News stories from Saturday April 18, 1981

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

President Reagan's working hours have increased to four or five hours a day and he doing about the same amount of paperwork that he did before he was shot March 30, White House officials said. He has resumed lobbying by telephone in Congress for his economic program, an effort that took up much of his time before the assassination attempt. However, he is still working out of his family's quarters in the White House. [New York Times] Proof of intentional discrimination will be required of blacks, Hispanic Americans and women in lawsuits alleging violations of civil rights under a subtle but important policy change in Congress and the courts. Prosecuting attorneys in discrimination cases generally prefer to use a test based on the effect of bias rather than proof of its intent. The new emphasis on evidence of intent is strongly backed by Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah. "I don't see how you can brand the government or anybody else racist without some degree of proof of intent," he said in an interview. [New York Times] The only survivors of a midair collision over Colorado Friday afternoon were four incredulous parachutists. Fifteen persons died when the skydivers' plane and a commuter craft crashed in clear weather about 45 miles north of Denver. The chutes of all six men in the smaller plane opened, but two of the men were killed. [New York Times] Strategy for a long conventional war with the Soviet Union on a worldwide scale is being completed by the administration, and the armed forces will be ordered to shape their 1983 budgets for it, according to Pentagon officials. The new strategy, intended to protect American interests in the Middle East and elsewhere, reflects the views of Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and his top aides. [New York Times] Rising opposition of conservationists to the Reagan administration's environmental policies and appointments is leading them to take a strong political stand on environmental issues in Washington and across the nation. The National Audubon Society, the Wilderness Society and the National Wildlife Federation report that their memberships and contributions are increasing sharply as a result of the administration's views, especially those of Interior Secretary James Watt, on environmental issues. [New York Times] Chaos disrupted the Easter egg hunt held annually in New York City's Central Park. An unexpectedly large crowd touched off a stampede when prizes were tossed up for grabs. No serious injuries were reported, but police reinforcements were called to restore order. [New York Times] Saudi Arabia insists that an arms deal be carried out by the administration, allowing it to purchase five Awacs electronic surveillance planes, in addition to the previously ordered F-15 fighters. It also wants seven aerial tankers. The Saudis rejected administration suggestions that it postpone buying the Awacs and avoid a fight in Congress, which would influenced by Israel's opposition to the plane deal. [New York Times] American naval power predominates in the Indian Ocean following the most ambitious mobilization of naval forces since the Vietnam War to challenge Soviet advances in Africa and Asia. Singapore, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Kenya, among other places, are visited monthly by thousands of American sailors on shore leave, emphasizing a naval commander's view that the Indian Ocean has become the primary strategic concern for the United States. [New York Times]