Portrait of the week
The Daily Mirror revealed that Princess Michael of Kent's father had been a member of the SS, joining in 1933 and attaining the rank of major. Princess Michael said it was 'a deep shame for me and I'll have to live with it'. Enver Hoxha, the Stalinist who ruled Albania for 40 years, died and was succeeded by Mr Ramiz Alia. The Guardian revealed that he was 'the most liberal member of the present Albanian leadership'. Soon after- wards Mr Alia warned would-be enemies that 'their heads will be smashed,against the steel unity of the party'. Mrs Thatcher returned from her ten-day, eight-nation tour of the Far East, having suffered a coughing fit during an address to the Sri Lankan parliament, and was criticised by some of her own backbenchers for over- taxing her health, and by Mr Kinnock and other Labour MPs for allegedly crowing over the defeat of the miners to foreigners. Miners' leaders recommended acceptance of the Coal Board's proposals about pay rises and a review procedure allowing the closure of uneconomic pits. Sir Geoffrey Howe made a successful tour of Eastern Europe, in Poland visiting the grave of Father Popieluszko, in Prague singing 'Bread of Heaven' in Welsh in a bar to distract attention while two of his officials went to meet five Charter 77 members. Mr Norman Tebbit left for a tour of Japan, Dr Hastings Banda, President of Malawi, ar- rived in Britain for a state visit. A bomb exploded in a restaurant near Madrid, apparently intended to kill the American servicemen who frequent it, but instead killing 18 Spaniards. The Spanish airline pilots union said seven of Spain's airports are 'very dangerous'. The Israelis captured a 16-year-old boy who was preparing for a suicide bombing mission, into which he said the Amal militia had forced him in
settlement of his family's debts, which are for medical and legal expenses incurred when they injured other Lebanese by erratic driving. Severe street fighting broke out between rival Muslim militias in Beirut, and the year-old Lebanese govern- ment fell. It was reported that ex-president Nimeiri of Sudan had planned to rein- troduce crucifixion as a mode of execution, but had been thwarted by a lack of reliable suppliers for the required equipment.
The pound reached $1.27, its highest level for seven months. Interest rates fell slightly. Mr Moss Evans, retiring lead- er of the TGWU, appeared to be yielding to pressure for a fresh ballot to choose his successor, needed because of irregularities in the original ballot. Trade union leaders feared the Government might seize the opportunity to make postal (rather than workplace) ballots compulsory, as being harder to rig. Railwyamen in Scotland held a one-day strike without a ballot of any description: British Rail said it was con- sidering taking legal action for damages. A 20-month old baby died in London from Aids, which he was thought to have con- tracted from a blood transfusion received in the United States. The Department of Health said the risk of contracting Aids from a blood transfusion was extremely remote. The Marquess of Blandford was fined and put on probation for breaking into a chemist's shop in search of heroin. South Africa announced plans to legalise marriages between people of different races. It also said it would withdraw its forces from Angola, despite the continued presence of Cuban troops there. The New Zealand Rugby Union decided to send a team to tour South Africa, in defiance of the New Zealand government.
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