News stories from Saturday April 15, 1978

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

Japan called on its industries to reduce exports of cars, ships, steel, television sets and other major products following an announcement that Japan's trade surplus had reached a record amount of $2.45 billion in March. Exports to the United States rose by 11.1 percent, while imports from the United States dropped 24.5 percent. The huge surplus could provoke further criticism of Japan, especially in the United States and the European Economic Community. The mounting surpluses have been a major cause of the dollar's plunge against the yen. The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry said it would take prompt action if exports of certain items become the cause of international trade issues. [New York Times] A death sentence for Aldo Moro was announced by the kidnappers of Italy's former Prime Minister, who was abducted a month ago. The sentencing followed completion of "the interrogation of the prisoner," according to a message sent by Red Brigades terrorists to Italian officials. The message was distributed simultaneously in Rome, Turin, Milan and Genoa. [New York Times] The government is a major victim of white collar crime because of fraud in federal aid programs. Cheating is widespread in programs that provide services, training and aid to the disadvantaged: food stamps, health care, job training and housing aid. Experts believe the annual cost of fraud may exceed $12 billion, the amount of the current budget of New York state. The government bears some responsibility for the cheating, congressional investigators and government officials say, because it has been negligent in monitoring its grants. [New York Times] An espionage case coming up for trial soon is being closely directed by top officials of the administration, including President Carter, and its outcome may determine whether the government may continue to make searches, tap telephones and install listening devices in national security investigations without first obtaining warrants. If the government wins a conviction and it is upheld by the Supreme Court, it would be the first formal action establishing that a President may, on national security grounds, ignore constitutional protections against illegal search and seizure. [New York Times] A British-American effort failed to reach a negotiated accord on Rhodesia with Rhodesian guerrilla leaders at a meeting in Tanzania led by Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and the British Foreign Secretary, Dr. David Owen. At the conclusion of the two-day meeting, Mr. Vance told reporters that "I think progress was made," but that there were still "fundamental differences." Joshua Nkomo, one of the guerrilla leaders, attempted to play down those differences, but warned that the guerrillas would continue "to beat sense" into the Salisbury government. [New York Times]