Portrait of the week
A fter Mr Rupert Murdoch had described ralreports that he intended to sack the editor of The Times as 'malicious, self- serving and wrong', it was learned that he had transferred the Times and Sunday Times titles from Times Newspapers Limited to News International, apparently with the knowledge of the two editors. Sir William Rees-Mogg claimed that this was in breach of the purchase agreement. The NATSOPA chapel at Times Newspapers said there was 'absolutely no prospect' of agree- ment on redundancies before Mr Murdoch's deadline. Mr Harold Evans was hailed as the Editor of the Year by Granada's 'What the Papers Say°.
British Rail warned that 16,000 jobs had been put at risk by the continuing rail strike, and Lord McCarthy advised both sides to abandon their positions and give way to the other. This was seen as a tremen- dous snub to Sir Peter Parker. Tony Benn supported proposals for a strike by 550,000 youths on the Government's Youth Oppor- tunities Programme.
Sir Freddie L.,aker and Mr 'Tiny' Rowland announced plans for a People's Airline belonging to the people at Lonrho. Sir Freddie said he did not have a bean. British Airways ground staff at Heathrow went on strike against the principle of flexi- ble rostering. De Lorean's debts in Belfast were discovered to be around £40 million, and a receiver's order seemed imminent. Harland and Wolff faced the loss of 1,000 jobs, explaining that they had no orders. The Confederation of British Industry call- ed for budget reflation to the tune of £3,000 million, at a saving of 200,000 'jobs'. The London Playboy Club closed at a cost of 300 bunnies. British Telecom announced a profit of £140 million in the last six months as a result of increases in telephone charges — in the same period last year it lost £19 million.
The Law Lords rejected an appeal by Miss Harriet Harman, legal officer of the National Council for Civil Liberties, holding that the publication of documents already disclosed in open court was a con- tempt of court. The Daily Mail's version of bingo came somewhat unstuck when over 3,000 people claimed the first prize of £35,000. In Ulster, a government inquiry in- to the homosexual prostitution scandal at Kincora Boys' Home suffered a setback when three out of five committee members walked out, claiming that major criminal aspects of the case were being ignored. Its chairman said he thought that the welfare of the boys should be its first consideration.
In Poland riots around Poznan resulted
in 194 arrests. Mr Miroslaw Krupinski, deputy to Lech Walesa, was put on trial ac- cused of provoking a strike. In northern Nigeria enthusiastic crowds of Muslims welcomed the Pope, praising him for his at- titude to abortion. In Syria there was an uprising against President Assad in the city of Hama. Later it was claimed that the in- surrections by members of the Muslim Brotherhood had been crushed. In the Philippines Mr Tommy Manotoc, claimed by his family to have been kidnapped by President Marcos after marrying the Mar- cos's delicious daughter, Imee, was rescued by Marcos forces from people said to be left-wing terrorists. In America, Henry Kissinger survived an open-heart operation. In Zimbabwe Mr Mugabe denounced his former opponent and present Minister without Portfolio, Mr Joshua Nkomo, as a 'snake plotting civil war' after arms were allegedly found on a ZAPU farm.
In the world of politics Mrs Sally Op- penheim retired as Minister for Con- sumer Affairs for family reasons. Nobody was appointed in her place. Sir George Young was appointed to the newly created post of Minister with special responsibility for Race Relations under Mr Heseltine. He was thought to have a fine record on race relations in the London area. The Social Democrat Party's constitutional conference felt that all 78,000 members should have a vote in leadership elections, but was unable to agree on whether women should receive 'positive discrimination' in their favour. A proposal which seemed to favour the prac- tice of homosexualism was amended.
Earl Grey, the Liberal peer, became chairman of a chain of sex shops run by Mr David Sullivan, the businessman, at a salary of £10,000. He said from his houseboat he was not interested in the money, but hoped to act as a public watchdog. A toy poodle, Grayco Hazelnut, was Supreme Champion
CARTOONIST OF THE YEAR It looks as if they are going to miss the first cuckoo again.'
Previous page
