts to smooth Hong Kong a Transfer to China in 1997 but hedged on the Pace of democratic reforms London once backed As crucial to the Colony a future. In remarks to lawmakers and prominent business executives major said he had resolved lingering sino British differences Over Hong Kong during talks with chinese leaders including Premier i Peng in Beijing. He said both sides promised to step up cooperation and agreed that any disagreements Over the transition would be discussed in regular meetings Between the chinese and British foreign ministers. The prime minister also said Britain would continue its political and economic Contact with Hong Kong after its 99-year lease on the Colony expires in 1997. But major tap danced around the question of the Pace of democratic reforms in the Colony. He cautioned there was concern that too fast a move toward democracy could a have a destabilizing effects on Hong Kong. The Colony will hold its first Ever directly contested election for the lawmaking legislative Council on sept. 15. The Hong Kong government is Billing the poll As a move to self Rule. Major noted that the voting would Mark the first time the Council would have a a majority of elected  however just 21 of the 60 seats will be elected by the general Public. An additional 21 will be chosen by groups from specific professions or business interests. Government officials and appointed members account for the others. London at one time promised a majority of Hong Kong s legislature would stand in direct elections by 1997. Saying it was important to the Colony a future under China. Its failure to follow through on the pledge has been strongly criticized in the Colony. But major brushed aside charges that Britain had Given in to chinese demands by keeping the number of directly elected seats in the legislature a minority. Scientists hoping new test will Cut premature births Boston a scientists wednesday said a new and simple test for pregnant women can distinguish Between false labor and the real thing a a development doctors feel could help prevent premature births. The maker of the test Hopes to gain food and drug administration approval next year to sell it for Hospital use for about $25. When women Are about to deliver prematurely they can be Given medicines to Stop the contractions. However doctors Are reluctant to use the treatment until they Are sure True labor has begun. By then it May be too late to do anything about it. The new test measures Levels of a fetal protein. Quot it seems to be Good at distinguishing Between irrelevant contractions and those associated with pre term delivery a said or. Charles j. Lockwood who studied the test at mount Sinai Hospital in new York. Lockwood found the test to be about 80 percent accurate in a study published in the new England journal of Medicine. The test was developed by Adaza biomedical of Sunnyvale calif., which joined in funding the study with the american association of obstetricians and gynaecologists foundation and the Revson foundation. Doctors said the test will be even More useful if it also reveals before labor starts which women run a High risk of premature delivery. Quot there is High probability that will be the Case a said or. Andrew l. Sen Yei. Adaza chairman and principal inventor of the test. Finding ways of preventing premature birth is a major goal of Medicine. Premature birth is the leading cause of infant mortality resulting in 3 1,00 1 deaths annually in the United states. Infants that do survive run a higher risk of lung disorders and cerebral palsy. The new test checks women s vaginal secretions for a fetal protein called fir Omectin. The protein is apparently released when fetal membranes Are damaged