News stories from Tuesday February 27, 1979
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Saccharin would not be banned under a recommendation in a report by the National Academy of Sciences, but use of the artificial sweetener would be restricted, particularly among children, according to scientists familiar with the report. The report, scheduled to be made public Friday, was prepared by experts at the request of Congress, which stayed a ban on use of the chemical until next May. Saccharin is known to cause cancer in animals. [New York Times]
- Jane Byrne apparently defeated Mayor Michael Bilandic in Chicago's Democratic mayoral primary election. Her showing was considered surprising to most longtime observers of the city's strong Democratic machine. In 1977, Mayor Bilandic dismissed Mrs. Byrne as commissioner of consumer sales after she accused him of having "greased" the way for a taxi-fare increase. [New York Times]
- Cleveland voters approved a rise of 50 percent in the city income tax and also voted to retain the embattled city-owned municipal electric utility. The results were a major personal victory for Mayor Dennis Kucinich, who had fought political and business leaders to retain the utility as a symbol of his battle against corporate influence in the city. [New York Times]
- Rabies could be exterminated in many parts of the world by a new technique, some specialists believe. In a test, the Swiss authorities have reportedly been spreading fox bait laden with live-virus vaccine in a confined Alpine valley to determine whether the disease can be isolated. Red foxes are the chief carriers of the disease, which is raging in that region. [New York Times]
- Caution about low radiation levels was advised by the White House, but it declined to propose stricter standards on permissible amounts of exposure, saying further study was needed. Critics say the government's allowable levels of exposure are too high, endangering the health of the public and workers in nuclear facilities. [New York Times]
- Radio City Music Hall will remain open, but with new programming, Rockefeller Center officials announced. Instead of its movies and stage shows, the landmark theater will offer a wide variety of entertainment that may include musical and dance productions, plays and special events. Whether the famed Rockettes will remain is uncertain. [New York Times]
- Efforts to revive Mideast peace hopes were made by President Carter, who announced that Prime Minister Begin of Israel had accepted his invitation to hold "frank" talks with him later this week. Mr. Carter made the announcement at a news conference after the Israeli cabinet had voted, 14 to 2, to veto Mr. Begin's return to Camp David to conclude negotiations for an Israeli-Egyptian treaty with Prime Minister Khalil of Egypt, who was to represent President Sadat. Prime Minister Begin is not expected to meet with Egyptian officials when he confers with President Carter, Israeli officials said. [New York Times]
- President Carter urged China to withdraw its troops from Vietnam "as quickly as possible" because the invasion "ran risks that were unwarranted." The message was delivered in Peking by Treasury Secretary Blumenthal to Deputy Prime Minister Teng. The Secretary said that he had also reiterated a similar American call for the withdrawal of Vietnamese troops from Cambodia.
Vietnamese have attacked China in small incursions, one of them resulting in the shelling of a village 10 miles inside China. Border guards and local forces drove back the assaults, according to the Chinese press agency. The Vietnamese actions reflect the rising tempo of the war, according to American analysts.
[New York Times] - Rival Iranian groups are vying for control in most cities. Tabriz, a city of more than one million people near the Soviet border, is being guided inefficiently by four religious leaders, 14 revolutionary committees and scores of armed militia bands. These bands root out suspected agents of the Shah, confront leftist guerrillas or shoot it out with other bands. [New York Times]
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Stock Market Report
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 807.00 (-14.12, -1.72%)
Arms Index is the ratio of volume per declining issue to volume per advancing issue; a figure below 1.0 is bullish. | |||||||||||||||
| Market Index Trends | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | DJIA | S&P | Volume* |
| February 26, 1979 | 821.12 | 97.67 | 22.62 |
| February 23, 1979 | 823.28 | 97.78 | 22.75 |
| February 22, 1979 | 828.57 | 98.33 | 26.30 |
| February 21, 1979 | 834.55 | 99.07 | 26.05 |
| February 20, 1979 | 834.55 | 99.42 | 22.01 |
| February 16, 1979 | 827.01 | 98.67 | 21.11 |
| February 15, 1979 | 829.09 | 98.73 | 22.56 |
| February 14, 1979 | 829.78 | 98.87 | 27.22 |
| February 13, 1979 | 830.21 | 98.93 | 28.47 |
| February 12, 1979 | 824.84 | 98.20 | 20.61 |