A daily pick of news events that happened in history from the pages of Gulf News dated April 9, 1979.
Islamic Fund gives $ 500,000
The Permanent Council for the Islamic Consolidation Fund decided to send $500,000 for the immediate relief of those affected by the war in Uganda. The Council also decided to raise the allocation now given to Arabs in Jerusalem to counter moves aimed at the Judaization of the Holy City. This allocation is raised from 1.5 to two million dollars.
Western, communist and Third World countries agreed to transform the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) into a specialised aid-coordinating agency of the UN. Weary delegates from 82 governments reached final agreement, the end of three years of negotiations on UNIDO's future. UNIDO would become the 16th UN specialised agency.
Carter declares war on oil firms
US President Jimmy Carter has declared war on the US Oil Companies over his plan to start lifting price controls on domestically produced oil. "I am not looking for a fight. I am prepared for a fight if that is what it takes," he said.
Carter said, "some are already saying...that the oil lobby has more influence on Congress than the American people. "I say let's prove them wrong. I say let's prove that the Government of the United States belongs to the American people."
One reactor for Iraq destroyed
French police investigators said, they had no firm leads in their search for the skilled saboteurs who blew up two nuclear reactors ready for delivery to Iraq, as well as other nuclear equipment ordered by Germany and Belgium.
An anonymous telephone caller speaking for a previously unheard of "group of French ecologists" claimed the group staged the unprecedented bomb attack in an engineering factory to "neutralize machines that threaten the future of human' life."
A controversial "Tamuz" reactor already created for shipment to Iraq was completely destroyed. The sources said the three blasts were clearly the work of well organised professionals, skilled in handling explosive devices.
