News stories from Tuesday January 1, 1980

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

Early action on Afghanistan will probably be sought in the United Nations General Assembly by the United States and its allies, according to a high Carter administration official, who said they would request a condemnation of Soviet intervention and a demand for the withdrawal of Soviet troops. Washington was said to prefer to make the bid in the Assembly rather than in the Security Council, where Moscow has veto power.Moscow assailed Washington, asserting that the United States was enraged by the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan because the Americans had been plotting to turn the country into their own base to make up for the loss of Iran. The idea of a boycott of the Olympics in Moscow next summer because of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan was raised by West Germany at an emergency NATO meeting in Brussels, an official of the Atlantic alliance said. The official reported that curbing of cultural exchanges and commercial credit accords with Moscow were also discussed. Kabul said it had invited Soviet troops into Afghanistan "in view of the present aggressive actions" of its enemies and that the Russians would withdraw when the threats abated. Meanwhile, patrols were carried out by Soviet troops and few Afghan soldiers were seen. [New York Times] Kurt Waldheim arrived in Teheran and immediately cautioned that his visit would not produce an early breakthrough in the impasse that has kept American hostages there for nearly two months. The Iranian government has treated the visit by the United Nations Secretary General coolly and it is uncertain whether he will be received by Ayatollah Khomeini. [New York Times] A fire killed at least 42 persons at a New Year's Eve party in a crowded social club near the Quebec mining town of Chapais. Investigators said that 50 people had suffered serious burns and smoke inhalation. Survivors reported that a reveler had been toying with a cigarette lighter near decorations just before the blaze erupted, and the police held a man for questioning. [New York Times] A political truce was broken as Bill Brock, the Republican national chairman, assailed President Carter for a "policy of deception" that sought to use national unity on the hostages in Iran to divert attention from foreign policy weaknesses that he said had invited the embassy takeover and the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. Mr. Brock urged Republican presidential aspirants not to keep silent on anything except the specific issue of Mr. Carter's efforts to free the captives. [New York Times] Thousands of revelers rioted in Reno for three hours. They streamed out of downtown casinos to celebrate New Year's Eve, then ran amok, stoning policemen and smashing store windows. The police dispersed the rampaging mob with tear gas and detained more than 100 people. [New York Times] The new head of a movie studio is Sherry Lansing, a 35-year-old former model. She was named president of 20th Century-Fox Productions, becoming the first woman to lead a major studio and one of the highest paid women in any industry. Her appointment ends six months of executive turmoil at Fox. [New York Times] Safeguarding the nation's coastline is sought by environmentalists who have designated 1980 as "The Year of the Coast." The drive was opened by 30 groups that held beach walks around the country, including nearly 200 people who strode along a littered beach on Chesapeake Bay. [New York Times] Rhodesian troops battled guerrillas of the Patriotic Front for the first time since a cease-fire took effect five days ago. A British military spokesman said that paramilitary police had fought 10 rebels who attacked a farm, killing seven rebels. Truce violations were increasing. [New York Times] Pietro Nenni, the Italian leader, died at the age of 88 after a heart attack. Mr. Nenni, the last legendary figure of European Socialism, led Italy's Socialist Party from 1949 to 1969 after 40 years of battling Fascism. [New York Times]