News stories from Saturday August 14, 1982

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

Deductions for certain business meals would be allowed under an agreement by a House-Senate conference committee. The committee, which is working on a bill to raise taxes by $98.9 billion, reached the decision at an all-night session. The committee also agreed to a more stringent reporting system on restaurant workers' tips and a limit on deductions for medical costs. [New York Times] A restaurant union's lobbying failed to pay off. The House-Senate conferees voted to kill a proposal in President Reagan's $98.8 billion tax bill that would have cut in half the deduction for the "three martini" businessman's lunch but voted to a new plan on the income tax on tips. Restaurant owners had protested that the meal tax change could severely curtail their businesses. The conferees approved a measure that would require restaurants that employ 10 or more workers who receive tips to allocate among them a potential tax liability for tips received in a sum equal to 8 percent of gross income and to report the allocation to the Internal Revenue Service. [New York Times] The few survivors of Rabaul, where they were held prisoner in World War II, held a reunion in Greenville, S.C. It was the first time they had met in the 37 years since their liberation from the Japanese by the Australian navy. Five of the seven men who were rescued attended the reunion. The seven were the only survivors of about 70 men at their camp. [New York Times] The number of blacks living in cities declined the first time in many decades in the 1970's when many moved to suburbs in record numbers. Experts disagree whether the migration signified an improvement in social and economic position. [New York Times] Syria is prepared to withdraw its soldiers and Palestinian guerrillas under its command from west Beirut, the government indicated. The withdrawal would remove one of the last major obstacles in the negotiations for the settlement of the Beirut crisis, Lebanese government officials said. [New York Times] New American proposals for the evacuation of Palestinian guerrillas from west Beirut will be presented by Philip Habib, the special United States envoy, to Israeli officials in Jerusalem tomorrow. [New York Times] The wave of terrorist attacks in Paris -- eight incidents in two weeks -- continued. A fire set by an arsonist damaged a small hall used for Jewish prayer meetings on Saturday morning. Virtually every French leader, including union officials, is calling for action against the attacks. Widespread concern among Jews and non-Jews has led President Francois Mitterrand to call a special session of his advisers on Tuesday. [New York Times] Bolivia's biggest cocaine dealer has been charged by the United States Attorney's office in Miami with conspiracy to import cocaine and with its actual importation, separate charges that could put him in prison for 30 years upon conviction. In Bolivia, however, there is no legal action against the dealer, Roberto Suarez Gomez, and he is treated with respect by everyone from government leaders, many of whom are reportedly on his payroll, to representatves of major banks in La Paz, who buy dollars from him. [New York Times]