From the pages of Gulf News dated October 13 to 19, 1978

October 14

Oil threat to British coast
THOUSANDS of tonnes of oil are being pumped off a stricken Greek tanker in an attempt to avoid major pollution in the Irish Sea. The Christos Bitas has already trailed a 10-mile-long and six-mile-wide oil slick off the southwest coast of Wales after hitting rocks. A tug towed the vessel out of busy shipping lanes and a tanker is taking off some of the 32,000 tonnes of oil still aboard.

October 15

Yugoslavia's title
YUGOSLAVIA regained the World Amateur Basketball Championship by beating the defending champions Soviet Union 82-81 in a breathtaking final game.

After the score had been tied at 77, midway through extra time Dalipagic, named the 14-nation tournament's most valuable player, hit on a jump shot and then, after drawing a foul off Russia's Ivan Edesliko, sank one of his two free throws to put Yugosiavia up 82-77.

October 16

Big tax cuts for US expats
AMERICANS living and working in Dubai and Sharjah could be up to $30,000 a year better off in future.

That's how much extra tax relief the American Congress approved for employees of American companies working overseas. The bill, which still has to be given the OK by President Jimmy Carter, will allow Americans in the UAE to deduct $20,000 extra from their incomes if they have been working abroad less than three years. Those who have been working overseas for longer can claim $25,000. The bill also contains a clause which allows Americans in so-called "hardship areas" - the Middle East is one - to claim a further $5,000.

North Yemen coup foiled by air force
AN ATTEMPTED coup against President Ali Abdullah Saleh of North Yemen was crushed. Arab diplomatic sources said the North Yemeni Air Force was brought in to foil the attempt, mounted by a military unit. In the North Yemeni capital of Sana'a, an official spokesman said an attempt at creating dissension and confusion in the country had been foiled and the organisers had been arrested.

October 17

World stunned by Polish Pope
ROMAN CATHOLIC Cardinals have stunned the world by electing a 58-year-old Pole, Karol Wojtyla, as successor to Pope John Paul I. The new Pope, who took the name of John Paul II, is the first non-Italian to be elected Pontiff since 1522 and the first Pole ever to be picked.

A beaming, round-faced and silver-haired man, John Paul II is a blunt-spoken critic of what he calls "programmed atheisation" in Communist schools and is regarded as a hardline defender of the church in Poland, eastern Europe's most staunchly Catholic country. News of his election was greeted with disbelief, amazement and then joy in Poland and analysts said the election would give a big boost to the church in eastern Europe.

October 18

90 car pile-up in thick fog
OVER 90 cars and lorries were involved in a massive pile-up during thick fog this morning on the Dubai to Sharjah road.

Miraculously there were no serious injuries. One man was taken to hospital in Sharjah with a broken leg and two other people were treated for minor injuries at the Kuwaiti Hospital in Dubai. The crash occurred at about 6.45am as commuter traffic began to build up.

It's all over for Korchnoi
DISTRAUGHT challenger Viktor Korchnoi conceded the world chess crown to champion Anatoly Karpov. And he charged the Soviet Union with putting him under severe psychological pressure before last night's showdown 32nd game. Korchnoi even refused to sign the scoresheet - which acknowledges the score is accurate - and said he would not attend the closing ceremonies.

October 19

Karachi papers in censorship row
THE EDITORS and publishers of six dailies and two weekly newspapers have suspended publication of their journals for three days in protest at the government's orders to impose censorship. In a joint statement to the press, the editors of the affected newspapers appealed to the federal government "to withdraw pre-censorship orders," or they might have to continue suspension of their respective publications indefinitely. The eight papers are generally described as supporting former Prime Minister Zulflkar Ali Bhutto, who was sentenced to death after conviction for the slaying of a political opponent during his rule.