A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated October 31, 1978.
A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated October 31, 1978.
Click here to view a Gulf News page on November 1, 1978(pdf)
Troops take control of oil fields
Troops are reported to have taken over control of all Iran's oil fields and given striking workers three days to return to work or be dismissed.
Sources said troops moved into the oil fields and refineries mainly in an attempt to prevent sabotage of installations, and to protect those workers who are not on strike. The strike which has shut off all exports of oil from Iran to the rest of the world is said to be costing the country 57 million dollars a day. The strike was called to press wage claims and to try and force the replacement of foreign experts by Iranian nationals.
India battles to end killer epidemic
The Government of Uttar Pradesh state, north India, has launched a pesticide spraying campaign to contain the encephalitis epidemic that has claimed more than 540 lives in the last two weeks.
State Health Minister Kalyan Singh told newsmen in Lucknow that a sanitation drive was simultaneously being launched in towns and cities lo clean up mosquito-breeding areas.
Wall Street hit by October Massacre
They’re calling it the October Massacre on Wall Street - a devastating market decline that has cut the paper value of stocks by well over 100 billion dollars in just a little more than two weeks.
The current sell-off hasn't reached crash proportions. But in 11 trading days since mid-October, the Dow Jones average of 30 industrials has fallen more than 11 per cent, from 897 to 782 at the low point on Monday. Behind the slide, most analysts agree, are wide-spread fears among investors of worsening U.S. inflation, and speculation that another bad recession is on the way.
Free arms arrive in Zambia
British Royal Air Force planes have started to deliver air defence equipment promised to Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda.
So far five RAF C-130 Hercules planes have arrived in Lusaka, carrying millions of dollars worth of military equipment including anti-aircraft guns and ground to air "Tiger-Cat" missiles. But the British spokesman declined, to give details about the weaponry. The British war equipment was supplied free to Zambia on the understanding that it will not be used for other purposes except defence.
