News stories from Sunday May 23, 1971
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Kidnapped Israeli consul general Efraim Elrom was found dead in an apartment in Istanbul, Turkey. Elrom was found during a search of the city by 30,000 soldiers and police. Kidnappers had demanded the release of jailed revolutionaries by Thursday; Elrom was killed Friday. Three persons have been arrested and the search for others continues.
Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban said that he cannot criticize the Turkish government for their attempts to locate Elrom; Turkish Premier Nihat Erim pledged to implement new kidnapping laws.
[CBS] - 800 people are reportedly dead from the earthquake in eastern Turkey yesterday. [CBS]
- A Yugoslavian chartered jet crashed at Rijeka, Yugoslavia; over 70 people are believed to have been killed. [CBS]
- General Creighton Abrams is concerned that laxity in military procedures at Fire Base Charlie 2 resulted in 29 soldiers being killed in a rocket attack; North Vietnam fires rockets at the base daily, but they generally have little accuracy.
South Vietnamese forces launched a new offensive in the Central Highlands.
[CBS] - Antiwar politicians spoke at rallies today. In Bloomington, Minnesota, people nearly filled a 17,000 seat arena to hear Rep. Pete McCloskey and other antiwar speakers. McCloskey said that he won't resort to a third political party until his attempts to redirect the Republican party are exhausted.
In Indianapolis, Allard Lowenstein said that the last two presidents were able to remain in office only by misstating what they were doing. Ex-Senator Charles Goodell said that the opinions of 23 million young people cannot be ignored. Singer Peter Yarrow performed a song.
[CBS] - Soviet President Podgorny will visit Egypt for talks with President Sadat.
In Lebanon, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) cares for Palestinian refugees thanks to large financial support from the United States. Palestinians dislike the U.S.; UNRWA camps support Palestinian guerrillas.
[CBS] - Honorary British consul Stanley Sylvester has been kidnapped in Argentina by leftist terrorists. [CBS]
- 14 persons are dead and 18 are missing in a fire on the cruise ship "Meteor" off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. [CBS]
- UPI reported that the Soviet Union may release writer Andrei Sinyavsky from a labor camp 18 months ahead of the completion of his sentence. [CBS]
- The New York City Department of Air Resources reported that the air quality in New York City was good today for the first time since 1969. [CBS]
- A special ceremony was held in Eagle Nest, New Mexico in memory of Marine Lt. David Westphall, who was killed in Vietnam. Westphall's father, Victor, built the Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel. Victor Westphall says that he isn't "anti" anything; he is pro-peace. Vietnam Veterans Against the War spokesman John Kerry said that Vietnam vets are coming back to American to become soldiers for peace; veterans are trying to build what this chapel signifies -- the dignity of human beings. [CBS]