News stories from Saturday April 8, 1972

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

Officials at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Va., said that former President Lyndon Johnson was in "very good condition" after a heart attack Friday. Dr. John Willis Hurst, president of the American Heart Association, who is Mr. Johnson's personal cardiologist, added that the former president had about an 80% chance of recovery. [New York Times] Police officials in Provo, Utah, said they have a suspect in the hijacking of a United Air Lines jetliner Friday, but other officials said that nobody was in custody. The hijacker parachuted from the jetliner with $500,000 in cash ransom near the Provo Airport, and there were reports that a helicopter had been seen hovering in the area -- presumably awaiting the hijacker. [New York Times] A 50-state survey indicated that the Democrats would probably retain control of Congress this November. The Republicans cannot produce a majority in the House even if they win every election now considered in doubt, the survey showed. [New York Times] There were an abundance of leads in the assassination of Joseph Gallo, the Mafia figure, but no break in the case appeared imminent. Scores of detectives questioned known gangsters and witnesses to the assassination, which took place early Friday as Gallo celebrated his 43rd birthday in a Little Italy restaurant. [New York Times] Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz arrived in Moscow to open talks on long-term agricultural sales by the United States to the Soviet Union. American grain sales to the Soviet Union have been on a spot basis in the past. Mr. Butz, in his talks with Soviet leaders, will also discuss ways of improving Soviet livestock and poultry production. [New York Times] Enemy troops have surrounded the South Vietnamese Fifth Infantry Division near An Loc, about 50 miles north of Saigon. The division was cut off as the enemy pounded it with artillery fire and blocked an armored column trying to rescue it. Further to the north, Communist tanks were reported to have begun a heavy attack at Dong Ha in Quang Tri province after crossing the Cua Viet. [New York Times]