News In Brief

Romania celebrating its communist revolution

World leaders and senior officials have gathered here for the 40th anniversary today of Romania's communist revolution. East Germany's Erich Honecker appears to be the only Soviet-bloc head of state in attendance. Romania's other East-bloc allies have sent senior party officials or deputy heads of state, the official Agerpres news agency reports.

President Nicolae Ceausescu awarded Mr. Honecker ''the Star of the Socialist Republic of Romania, First Class'' for cooperation between Romania and East Germany.

Bucharest has recently played down the Soviet Army's role in the Romanian revolution, a gesture that would have been interpreted in Moscow as an insult.