News stories from Saturday April 5, 1980
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- American officials became resigned to a further prolongation of the hostage crisis when the prospect faded that the hostages might be transferred to Iranian government custody. It was expected that the administration would go ahead with economic and political sanctions against Iran.
Ayatollah Khomeini appears unwilling and unable to approve a decision to transfer the American hostages in Teheran to government custody, taking them from their militant captors at the American Embassy. Thus, the present series of maneuvers aimed at placing the hostages under government custody seems futile, and it also appears that the decision will have to made by the still-to-be-elected parliament, perhaps this summer.
[New York Times] - Consumer use of electricity has declined in recent years far more than the power industry had expected, and some analysts believe that the rate of growth will fall even further. Industry experts expect major social and economic effects, among them fewer rate increases, only modest amounts of new pollution and an easing of the bitter nuclear debate, all because fewer generating plants would be needed. [New York Times]
- Carlos Torres, a leading suspect in bombings by the Puerto Rican terrorist group F.A.L.N. in New York City, Washington and Chicago, and one of the F.B.I.'s most wanted fugitives, was among 11 persons, all believed to be connected with the F.A.L.N., arrested by the police in Evanston, Ill. Reports of "suspicious looking" joggers led to the arrests. [New York Times]
- Serious air and water pollution has followed China's industrial development over the last 30 years, a predicament for its leaders who are committed to industrial modernization by 2000. Though environmental protection will divert funds from industry, the government has established a cabinet-level Environmental Protection Office. [New York Times]
- More than 2,000 Cubans in Havana seeking to leave the country jammed the grounds of the Peruvian Embassy. They were told by Cuban officials that they could leave if other countries would give them visas, except for those who entered the embassy by force. The crowd had been growing since Cuba removed its guards from the embassy gates Friday morning. [New York Times]
- The stalemate in the New York City transit talks may be broken Sunday. Negotiators for the M.T.A. and the union said they would resume bargaining tonight, starting a major effort to end the strike this week. John Lawe, president of the Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union, said that the two sides were "in the process of getting down to serious business."
The transit strike's sting was eased by the Easter weekend. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic slowed to a trickle. Taking a respite from walking, hitchhiking, taxi scrambling and carpooling, millions of New Yorkers and suburban commuters surrendered the town to shoppers and tourists.
[New York Times]