A daily pick of news events taht happenedon this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated February 20, 1980. Click here to view a Gulf News page on February 20, 1980 (pdf)

Petrol prices cut

The Government announced massive subsidies to reduce petrol prices in the northern part of the country, Oil Minister Mana Said Al Otaiba said.

This subsidy is valid for UAE nationals only, but it may of course have vast ramifications in business. The subsidies would reduce the price of Super Dh3.70, Regular Dh3.30, Kerosene Dh3.10 and Diesel Dh3.20

Trudeau back in power for a fourth term

Pierre Elliott Trudeau in one of the greatest political comebacks in Canadian history defeated the nine-month-old government of Joe Clark and won an unprecedented fourth term of prime minister in leading his Liberal Party to a majority victory.

The Canadian prime minister-elect celebrated his Liberal Party's crushing defeat of Clark's Progressive Conservatives until the early hours of the morning.

Bani-Sadr given charge of army

Revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini, delegating his constitutional power, appointed President Abolhassan Bani-Sadr Commander in Chief of Iran's Armed Forces.

He urged Bani-Sadr to use his new authority to reform the armed forces on Islamic lines. Ayatollah Khomeini, apparently intent on discharging all his constitutional duties as soon as possible, appointed six clergymen four virtually unknown - to Iran's constitutional Guardian Council. 

US 'can respond to any threat'

US President Jimmy Carter said the United States was capable of responding to a threat to peace anywhere in the world and was ready to act if the Soviet Union moved its forces beyond Afghanistan.

Carter also gave notice that he was standing firm on his threat to boycott the 1980 Olympic games in Moscow unless all Soviet troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan by today.

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