News stories from Saturday May 1, 1982
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- The 1982 World's Fair was officially opened in Knoxville, Tenn., with President and Mrs. Reagan, many foreign diplomats and local politicians attending the ceremonies. In a partisan speech that pointedly ignored the elected Democrats attending the ceremonies, Mr. Reagan picked up the theme of the fair, "Energy Turns the World," and praised energy conservation. He also took the opportunity to defend his budget proposals and to criticize those who, he said, "call for bigger government." The fair will run until October. [New York Times]
- Pro-Reagan Democrats who provided the President with his margin of victory during critical economic battles in the House last year are indicating that they want to work with their own party leadership toward producing a budget for fiscal year 1983. Their decision to adhere more closely to their own party was encouraged by an apparent drop in public support for President Reagan's economic policies, reflected in the much smaller public response to the President's economic address last Thursday than in the past. [New York Times]
- A reduction in the destructive power of Soviet and American intercontinental missiles by 30 to 50 percent is the goal of a nuclear arms control policy being developed by the Reagan administration, officials involved in the policy review said. The new approach would go beyond past efforts in strategic arms negotiations, which have had the goal of equalizing the number of weapons on both sides, and thus only indirectly limiting destructive power. Officials believe that approach froze the United States in a position of inferiority because Soviet missiles and warheads are larger. [New York Times]
- The British-Argentine dispute over the Falklands turned into warfare as sea and air battles erupted around the islands. The fighting started after British bombers attacked two airfields on the Falklands. Later, British destroyers and frigates bombarded Argentine shore bases from close range, dispatches from the South Atlantic said. The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that fighters "cartwheeled across the sky in a fierce dogfight" with Argentine aircraft. [New York Times]
- Argentina said Its forces had repelled repeated British bombing runs on the Falklands and attacked British ships that were bombarding the islands' main airfield. The Argentines also said that at least two British Harrier jump-jets were shot down and two others were damaged so badly that they were probably unable to return to their carriers. [New York Times]
- Thousands of Poles marched in Warsaw to show support for the suspended Solidarity union as an official, compulsory parade observing May Day took place a few blocks away. About 30,000 people marched in the demonstration for Solidarity. They chanted "We want freedom," "Release Lech Walesa" and "Down with the junta." The size of the unauthorized demonstration, which was the biggest show of resistance since the military crackdown in December, surprised its organizers. [New York Times]