European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                F ternary world the stars and Britain to Lay off 6,000 in 25% reduction of army from wort  More than 6,000 British army told in and officers we serving in Bosnia faced layoffs thursday As the ministry of def Etc carried out itt pledge to reduce he army by a Quarter by themid-1990. The British army tent redundancy notices to 5,150soldiers and 688 officers who had volunteered to go but another 623 officers faced compulsory separation a ministry of defense spokesman said. The Job cuts form part of the options for change defense review announced last december As Means of reducing the army staff from 140,000to 119,000 by the mid-1990s. Russia confiscates cocaine St Petersburg Russia police netted More than a ton of cocaine after spending Days opening 26,000 cans labelled meat and  Security ministry said wednesday that the drop haul 2,400 pounds was Russia s  did not give comparative figures. Customs agents confiscated the shipment from Colombia based firm in the town of Vyborg near the finnish Border on saturday after a tip from a unidentified Western  Wing arson suspected Gol Tingen Germany suspected Radical right arsonists tried to set fire to a House belonging to a leftist politician who had spoken out against racism and hatred of foreigners police said  arsonists ignited Hay and Straw in the barn adjacent to the House but the Blaze was quickly discovered and put out. The House belongs to Heidi Lippmann Kaston member of the leftist greens party who is responsible for Asylum policies in the Northern German Region. She had received a threatening letter at the beginning of the month police said. Bomb Falls from sky in Iran Nicosia Cyprus a bomb dropped out of the sky onto a Busy Tehran Street this Wick but luckily did not explode an iranian newspaper reported wednesday. The daily Salam said the bomb appeared to have fallen from a plane but did not suggest it was an attack by enemy  incident monday panicked pedestrians on Mawlawi Street but caused no  report gave no details on the bomb. Pope Marks Ash wednesday Rome Pope John Paul ii celebrated Ash wednesday with a traditional procession to the 5th can turn Basilica of Santa Sabina in the tree  Quarter. Ash wednesday which Marks the first Day of Lent in the Western Christian Calendar Falls 40 Days before easter. Ulster policeman killed London an off duty policeman die wednesday night in Northern Ireland when a Booby trap exploded under his car As his Girlfriend travel enclose behind him in another vehicle. The Royal Ulster constabulary policeman who was not identified was travelling near Moy when the bomb exploded under his car a Royal Ulster constabulary spokesman said. Police said the bomb had probably been attached underneath the  off duty full time Reserve Constable was taken to a Hospital but died there a Short time later the spokesman said. Aeroflot changes fuel site Gander Newfoundland the russian airline Aeroflot is moving its refuelling stops on overseas flights from the Gander Airport to Bangor Maine As of today an airline official said. The move will be a serious loss for the Remote Community a major refuelling Stop since the Early Days of overseas aviation. Gander has been losing Revenue As longer flights become possible. Aeroflot spent about $10 million annually in  Zed Inize the airline s local manager said the move was made necessary by a recent Canadian regulation requiring a special hard to get transit visa for passengers who want to disembark at Gander. Residents near air base to get noise compensation Tokyo up the supreme court on thursday ruled that residents living near a . Air base Are entitled to compensation for noise produced by night an dearly morning flights. Out to the disappointment of both groups the court refused to ban night and Early morning flights by both japanese and . Military planes. This verdict betrays our i Juhl to live in a Good environment said one of 72 plaintiffs after the court ses Sion. Another lamented the verdict was just like Tell ing children this is the Way it is in today s  the Case has churned through the courts since 1976,when the residents near Katsugi air station in Kanagawa Southwest of Tokyo filed a civil suit in the Yokohama District court seeking damages and a ban on night and Early morning flights. The plaintiffs sought $1.8 million in damages a cessation of flights Between 8 . And 8 . And monthly payments of $190 each until the noise stops. The residents also sought to Cap the maximum Day time noise level at 65 decibels. Suburban Street noise by comparison is roughly 60 decibels. Katsugi air station is 18.6 Square Miles in area an extends Over three municipal boundaries. Both the  Navy and Japan s maritime self def Csc Force use the facility. A lower court in 1982 ordered the government to pay$300,000 compensation but rejected the plaintiffs de mands for an end to the night and Early morning flights. In 19s6 the Tokyo High court overturned the lower court decision to compensate the residents an affirmed the refusal to ban the flights maintaining the noise level was within acceptable limits. Doth courts said the base activities were part of a bilateral Security arrangement with the United states and outside the Purview of japanese civil Law. Supreme court judge Osamu Mimura overturned the High court ruling and ordered payment of dam Ages saving the noise level was intolerably High but rejected the residents demands for future compensation stemming from noise pollution around the bases lie ordered the High court to retry the Case. Mimura said the government measures to Amelio rate the noise caused by japanese and . Aircraft had been weak and ineffective. In a separate Case the supreme court upheld a lower court decision awarding $933,000 in damages to127 residents near the . Air Force s Yokota and near Tokyo but refused to ban flights. The plaintiffs had sought a Stop to flights Between 9 . And 7 .and a maximum permissible noise level of 55 decibels. In 1987, the Tokyo High court ordered the govern ment to pay damages but both plaintiffs and the government appealed the decision to the supreme court. The two supreme court rulings Are the first involving aircraft noise from an air base in Japan. To re Sunha Gomes left talks with her attorney who is not identified in a Lisbon Portugal courtroom. Woman who posed As general facing trial for fraud in Portugal Lisbon Portugal a a woman who posed for18 years As a highly decorated general went on trial for fraud wednesday charged under both her own Nam and that of the Man she pretended to be Teresinha Gomes known to her neighbors since 1975 As the stately but Cash poor War Veteran Gen. Tito Anibal Dapaixao Gomes is actually a woman who Dis appeared from the portuguese Island of Madeira in 1974. According to an article in the portuguese weekly it presso Gomes True identity was revealed in february 1992, when police arrested the general for failing to repay Loans made by neighbors on the strength of the general s military pension. After a Check with military officials showed no re Cord of service in the portuguese army Gomes gender was uncovered when police forced her to undergo phys ical and psychological examinations. The Shock to the woman s neighbors was mild com pared to that of a woman she married. Joaquina Costa a retired nurse said she was married five years to the kind and Gallant general before Dis covering the truth after entering the couple s bathroom to find her husband in the Bathtub. Costa had been widowed for years before she met Gomes. Gomes who told Costa she was a lawyer a wounded Veteran and a Cia agent proposed that they marry but live a Chaste life together. The wedding photo shows Costa holding the  of a beaming portly Gomes dressed in a military uniform with general s stars on her cuffs and a Row of decorations on her Chest. The photographer was the first to bring charges against Gomes. According to his statement Gomes never paid for his work nor repaid a loan of $1,000 to help finance the honeymoon