News In Brief

Australian peace rallies draw 250,000 protesters

More than 250,000 Australians waved banners and marched in cities across the continent in peace rallies Sunday to protest the nuclear arms race. The biggest rally was held in Sydney, where more than 125,000 chanting and singing people, led by federal and state politicians, marched through city streets and gathered in a park to listen to a call for nuclear disarmament by Dr. Helen Caldicott, a leading US opponent of nuclear arms.

In Melbourne, a crowd of 85,000 marched into the city and heard speeches from antinuclear campaigners.

Protests were also staged in Perth, Western Australia, and Adelaide, South Australian capital.