A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated October 24, 1978.
Sadat demands major changes in Mideast peace plan
President Anwar Sadat has demanded major changes in the draft peace treaty with Israel amid conflicting signals from Cairo on the state of the Washington talks.
Click here to view a Gulf News page on October 24, 1978(pdf)
He telephoned Washington personally, according to informed sources to tell Defence Minister Kamal Hassan Ali to press for fundamental amendments. The gloomy report came only hours after Egyptian Prime Minister Mustapha Khalil said only technical points stood in the way of a treaty signing.
Crackdown on false passports
In a further crackdown on illegal immigrants, the UAE is tightening measures to prevent people entering the country on false passports.
Any person found carrying a false passport - or one that is believed to be false - faces immediate deportation at his own expense under a decree issued in Abu Dhabi. If immediate deportation is not possible, immigration officials now have the power to imprison the person for up to 14, days.
Punk rock star in suicide bid
Punk rock star Sid Vicious, charged recently with the murder of his girlfriend was taken to hospital after trying to slash his wrists with a broken light bulb.
John Simon Ritchie, a member of the now defunct punk rock band "Sex Pistols," took Sid Vicious as a stage name. He was staying at the Hotel Seville on Madison Avenue after being freed on bail pending his trial.
Ritchie was taken to Bellvue Hospital with severe lacerations of both wrists after his psychiatrist, Steve Teich, called police.
No agreement in SALT talks
The United States and the Soviet Union ended two days of intensive negotiations without reaching agreement on the shape of a new strategic arms limitation (SALT) treaty.
A US spokesman said both sides had agreed to continue to exert all efforts towards achieving the signature of a SALT-2 accord. And a Soviet report on the 11 hours of high-level discussion said there had been detailed analysis of the outstanding issues.
New company to manage Abu Dhabi oil ports
An agreement to set up a new company to manager oil ports in Abu Dhabi was signed. The agreement-between Adnoc, Abu Dhabi's national oil company, and British-owned Lamnalco-establishes the new Abu Dhabi Petroleum Ports Company.
It replaces Lamnalco as manager of the port of Jebel Dhanna. Lamnaico will have a 40 per cent holding in the new company. The other 60 per cent will be owned by ADNOC.
