News stories from Saturday October 17, 1981

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

A budget process revision has been suggested by President Reagan. The fundamental change would increase the President's power to control government spending. In an interview with a group of editors Mr. Reagan said he wanted the authority to veto specific items in appropriations bills enacted by Congress. The "line item veto" proposed by the President would probably require a Constitutional amendment and congressional officials said approval of the powers was unlikely. [New York Times] Democratic leaders urged the party not to put all of its hopes for 1982 on the immediate failures of the Reagan administration. The party chairman, Charles Manatt, who spoke at a meeting of the newly formed Democratic National Strategy Council in Baltimore, urged Democrats to develop alternative issues, particularly those that stressed the maintenance of vital government functions. [New York Times] Charges that the U.N. discriminated against women in its recruitment, hiring, placement and promotion practices prompted the world body four years ago to set a goal that by 1982, 25 percent of the professional posts should be held by women. But as the target date draws near, officals conceded that not even part of the objective has been met. [New York Times] Archeologists have discovered a site in Syria they believe to be the long-sought capital of a great Assyrian empire, which 39 centuries ago may have stretched from the Mediterranean to southwest Iran. [New York Times] The pledge to Saudi Arabia not to permit the country to become another Iran was renewed by President Reagan. He said that Iran's Shah Mohammed Riza Pahlevi would not have fallen if the Carter administration had given him unwavering support "in whatever had to be done to curb the revolution." [New York Times] An extensive crackdown in Egypt on religious militants and political opponents was confirmed by the government of President Hosni Mubrak. But there was wide disagreement over how many individuals were involved. Interior Minister Nabawi Ismail said that less than 100 people were detained on suspicion of invlcrvement in seditious activities. But security sources said as many as 1,500 persons -- most of them Islamic fundamentalists -- have been arrested. Meanwhile, the government issued a ban on all use of firearms by civilians. [New York Times] A Libyan invasion of the Sudan is now believed to have been postponed, a senior Sudanese official said. However the official, Gen. Omar Mohammed el-Tayeb, who is Second Vice President and Minister for State Security, said Libya still planned to bring down the Sudanese regime. His remarks, in an interview, seemed designed to counter skepticism about the likelihood of a Libyan invasion and to keep attention focused on the Sudan's sense of vulnerability. [New York Times]