News of this year

A military junta led by Major General Idi Amin siezes power in Uganda (Jan. 25).

Mao Zedong invites the US ping-pong team to visit Beijing (Apr. 6).

Nixon ends the US trade embargo against China. (Apr. 14).

Erich Honecker assumes leadership of the East German Communist Party after Walter Ulbricht's resignation (May).

India and the USSR sign a 20-year friendship pact (Aug. 9).

President Mobutu renames the Democratic Republic of Congo, establishing Zaire (Oct. 27).