Junko Tabi, a 36-year-old housewife from Japan, became the first woman to climb Everest. Tabi and her sherpa guide, Ang Tsering, took the traditional South Col route and reached the summit at 12.30am on May 16, according to Radio Nepal. Tabi had earlier scaled Annapurna. Thirty four persons had previously climbed Everest. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi described the feat as a tribute to women’s courage, endeavour, spirit of adventure.
Thai poser to US
Thailand rejected the US “regret” for launching armed operations in Cambodia from Thai bases and demanded a full apology.
Students, numbering over 10,000 and carrying placards and effigies of US President
Gerard Ford, marched to the American embassy in Bangkok demanding an apology. Bangkok had also formally indicated that the US would have to withdraw all its troops from Thailand before March 1976. A formal protest note from the Thai government described the US action as “contempt of Thai sovereignty”.
Son of the soil
The government was set to hold talks with chief ministers and, later, with political parties to decide who was a “son of the soil” and what preference he should get for employment in his own state, according to a report. A committee of secretaries, including home, had conducted studies and suggested that all jobs that fetched monthly salaries up to Rs 700 be reserved for locals.
Pranab on smuggling
The Union minister of state for finance, Pranab Mukherjee, said intelligence reports had confirmed that smugglers had resumed their activities. The smuggled goods were coming mostly from Dubai and Hong Kong, and were sold in Indian markets at rock-bottom prices, he said.
