News stories from Saturday July 23, 1977

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

In the seven months since he became budget director, Bert Lance has seen his income and assets decline to the point where congressional oversight committees that once were concerned over a possible conflict of interest because of his assets have begun to ask whether such conflicts could grow out of his debts. Among his liabilities are interest payments on loans amounting to $373,000 a year. [New York Times] The national birth rate has started a slow rise from its historic low last year. The rate is still extremely low compared to that of the baby boom following World War II, but the current figures are of interest to demographers who are pondering how lasting the birth decline of this decade will be. The question has considerable public importance because even a small change in unpredictable birth and fertility rates can have a major impact on the economy and on such institutions as schools and colleges for years to come. [New York Times] A total of $11.3 million in grants and leans will be provided by the federal government to help New York City recover from the looting and vandalism during the July 13 blackout, the Carter administration announced. City officials were surprised and delighted at the amount, which they said was almost twice .what they had expected. But Representative Herman Badillo of the Bronx and Representative Edward Koch of Manhattan said the federal aid was inadequate. [New York Times] An all black jury in Washington convicted the Hanafi Moslem leader Hamaas Abdul Khaalis and two of his followers of second degree murder for the slaying of a college radio reporter in Washington's City Hall last March. The City Hall was one of three buildings Seized by Mr. Hamaas and his followers, who held 149 persons hostage for two days. Mr. Hamaas and the two others as well as nine co-defendants were also convicted on charges of conspiracy and kidnapping. [New York Times] One of the most intensive corporate investigations in its history has been undertaken by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and its results are expected by many government officials to set new guidelines for corporate responsibility and behavior. The subject of the inquiry is Gulf and Western industries, one of the nation's fastest growing conglomerates. Government officials emphasized that the company's basic solvency is not at issue in the investigation. [New York Times] A $3 million shopping center will soon be started on a portion of the land made barren by the riots in Detroit 10 years ago, that lasted five days and destroyed property valued at $50 million. The belief that the still blighted and largely boarded-up 12th Street area can eventually recover is an example of what is emerging all over the city. [New York Times] Libya accused Egypt of conducting air raids deep inside Libya, from the port of Tobruk to the Kufra oasis, 500 miles to the south. Egypt denied this and it was reported that the two countries had tentatively agreed to a cease-fire through the mediation efforts of Yasser Arafat, head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. However, Egyptian officials said privately that Cairo was now intent on overthrowing Col. Muammar Qaddafi, the Libyan leader. [New York Times] Concern was growing within the Carter administration that the scandal about alleged South Korean influence-buying in Washington will upset plans to withdraw American ground troops from South Korea. Defense Secretary Harold Brown arrived in Seoul where he will begin talks this week on the gradual withdrawal of about 30,000 troops. Defense officials said the administration was "deeply worried" about congressional support for the transfer of weapons and equipment to the South Korean army to offset the American troop withdrawal. [New York Times] A new effort will be made by the United States and Britain to bring about a negotiated settlement in Rhodesia based on the one-man, one-vote formula that is strongly opposed by the white Rhodesian government. The new British-American proposals were discussed at the White House by President Carter and Dr. David Owen, the British Foreign Secretary. [New York Times]