News stories from Sunday January 3, 1971

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

Firebombs were thrown at an American truck in Saigon, the latest in a series of incidents since a Vietnamese student was killed by an American soldier. American wives of U.S. officials were ordered out at the height of the terrorism, but are now returning.The Viet Cong's New Year's message agreed to a cease-fire if the U.S. and the allies pull out of Vietnam, but stated that they will continue fighting the South Vietnam government as long as Thieu remains president. [NBC] Congress has adjourned and will reconvene on January 21. There were seven filibusters last session and another filibuster will open the new session. Senate members may try to change the filibuster rules, and the House will attempt to change its seniority system. [NBC] A plane from Los Angeles was hijacked to Havana, Cuba, where the hijackers got off; the plane then flew to its Miami destination. Fidel Castro has offered to return U.S. planes and hijackers if the U.S. returns escaped Cubans. The U.S. has never accepted Castro's offer. [NBC] The Indiana Criminal Justice Planning Agency wants federal money to establish a network of neighborhood police informers. The purpose of the informers is primarily to get advance warning of civil disorders, but informers would report any suspicious activity. [NBC] Vice President Spiro Agnew was interviewed by William F. Buckley, and asked why he's often accused of dividing the country. Agnew answered that he's the "foremost destroyer of liberal dogma." [NBC] Chicago's McCormick Place reopened today for the first time since the original building was destroyed in a 1967 fire. Mayor Daley visited the building and predicted that wise politicians would hold conventions in Chicago. [NBC] The IRS put the wrong telephone number on income tax forms which were distributed in Greensboro, North Carolina. [NBC] The anti-apartheid movement in Britain reported that it has 50,000 signatures on a petition opposing the sale of arms to South Africa. The petition will be presented at the British Commonwealth Conference of Prime Ministers. [NBC] Anthropologists dug up a man in Jerusalem who was crucified about 2,000 years ago. Evidence around the grave indicated that the skeleton is not Jesus Christ. [NBC] George Meany of the AFL-CIO declared the domestic policies of President Nixon's second year a "bigger zero" than his first year; Meany is not happy with Congress either. [NBC] Inspectors said that the coal mine blast in Hyden, Kentucky, was caused by dynamite and spread by coal dust. [NBC] Secretary of the Navy John Chafee stated that he is in favor of a new rule allowing beards, mustaches and longer hair. [NBC] Israel's United Nations ambassador will return to New York City tomorrow to reopen peace talks. [NBC] A Shell Oil refinery has been built in the middle of the vineyards of Bordeaux, France. [NBC]