News In Brief

Cable plan OK'd to link Asia, Africa, and Europe

One of the world's longest submarine cables - a $408 million link between Singapore and France - was given the go-ahead Tuesday when representatives from 21 companies signed an agreement for the project.

The cable will be the first to connect Asia, Africa, and Europe and will have eight segments linking Singapore to France via Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Italy. The 8,000-mile cable is scheduled to be operational early in 1986.