News stories from Saturday April 26, 1980

Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:

The hostages are being dispersed throughout Iran to foil further rescue attempts, their infuriated captors said. The hostages' removal from the American Embassy in Teheran will give "the entire brave Iranian nation to have a direct role in keeping the hostages," they said. One of the captors said that the hostages had already been moved.The White House said it had no independent confirmation of reports that the hostages had been removed from the American embassy compound in Teheran. Some officials said the hostages' dispersal may be helpful. A senior official remarked that the administration had "no regrets" about the rescue attempt. The administration has submitted a report on the rescue mission to congressional leaders. [New York Times] The allies are unlikely to withdraw their commitment to economic sanctions against Iran despite misgivings over the failed hostage rescue attempt. That was indicated as ministers of the Common Market countries gathered in Luxembourg for a meeting. [New York Times] A flotilla set out for Cuba from Key West, Fla., to bring back more refugees despite Coast Guard warnings of bad weather. High seas and winds forced dozens of boats -- the Coast Guard said 200 boats had departed -- to turn back, and some required assistance from Coast Guard cutters. Radio Havana said that about 1,000 boats were waiting in the harbor at Mariel for more passengers. [New York Times] Senator Kennedy won the caucuses in Michigan by fewer than 300 votes over President Carter and took a 71 to 70 edge in the the state's delegation to the Democratic National Convention. It was his second victory in a week in a major industrial state. [New York Times] Americans are retrenching under economic pressures that are affecting them more seriously than at any time since the Depression, a New York Times/CBS News Poll has found. Bank loans once readily given are being cut off, and credit cards are being put away as money worries overcome the once-confident middle class. [New York Times] Rustlers are stealing millions of dollars of timber from national forests to provide fuel for the increasing number of wood-burning stoves that are being used as an alternative to high-priced heating oil. The forests are being plundered by both suburban residents, who load their cars with freshly cut timber, and commercial loggers who load five-ton flatbeds at night, the authorities say. [New York Times]