Gulf News Report Published: February 15, 2008, 00:30
A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated February 15, 1980
Freedom in 48 hours if ... Iran's pledge
Although the elements of the final deal to win the release of the hostages held in Tehran are clear, some confusion remains and US President Jimmy Carter says "delicate" details remain to be worked out.
Carter stopped short of accepting Iranian conditions like US "self-criticism” on its role in abetting the Shah's regime, although he said publicly for the first time "an appropriate commission with a carefully defined purpose would be a step toward resolution of this crisis."
Tanks and troops crush militant Turkish workers
Turkish troops using armoured cars stormed a state cotton-yarn factory in the western town of Izmir and flushed out around 1,000 protesting left-wing workers after a gun battle.
One policeman was wounded as police and hundreds of the 10,000 commandos on the scene, backed by tanks and helicopters, stormed into the factory, scene of almost daily violence for the past few weeks.
Quake, eclipse send panic waves
A strong earthquake in India's mountainous north-west Ladakh territory caused panic among people who fear that a disastrous quake may follow a total eclipse of the Sun over the country tomorrow.
Although there were no reports of casualties or damage from the remote thinly-populated Ladakh region, strong tremors caused people to rush from their homes in northern Punjab state.
Russian student bags first gold
Nikolai Zimyatov, a 24-year-old Russian student, led from start to finish to give the Soviet Union the first gold medal of the XIII winter Olympics in the men s 30-kilometer cross country event.
Zimyatov led at each 10-kilometre checkpoint along the wooded trails of Mt. Van fioevenberg. He finished with a time of 1 hour 27 minutes 2.80 seconds, nearly three minutes faster than the winning time in the 1976 winter games.
