News stories from Saturday January 6, 1973
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- After six months of intensive inquiry and speculation, the politically explosive Watergate case, involving the break-in and alleged bugging of the National Democratic Committee's offices in Washington, will be heard in court on Monday. The trial judge, John J. Sirica of the federal district court in Washington, has repeatedly prodded the government to look into the reasons behind the break-in. "This jury is going to want to know somewhere along the line," Judge Sirica has said, "what did these men go into the headquarters for? What was their purpose? Who hired them to go there?" [New York Times]
- Although the earth's moon is dry and lifeless, scientists are reporting new evidence that some satellites of other planets in the solar system are covered with water, ice, may have thin atmospheres and, in at least one case, could support lower forms of life. Titan, the largest of Saturn's 10 moons, is now believed to have atmospheric conditions similar to those of primitive earth at the dawn of life, according to Cornell University astronomers. [New York Times]
- John McFall of California has been named as majority whip of the House of Representatives, the No. 3 spot in the Democratic leadership. The appointment was announced by Tip O'Neill of Massachusetts, who last week was raised from whip to majority leader. Mr. O'Neill also appointed John Brademas of Indiana, a leader of the party's young liberal wing, as chief deputy whip, and named three other deputy whips: Richard Fulton of Tennessee; Spark Matsunaga of Hawaii, and Jim Wright of Texas. The choice of Mr. McFall and four deputies was regarded as an obvious move to provide more geographical balance to the new leadership team in the House. [New York Times]
- Mrs. James Baer, 26 years old, of Evanston, Illinois, gave birth to quintuplets -- three boys and two girls -- at Highland Park Hospital, near Evanston. The babies, whose combined weight was 12 pounds, 9½ ounces were listed in "fair" condition as they completed one-third of the crucial first three days of life. Their father, a stockbroker, was described as very tense, on edge and "incredibly concerned." [New York Times]
- When a judge and jury convene in San Francisco on Monday to weigh air piracy charges against a young Vietnam veteran, they will be called upon to sift through a complex tangle of psychiatric evidence that raises broad questions about the mental state of the nation's growing number of hijackers. The Army private's family is convinced that he was emotionally unbalanced when he returned home from Vietnam last spring and that his condition had deteriorated by June 30 when he was reported AWOL from his garrison post one week before his arrest for hijacking. A jetliner had been commandeered over California and a ransom of $455,000 demanded. [New York Times]
- Le Duc Tho, North Vietnam's principal peace negotiator, arrived in Paris today to resume cease-fire talks on Monday with Henry Kissinger, and immediately displayed an uncompromising stance against what he called "unreasonable" American demands. Mr. Tho arrived in a Soviet airliner from Moscow, which, with Peking, was one of the two stops head had made on his way from Hanoi. [New York Times]
- With great excitement and preparations, Lagos, Nigeria, normally dirty, teeming and sweltering, is putting its best face on to welcome thousands of visitors arriving for the second All-Africa Games, which start tomorrow. The 11 days of sports competition are bringing athletes and observers from 41 black and Arab countries in Africa. The first All-Africa games were held in the Congo Republic in 1965. [New York Times]