Gulf News Report Published: February 13, 2008, 00:20
A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated February 13, 1980.
US apologises to UAE over bribe scandal
Attorney-General Benjamin Civiletti, apologising to the United Arab Emirates, said FBI undercover agents never "intended any offence" in posing as bribe-paying Arab businessmen during operation "abscam."
Civiletti said, "no nationals of the UAE or authorised representatives of citizens of the UAE had any role or were in any way involved in the alleged illegal activity and conduct of members of the United States Congress in the events recently disclosed." He said during the investigation.
Oman gives US bases
Oman has agreed to grant American forces access to military facilities in the Arabian Sea, but the two nations have yet to sign a formal accord.
Ridha Abdul-Latif, First Secretary of the Omani Embassy in Washington, said the facilities would be located on the Omani island of Masira. "We agreed to provide refueling and storage facilities," Abdul-Latif said. "We're not giving the United States a base. "We're just letting them use facilities at our base."
IOC okay imminent for Moscow games
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was set to announce its decision to carry on with the games in Moscow this summer with an appeal to all countries to compete.
As the first ice hockey games of the winter Olympics began, and fresh snow gave this New York resort the appropriate look for the world's winter sport festival, the IOC members began their final meeting on the problem which has threatened the future of the Olympics.
Khomeini warns Moscow against arm-twisting
Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini has told the Soviet Union not to use force against Islamic countries if it wants to have friendly relations with Iran. Any aggression towards third world countries and Islamic countries of the region is against the standards of friendship among nations.
Mugabe and Soames for major confrontation
A major showdown loomed between Marxist guerrilla leader Robert Mugabe and British Governor Lord Soames over charges that Soames' policies were to blame for the assassination attempt on Mugabe's life.
Soames had called a special meeting with Mugabe to discuss the charges and threats by Mugabe that he will send his guerrillas back to war if Soames does not control the Rhodesian security forces and their auxiliaries.
