NEWS SUMMARY
Date: 10 December 1988
International 3-8, 28 Armenia's toll could reach 50,000 people dead with 400,000 people homeless from Wednesday's earthquake, Soviet officials said, as rescue workers still struggled through the ruins and devastation. Page 1 Mikhail Gorbachev was assured at his luncheon meeting with President Reagan and President-elect Bush that the United States wished him success with his economic initiatives, Administration officials said. 1 The Soviet Union accepted U.S. aid in coping with the earthquake in Armenia, marking the first time that large-scale American aid will be sent to the Soviet Union since the the two countries were allies in World War II. 1 News analysis: Armenia's quake is certain to cost huge amounts of money, manpower and resources, frustrating Mikhail Gorbachev's effort to revive the economy and reshape the country. 7 NATO praised Soviet plans to reduce conventional forces in Europe but added that a shift in Moscow's nonnuclear posture should not affect NATO plans for short-range nuclear missiles. 7 Israeli ground troops destroyed part of what they said was a Palestinian guerrilla headquarters after landing by sea south of Beirut and marching two miles into central Lebanon, Israeli officials said. 1 A U.S.-European Community clash over agricultural trade barriers prompted nations at a GATT conference to order a four-month reassessment of efforts to revamp the world trading system. 35 A neutral Afghanistan is in sight. Since the Soviet Union began peace talks with the rebel leadership, the Afghan regime seems no longer even to be interfering in its own international affairs. 8 India is moving into a pivotal role in efforts to find a solution to the war in Cambodia, as Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi prepares for a trip to China on Dec. 19, diplomats and officials said. 5 A Japanese scandal enmeshed the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation more deeply and caused the demotion a senior executive. The action came within hours of the resignation of Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. 36 Downed pilot knew of peril 3 Walesa and Sakharov arrive in Paris 3 National 9-12, 32, 50 The troubled Savannah River reactor will be ready to restart production of nuclear weapon fuel in a few months, a top Energy Department official said. But other safety officials believe it will not be ready for a year. 10 News analysis: Under the tax debate in Washington lies a fundamental change in the way Federal taxes are looked at. They are now seen as a tool to build an efficient economy rather than as a means to redistribute income. 35 A deficit-reduction group was barred by a Federal judge from meeting behind closed doors to hear economic testimony. The bipartisan group, the National Economic Commission, promptly canceled a meeting. 11 Ashland Oil has charged Iranians at the top governmental level with being involved in a conspiracy to use stolen internal Ashland documents in a $500 million lawsuit that Iran filed against Ashland in 1985, according to court records that were unsealed. 35 In a study of environmental damage at the United States Department of Energy's plants for making bomb materials, a picture emerges of years of expediency and carelessness, scattering radioactive waste. 10 Doctors examined President Reagan and found him to be ''in excellent health,'' in his final physical examination as President. 9 Prosecutors in the Iran-contra case intend to show that Oliver North misled the White House and C.I.A. by concealing his use of arms sales profits to buy weapons for Nicaragua rebels, according to documents filed. 11 President-elect Bush tried to placate conservatives by meeting with a delegation of them amid grumbling on the right that they were being deprived of a meaningful role in the next administration. 11 Troubles at commuter airlines and ''what appear to be systemic deficiencies'' in management of the airlines have been reported after a nine-month inspection, the Federal Aviation Administration said. 12 Boosters used to launch the shuttle Discovery in September had hot exhaust gases seeping through caulked seals in its nozzles, but the leakage was not a surprise and posed no threat to the astronauts, officials said. 50 Ann Richards, the Texas treasurer who gained fame by saying George Bush was ''born with a silver foot in his mouth,'' is considering a run for the governorship. 9 Law protecting poor tenants is upheld 32 Bacteria-to-human gene transplant proposal gains 32 Regional 29-32 Black New Yorkers are in a 'crisis,' a city study said, adding that their economic vitality has been sapped by prejudice, problems in getting job training and business loans, and a flood of black school dropouts. 1 A string of shootings on Long Island have created a discernible pattern in time and distance: one on each of the last four nights, all within a mile of one another; but not in logic. The police are groping for a motive, a suspect and an explanation. 1 A plan to cut the state budget gap in New York was proposed by Governor Cuomo. The plan would fill half the gap he has identified and relies heavily on using reserve funds. 29 A new settlement on Shoreham that could end the long controversy over the nuclear power plant is in the process of being sought by Governor Cuomo and Suffolk County officials, they said. 29 Plans to ease Lincoln Tunnel traffic in New Jersey and build a new route to the Hudson River waterfront have been delayed long enough to prompt developers to build their own roads and propose blasting a $50 million tunnel through the Palisades. 29 Insanity defense for Joel Steinberg will be invoked, based on the claim that Mr. Steinberg was ''delusional'' on Nov. 1, 1987, as soon as the prosecution completes its murder case, Mr. Steinberg's lawyer said. 31 Darien students protest curriculum changes 30 Financial swindler gets 8-year term 31 Fire I. deer hunt starts next Saturday 31 Neediest Cases 32