News stories from Saturday March 20, 1982
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- The Columbia's third space mission countdown continued to progress smoothly toward a 10 A.M. Monday scheduled launching at Cape Canaveral for a seven-day flight around Earth. The space shuttle's flight will be conducted by Col. Jack Lousma of the Marine Corps, who is the mission's commander, and his co-pilot, Col. Gordon Fullerton of the Air Force. [New York Times]
- G.M. contract talks in Detroit were slowed by "snags" in certain areas, including profit sharing, according to Douglas Fraser, president of the auto workers union. Mr. Fraser appeared depressed, in sharp contrast to hopes both sides had expressed earlier. [New York Times]
- The federal role In nursing homes will remain strong, Richard Schweiker, Secretary of Health and Human Services, said. Rejecting the recommendations of top officials in the Department of Health and Human Services, he said there would be no change in current health, safety and staffing requirements for nursing homes. [New York Times]
- OPEC agreed to cut oil production by about 700,000 barrels a day to reduce the worldwide surplus of oil and bolster prices. The decision by the organization's 13 ministers at their meeting in Vienna was their first formal production agreement. The reduction was greater than had been expected and included a 500,000-barrel-a-day reduction by Saudi Arabia. [New York Times]
- Cuban intentions to disrupt elections in El Salvador were known to the Reagan administration three months ago, the State Department said. The department said that the administration had received information that Fidel Castro ordered a step-up in arms shipments to Salvadoran insurgents in an effort to disrupt the elections, which are to take place March 28. [New York Times]
- A majority of Americans want the United States to stay out of the conflict in El Salvador, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll. In addition, by 42 to 26 percent, respondents disapproved of the way President Reagan is dealing with the situation in El Salvador. When asked specifically what Washington should do in El Salvador, 63 percent of the respondents said, "Stay out." [New York Times]
- The U.S. will not oppose Nicaragua's request Friday for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to present charges that Washington was threatenting an "imminent" invasion. Jeane Kirkpatrick, chief United States delegate said, "It is my clear and firm intention to proceed fairly and expeditiously" with the request. [New York Times]
- Israeli troops fired into a crowd of stone-throwing Palestinian demonstrators in the occupied West Bank. A 17-year-old boy was killed and two teenage girls and a 55-year-old woman were wounded. [New York Times]