News stories from Sunday July 29, 1973

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

Unconfirmed but reliable sources say that the Laotian government and Communists have agreed on a new coalition government. [NBC] Fighting drew nearer to the capital city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, but government soldiers allegedly drove Communist troops off of strategic hilltops outside the capital. Heavy U.S. bombing support continues around the clock near Phnom Penh, and fighting along Highway 3 southwest of the city also continues.Cambodian forces are trying to hold off Communist troops with little success around Phnom Penh. The citizens of Phnom Penh have been warned to arm themselves against possible Communist attacks. Several foreign embassies have told their people to get out of Phnom Penh quickly. Some foreigners were prompted to leave after the mid-week shelling which killed several people. The prime minister said that the government will fight off the insurgents to the end, but the end looks to be near. [NBC] The Saigon government claims it has won an important stretch of Highway 14 in South Vietnam. Government commanders said that fighting was heavy with numerous casualties. [NBC] Peace has been restored for the second time in two days at the Oklahoma State Prison in McAlester. No hostages were taken during the second riot, and police restored order quickly.After order was initially restored last Friday night, firebombs were touched off. A cell by cell sweep was made without prisoner resistance this morning. Prison spokesman Edward Hardy said that prisoners voluntarily evacuated the cell blocks so the cells could be searched for firebombs. Inmates complained that there's nothing to do at the prison except serve time and cause disturbances. State officials allowed the press inside the prison to inspect the damage. At least 12 buildings were destroyed and two prisoners were killed during the rebellion. Many inmates and prison employees were injured. [NBC] The biggest rock concert ever has ended. At Watkins Glen, New York, rock fans from all over the U.S. and Canada flocked to the concert. Many had waited since Woodstock for another rock festival, but yesterday rain started to fall during the one-day concert. Most fans weathered the storms. At least 150 were hospitalized with drug overdoses during the festival. Miles of cars tried to leave Watkins Glen this morning; wall to wall garbage replaced wall to wall people. [NBC] New York Senator James Buckley will hold news a conference Monday on recording companies' involvement in drug dealing. He will charge a leading recording company executive with supplying cocaine to rock performers. [NBC] Another report on drugs in the music industry deals with counterfeit stereo tapes and the influence of organized crime. Small-time operators dominate the pirate tape racket, but lately organized crime has moved in. According to an anti-piracy spokesman, the manufacture of bootleg tapes is a giant criminal industry and possibly one out of three recordings may be pirated. Some deal drugs through the tapes. What began as a recording industry ripoff now involves major criminals since heroin rather than music is often shipped in the cassette cases. [NBC] The people of Greece are voting whether to make their monarchy a republic and whether to make the current provisional president the president by ballot. No matter how the vote goes, exiled King Constantine won't return to Athens and George Papadopoulos will remain in power.Greek voters are deciding whether to elect Papadopoulos as president of the new republic. Citizens must vote or be sent to jail. Papadopoulos was the leader of the military coup which overthrew the government six years ago. He became 'provisional" president then, but now wants full backing for eight more years as president. No organized opposition has been allowed, and Papadopoulos intends to remain in power no matter what outcome is. The government counts the ballots secretly; the real results may never be known. Early reports show Papadopoulos getting 91% of the vote. [NBC] The tenth World Youth Festival has begun in East Berlin. The gathering is meant to show that young people are united against imperialism and are for peace and friendship. Marches, seminars and discussions over the next 10 days will be held on topics such as the evils of capitalism. An American delegation is present, including Vietnam veterans, blacks, and Mexican-Americans The festival was planned before relations improved between the U.S. and Soviet Union; the event is more like a carnival than a political rally. [NBC] Skylab astronauts Alan Bean, Owen Garriott and Jack Lousma took the afternoon off because they are suffering from the effects of motion sickness. [NBC] Senate Watergate committee chairman Sam Ervin and vice chairman Howard Baker urged President Nixon to allow them to listen to the White House tapes privately to avoid a constitutional confrontation. [NBC] A New York Democrat state assemblyman placed an ad in the New York Times looking for another job in a nice community working with people in an honest job. He complained about being blamed for everything from Watergate to garbage. [NBC] The Agriculture Department released figures showing that food costs in other countries are rising more than in the United States. [NBC]