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News stories from Sunday August 26, 1979
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- A sniper wounded five tourists on a crowded street in Honolulu, and was identified by the police as a man who had been committed to a mental hospital after a similar attack in 1973. The man was placed "on leave" from the hospital, the police said. [New York Times]
- A compromise bill on campaign funds is awaiting action when Congress returns from its August recess. Its Democratic and Republican sponsors say the bill is the current Congress' last opportunity to restrain contributions from corporations, trade and labor organizations, and other special interest groups. Sponsors and foes of the measure are hoping for support from Representative Dan Rostenkowski, the chief deputy majority whip, who last May was instrumental in killing an earlier campaign finance bill. [New York Times]
- Tom Hayden and his wife Jane Fonda plan to expand their California campaign against what they describe as the excessive power of corporations and the federal government to 10 states, starting next month. Mr. Hayden, an antiwar activist of the 1960's, and Miss Fonda plan to visit up to 50 cities in an effort to enlist supporters for their organization, the Campaign for Economic Democracy. [New York Times]
- Economic turmoil has taken its toll on Americans, making them bitter and uncertain, Congressmen discovered on their visits to constituents during the August recess. They heard appeals for help to cope with inflation, the energy shortage and the federal bureaucracy. They also found that many people were not in a mood to help others and that there was widespread resentment against Vietnamese refugees, Chrysler executives, oil companies and foreign concerns. [New York Times]
- A Soviet plane was kept grounded at Kennedy International Airport while officials continued seeking to interview the wife of a Soviet defector, who boarded the Moscow-bound plane Friday evening. The officials were still unable to determine whether Lyudmila Vlasova, a Bolshoi Ballet dancer whose husband, Aleksandr Godunov, a Bolshoi star who defected Thursday, was on the plane voluntarily.
The Soviet airliner is being detained under a law that was passed following incidents involving two Soviet citizens in the early 1970's. It gives authorities the right to hold up the departure of persons who might be seeking asylum, State Department spokesmen and authorities on international law explained. The law incorporates provisions of guidelines on asylum policies issued by President Nixon after an attempt by a Lithuanian fisherman to defect on Nov. 23, 1970. [New York Times]
- Iranian troops defeated Kurdish rebels who attempted to seize a military garrison in Saqqiz in western Iran and took possession of the town, ending a battle that began Thursday. A Kurdish source said most of the rebel force of fewer than 500 men had escaped. [New York Times]
- Israel will continue its attacks on Palestinian guerrillas in southern Lebanon despite efforts by the United Nations to arrange a cease-fire. Reaffirmation of the government's policy was announced by the cabinet following its weekly meeting. Nevertheless, a United Nations information official in Beirut said that a cease-fire agreed to separately with Israeli forces, their Lebanese Christian militia allies and the Palestine Liberation Organization would go into effect early Monday morning.
Another effort to stop the fighting in southern Lebanon will be made by the administration, according to Robert Strauss, President Carter's Middle East negotiator. He said that "a diplomatic offensive" was needed and that he would become involved in the effort, which, he said, will be discussed Monday at the State Department. [New York Times]
- Kenya's economy has been jeopardized by two OPEC increases in the last eight months that have nearly doubled the price of a barrel of oil. The price per barrel last December was $12.70. It is now $23.50, and it means that one-third of Kenya's foreign exchange earnings must be spent on oil, up from one-quarter a year ago. This has delayed badly needed agricultural, road, school and electrification projects. [New York Times]
- Strengthening Chinese-American ties to promote international stability in the next decade was urged by Vice President Mondale and Deputy Prime Minister Deng Xiaoping in toasts at a dinner in Peking welcoming Mr. Mondale to China. Mr. Deng is expected to get firm assurances from Mr. Mondale when they begin talks tomorrow that the Chinese-American trade agreement concluded in July will be submitted to Congress for approval this fall, according to Mr. Mondale's aides. [New York Times]
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