News stories from Sunday June 27, 1982
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Alexander Haig's offer to resign was discussed by President Reagan and his staff members in the middle of last week, before Mr. Haig expressed his feelings to Mr. Reagan personally, according to White House officials. Mr. Haig had a meeting with Mr. Reagan Thursday at the President's request. After the meeting, Mr. Reagan reportedly told Mr. Haig, "I'll get back to you." He did Friday, when Mr. Haig's resignation as Secretary of State was announced by the President. [New York Times]
- Vehement criticism of the President was renewed as the Democrats ended their National Party Conference in Philadelphia. One of the results of the conference was the party's apparently unanimous backing of a freeze of nuclear weapons at their present levels, an issue that Democratic leaders believe will help the party in November's congressional elections and the 1984 presidential election. As the conference ended, former Vice President Walter Mondale and Senator Edward Kennedy were well ahead of several other politicians who came to Philadelphia seeking support for the party's nomination for President, but neither was a clear favorite. [New York Times]
- The Columbia's final test flight around Earth began. The space shuttle rocketed into space a hair-breadth before its scheduled 11 A.M. departure from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., carrying its first military and commercial payloads. If the week-long flight is successful, the spaceship will be used for regular orbital operations. The craft's astronauts headed for a 185-mile-high orbit, the highest thus far attained by the shuttle. [New York Times]
- The women's movement has emerged from its unsuccessful 10-year struggle to win ratification of the proposed federal equal rights amendment with a strong political organization that its leaders believe will now be diverted from lobbying to electing women to public office in unprecedented numbers. [New York Times]
- Israeli leaflets fell on west Beirut, warning people to flee if they wanted to save their lives. In the meantime, Israel moved more armored units into the hills surrounding Lebanon's capital. A series of meetings to find a formula that would provide the Palestinian guerrillas with an "honorable" exit were held by President Elias Sarkis of Lebanon, his Prime Minister, Shafik al-Wazzan, Yasser Arafat, the P.L.O. chairman, and Philip Habib, the special U.S. envoy to the Middle East. [New York Times]
- An Israeli peace plan for Lebanon calls for the Lebanese army to enter west Beirut and for the Palestine Liberation Organization's leaders and members to surrender their arms and leave the country by way of the Beirut-Damascus highway under guaranteed safe passage. It had the tone of an ultimatum. [New York Times]
- The U.S. warned Israel to stop its attacks in Beirut. The official statement by the Reagan administration said that it supports an end to the P.L.O.'s military presence in west Beirut, but that barring major provocations, Washington will not countenance more Israeli assaults. [New York Times]