News stories from Saturday December 19, 1981

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

Summary criminal proceedings against some local activists of the Solidarity union movement have begun, Poland's military authorities announced. The unionists are being charged with seeking to instigate strikes in violation of martial law. [New York Times] East Germany sent food to Warsaw in an attempt to head off civil unrest, but reports of scattered strikes continued in cities outside the capital. The emergency food aid had been urgently requested from all Soviet-bloc countries several days ago by the new martial-law government in Poland. [New York Times] The depleted air traffic control force appears to have coped efficiently last week with the first spell of stormy wintry weather. The control system worked smoothly with no serious delays despite wide concern that turbulence and thick cloud decks would cause serious tieups, government officials said. [New York Times] Antarctica's food and energy sources might lead to nullification of a 20-year international treaty whose intent was to keep the continent "forever" as a non-political domain for scientific research and other nonexploitative purposes. The development potential of the world's last pristine continent might be an area contested among the 14 nations that signed the treaty. At a meeting last July in Buenos Aires, those 14 countries agreed to undertake mineral exploitation of the continent "as a matter of urgency." The United States, West Germany, Japan and the Soviet Union are among the nations keenly aware of its potential. [New York Times] Federal rules governing nursing homes would be relaxed or repealed under proposals under consideration by Reagan administration officials. Among the regulations being considered for possible repeal are rules affecting the rights of patients and health standards for staff members at long-term care facilities. [New York Times] The harshest criticism of the U.S. by a high Israeli official in recent memory came from Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, who denounced the Reagan administration's suspension of the military cooperation accord with Israel because of its annexation of the Golan Heights. He said the administration's action undermined credibility in American international agreements, was an attempt to damage Israel's security and raised doubts about the American commitment to the Camp David accords. [New York Times] A fierce battle in Afghanistan between Afghan guerrillas and government forces was described by some rebels as the most severe fighting since they took up arms against the Soviet-backed regime in Kabul three years ago. The battle took place in the Kandahar area and ended Nov. 28. Both sides had severe losses, and it was hard to tell which side had won. [New York Times] The decision to sell the New York Daily News was made without consultation with the employees' unions, according to George McDonald, head of the Allied Printing Trades Council, which represents the unions at the paper. He said the failure to consult violated a previous agreement. The unions demanded an immediate meeting with the owner, the Tribune Company of Chicago. [New York Times]