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March 29
Arafat calls for economic boycott of US
Palestine Leader Yasser Arafat called for an Arab economic boycott of the United States, including the withdrawal of their Petrodollars. Arafat was speaking at the opening meeting of Arab League Foreign and Economic Ministers called to discuss how to implement sanctions against Egypt to punish President Anwar Sadat for signing a peace treaty with Israel.
Get out in 24 hours, Libya tells Tanzania
President Julius Nyerere said he had received a Libyan ultimatum to withdraw Tanzanian troops from Uganda within 24 hours. Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had threatened to give full military aid to Uganda and warned that the war would spread to Tanzania. The Libyans are already helping Ugandan President Idi Amin's army fight invasion forces of Ugandan exiles and Tanzanian troops.
March 31
Digging at open sea for Jebel Ali channel
The world's first offshore self-elevating heavy duty cutter suction dredger is now being used at Jebel Ali. Al WassI Bay, the dredger, is digging the 17,000m long 235m wide channel at Jebel Ali on the new 66 berth harbour project 30 km south east of Dubai harbour complex.
April 1
Egypt under total boycott
Arab League members broke their deadlock and agreed to a complete economic boycott of Egypt and an eventual break in all diplomatic relations with President Anwar Sadat's regime for signing of a peace treaty with Israel. Powerful Saudi Arabia had agreed to hardline demands for the withdrawal of all Arab Ambassadors from Cairo and a subsequent, total breach of diplomatic relations with Egypt. The Saudis had also agreed to halt all economic aid and loans to the Egyptians and the withdrawal of government and individual assets from Cairo.
April 2
Arab League HQ to be shifted to Tunis
The decision to impose a total Arab economic boycott of Egypt, representing the first Pan-Arab move to combat President Anwar Sadat's signing of a peace treaty with Israel, was hailed as a victory by Palestinian officials. Arab Ministers also decided to budget five million dollars for the removal within two months of the Arab League headquarters from Cairo to Tunis. In addition they suspended Egypt's membership from Arab League.
April 3
British MP killed by car bomb
A Conservative MP, Airey Neave, a close associate of opposition leader Margaret Thatcher, was killed when a bomb exploded in his car while he was driving out from the House of Commons. Neave was the spokesman for Northern Ireland. Suspicion has fallen on the IRA.
Begin arrives in Cairo
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin arrived in Cairo to start a state visit that marked the launching of normal relations between the two traditional Middle East enemies.
April 4
Disaster averted at nuclear plant
Scientists believe they have tamed a runaway atomic reactor and headed off potentially the most devastating accident since the advent of nuclear power. Officials said the situation at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, seemed to have improved sufficiently to avert the need to evacuate thousands of people. The cause of the trouble, a bubble of hydrogen and other gases in the core of the plant's reactor, is now gone.
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