News stories from Friday April 4, 1980
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Employment declined nationally in March -- by 300,000 jobs -- and the jobless rate rose by two-tenths of a percentage point from the February rate to 6.2 percent of the total work force, the Labor Department said. Several economists interpreted the latest findings on economic activity as a sign that a long-awaited recession had begun. Construction jobs were particularly hard hit. [New York Times]
- Wholesale prices continued to rise last month at an annual rate exceeding 18 percent, but the March increase of 1.4 percent was slightly less than that of the two previous months, the government reported. [New York Times]
- Agent Orange probably causes cancer in humans, according to five research studies released in Congress. Representatives Thomas Daschle of South Dakota and David Bonior of Michigan said that the studies contradicted statements by the Veterans Administration that there was no evidence linking the chemical, which had been sprayed near American troops in Vietnam, with cancer. [New York Times]
- Rain helped neutralize toxic chemicals that spilled from a ruptured railroad tank car in Somerville, Mass., on Thursday, and at least 7,000 residents who had to be evacuated returned to their homes. [New York Times]
- The national response to the census was promising, the Census Bureau said in reporting that slightly more than half the census questionnaires had already been received at local census offices. The major exception is New York City. Census officials are hoping for an 80 percent national response by April 16, when census takers will start to make personal calls to obtain the remaining forms. [New York Times]
- A center-left coalition cabinet was formed in Italy by Francesco Cossiga, a Christian Democrat, who will succeed himself as Prime Minister. The new government will be run by a cabinet consisting of 15 Christian Democrats, nine Socialists, whose party will be represented in the cabinet for the first time in six years, and three Republicans. The Christian Democrats retain control of most key ministries. The coalition was formed when the Socialist Party leader, Bettino Craxi, settled for less important cabinet seats than he had initially demanded. The cabinet will have no Communist members. Mr. Craxi's charges that the previous government had no Communist support helped break it up. [New York Times]
- The McLean family is negotiating the sale of The Bulletin, a major Philadelphia newspaper that it has owned and operated since 1895, to Karl Eller, a communications executive, and the newly formed Charter Media Company, which is part of a Florida energy conglomerate. [New York Times]
- The F.B.I. arrested 11 people, three of whom were identified as members of F.A.L.N., a Puerto Rican terrorist group. Carlos Torres, a leading suspect in F.A.L.N. bombings in Chicago, Washington and New York City, and his wife were among those arrested. [New York Times]
- A stalemate in Afghanistan between Soviet troops and Afghan rebels seems to exist, with the Soviet forces controlling major cities and towns and the lines of communications, and the rebels controlling most of the countryside, according to government analysts in Washington. [New York Times]
- New York City transit talks remained deadlocked. Walter Gellhorn, chairman of the mediation panel, said there was no softening on either side, with both holding firmly to earlier positions on wage increases and the critical issues of productivity and "givebacks."
Heavy rain and Good Friday cut back vehicle and pedestrian traffic to their lightest levels since the start of the transit strike Tuesday. But city officials warned of a possible traffic nightmare on Monday when many businesses will reopen after the Easter and Passover holiday closings. More problems are expected when public schools reopen Wednesday.
[New York Times]