News stories from Saturday April 3, 1982

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

President Reagan began 10 radio talks on administration policies, discussing the economy. Mr. Reagan said that his economic recovery program, in effect since October "hasn't really started yet" and that his plan to reduce income taxes should not be altered despite the rising budget deficit. He suggested that his opponents were exploiting the recession for political purposes. [New York Times] A large part of Britain's naval fleet has been ordered to the Falkland Islands by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who told the first weekend session of Parliament since the Suez crisis of 1956 that the islands "remain British territory." Mrs. Thatcher also announced that Argentina's financial assets in Britain would be frozen and other economic sanctions would be imposed. [New York Times] Argentine withdrawal from the Falkland Islands was demanded by the United Nations Security Council. The vote on a British resolution demanding the withdrawal was 10 in favor and Panama against, with the Soviet Union, China, Poland and Spain abstaining. The resolution also calls for an immediate end to hostilities and urges Argentina and Britain to seek a diplomatic solution. The vote came after a debate in which the Argentine Foreign Minister sought to portray his government's action as that of liberation from colonialism. [New York Times] Iran's recent victory over Iraq after a long stalemate in their Gulf war is having repercussions throughout the Middle East. As details of the crushing defeat of entrenched Iraqi troops in the Dizful area became known in Teheran, the fears of an Islamic fundamentalist revolution among the more conservative Arab nations were underscored by an unscheduled, emergency visit to Baghdad by the Saudi Arabian Defense Minister, Prince Sultan. [New York Times] Israel's influence on Sinai is likely to be felt long after the Israelis turn over the territory to Egypt this month after 15 years of occupation. Israel put the semi-nomadic Bedouin culture of Sinai in touch with the modern world. Many Bedouins believe that a seed of change has been planted and that the father schooled in the old ways of the desert will no long find a ready pupil in his son. [New York Times] Classroom computers are beginning to be used by students of all ages, from the lowest elementary grades to college level. They are making it possible for third and fourth graders to work with basic concepts of geometry several years earlier than usual. Some colleges are beginning to add such requirements as "computer literacy." The use of computers has also resulted in the questioning of traditional concepts of authority because students often know more than their teachers about computer-related problems. Educators say it is important to begin research into the effect computers have on education. [New York Times]