May 26, 1979

witnesses describe crash (M)

Pres Carter says issue of energy will decide who wins '80 Presidential election (S)

convicted murderer John A Spenkelink it electrocuted; witnesses to execution describe Spenkelink's death; his family comments; Fla Repr Andy Johnson says he will introduce bill to end executions in state; demonstrators opposed to capital punishment gather outside prison; scene described; por of Spenkelink (M)

Israel returns El Arish to Egyptians after 12 yrs of occupation; pullout marks beginning of Israel's promised withdrawal from Sinai under peace treaty; Israeli Maj Gen Dan Shomron and Egyptian Maj Gen Abdel Hamid Hamdi preside over ceremony; illus; map (M)

CHICAGO, May 25 𠀔 “The plane just lost power and slowly rolled over on its side,” George Owens, a witness to the worst domestic air crash in history, said today shortly after the fiery disaster at O'Hare International Airport here.

Gasoline shortages cause arguments at service stations on LI on May 25 and force posting of police officers to direct a line of waiting motorists in Manhattan; spokesmen for gasoline dealers comment; line illus (M)

South Yemen Information Min Rashid Mohammed Thabit says villages are prospering under Marxist regime; says nation is increasingly dependent on financial and technical assistance from USSR and other Eastern bloc nations; says nation is turning to UN Development Program and other Arab nations for aid; Govt has been more successful in improving social conditions than in improving economic conditions; its education program is considered one of best in Middle East; many shops are closed in once thriving port of Aden; map (M)

Black groups in US mount 1 of largest lobbying efforts on international issue in attempt to persuade Carter Administration not to revoke sanctions against Rhodesia; plan to supplement recent stream of appearances before Congressional committees, speeches and letter-writing campaigns with more direct and intense talks with individual members of Congress; Randall Robinson, executive director of black Amer lobbying organization TransAfrica, and other blacks do not rule out possibility of demonstrations before June 15, date by which Carter has promised to make his decison; lobbying on Rhodesian sanctions is being described by many blacks as test of Carter's commitment to human rights and to what Carter and US Amb to UN Andrew Young have led 3d World nations to believe is 'new Amer policy on Africa'; Georgia Sen Julian Bond comments (L)

Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, believed to be member of ruling Revolutionary Council, is shot and wounded, Teheran; is reported to be in good condition; tens of thousands of Iranians belonging to leftist and Islamic factions converge on US Embassy to hold separate anti-American protests but end up battling each other; illus (M)

Leonel Brizola, former Brazilian labor leader, says he hopes to end his 15-year exile within weeks and return to Brazil to rebuild his banned Labor Party into major opposition force; says he believes Gen Joao Baptista Figueiredo, new President, will declare general amnesty in next few weeks, permitting him to return home (S)

Roger Dafflon elected 1st Communist Mayor (S)

Egypt and Israel formally open negotiations on Palestinian issue, Beersheba, Israel; positions of 2 nations are far apart; Sec of State Vance urges Egypt and Israel to show 'maximum restraint' in negotiations; illus of Vance with Egyptian and Israeli officials (M)