News stories from Saturday January 6, 1979

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

New strip mine environmental curbs have been delayed for six months. The delay, which has dismayed environmentalists, was forced by the coal industry, which had filed thousands of pages of exceptions to the proposed rules in the 60-day comment period that began Nov. 27. The Department of Energy and White House economists supported the industry. [New York Times] As the Republican Party begins the 1980 presidential campaign, it is less divided than at any time since World War II. Issues that thwarted unity in the past have changed, many leaders who stirred passions have retired, and the party's mood is optimistic. [New York Times] William Ellinghaus will head a fundraising drive among major corporations to aid the financially troubled National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He is president-elect of the American Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. The fundraising drive is scheduled to start March 1 and will continue for three years. Its goal is at least $3 million. [New York Times] An internal White House memorandum warns that Mayor Koch should have cut the New York City budget more than he did this fiscal year and that, unless major cuts are enacted in the year ahead, there will be "serious discussion" of bankruptcy for the city in 1981 and 1982. The memorandum proposed that the Treasury Department, which must approve each borrowing by the city, adopt a more aggressive posture toward the city in pressing for cutbacks. [New York Times] Civilian government was restored in Iran as Prime Minister Shahpur Bakhtiar presented his cabinet to the Shah. The first cabinet meeting was held later to discuss ways of dealing with the rioting that has shaken the country and with its economic problems. The new government was scorned by one of the Shah's principal opponents, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who called on employees at the Iranian government ministries to lock the new cabinet ministers out.Iran's new cabinet of 14 members includes technocrats of proven administrative ability, but Prime Minister Shahpur Bakhtiar was unable to recruit representatives of the principal religious and secular groups who oppose the Shah. [New York Times] The Soviet Union was reassured by President Carter, the President of France, the Prime Minister of Britain and the Chancellor of West Germany that the normalization of United States relations with China would not weaken their commitment to detente and the conclusion of a new strategic arms agreement. The statement was made jointly at the end of a two-day meeting on world affairs in Guadeloupe. [New York Times] The destruction of Prime Minister Pol Pot's government is the aim of Vietnam in its war with Cambodia, political analysts agree. The ultra-nationalist government in Phnom Penh has encroached on 750 miles of Vietnam's western border and has aligned itself with China, the power most feared by Vietnam. Nevertheless, the analysts concede that Vietnam is conducting a war of aggression, and they believe that if Vietnam wins it may seek similar victories elsewhere. [New York Times] A worldwide weather experiment will begin this week and is expected to take a year to complete. The 147-nation Global Weather Experiment will study the annual seasonal weather cycle of the atmosphere and will gauge the practical limits of weather forecasting with available technology. [New York Times] The U.S. is considering another set of negotiations towards concluding a treaty between Israel and Egypt, administration officials said. An announcement of the invitation to both countries to send negotiators to Washington will probably be made this week, they said. [New York Times]