News stories from Sunday December 24, 1972
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- The complete evacuation of Managua was ordered by government leaders there for fear of further tremors and a typhoid outbreak. Managua was a city of 300,000; today it is 70% destroyed. The death toll is unknown but is at least 5,000, perhaps much higher. 20,000 people were injured in the quakes and most are homeless. The city is without fresh water or communications.
The streets of Managua are filled with people looking for food and water. An epidemic is likely due to the 90-degree heat. Soldiers have been ordered to shoot looters on sight. Honduras, which is officially at war with Nicaragua, has opened its doors to Nicaraguan refugees. Americans in Managua are being evacuated by Air Force transport. Relief supplies are now reaching Managua. The U.S. is contributing $1 million.
[NBC] - American bombers are observing a Christmas cease-fire over North Vietnam. The Viet Cong and South Vietnamese are also observing the cease-fire. The U.S. reported the loss of another B-52 and a fighter-bomber. A C-130 gunship was shot down today over Laos; the bombing halt does not apply to Laos. [NBC]
- In Paris, North Vietnam's chief negotiator Xuan Thuy said that there can be no peace negotiations until the bombing is stopped. Thuy claims that in his last talk with Henry Kissinger, Kissinger tried to remove all references to the Viet Cong from the peace agreement. [NBC]
- Pope Paul said that peace in Vietnam is now a passion of the entire world. The Pope celebrated mass in a railroad tunnel in Rome. [NBC]
- The condition of former President Harry Truman is getting steadily worse. Truman has been at Research Hospital in Kansas City for 19 days and in a coma since Friday night. Hospital spokesman John Dreves said that Truman's heart is worse, his blood pressure weaker, and respiration slow and shallow. Truman is in critical condition. In Independence, Missouri, neighbors offered Christmas prayers for Truman. [NBC]
- Charles Atlas, the muscle-builder for three generations of weaklings, died in Long Beach, New York, at age 80. [NBC]
- South Korea's electoral college met to ratify the election of President Park Chung Hee for a new six-year term. Park called for reunification with North Korea. He has greatly enhanced powers under the new constitution, including emergency powers. [NBC]
- King Hussein of Jordan remarried. His wife is the former Alia Toukan, 24-year-old press agent for Royal Jordanian Airlines. The King and Miss Toukan were married at her parents' home. [NBC]
- In Northern Ireland a 72-hour truce ordered by the Irish Republican Army is in effect. For the first time in a year nobody was hurt. [NBC]