News stories from Sunday October 21, 1973
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Four additional Persian Gulf oil producers cut off oil supplies to the United States as Arab nations increased economic pressure in retaliation for American arms shipments to Israel. The organizers of the boycott also called for a ban on United States airlines that they said were using Arab air space to bring mercenaries to Israel. [New York Times]
- Congressional leaders of both parties said that Congress would have to begin looking immediately at the question of impeaching President Nixon. While no one was willing to predict whether Mr. Nixon would be removed from office, a consensus among Republicans and Democrats appeared to have developed that the President had challenged Congress and they had to respond. [New York Times]
- Confidence that Congress would not institute impeachment proceedings against President Nixon in the wake of his latest shake-up within the Justice Department was expressed by some of Mr. Nixon's top assistants. President Nixon, according to White House officials, found himself confronted by a "strident and belligerent" Mr. Cox, who left the President no choice but to dismiss him.
Robert Bork, the acting Attorney General, and Henry Petersen, now heading the government's investigation into the Watergate affair, spent the day discussing the future of the Watergate prosecutions. There were unconfirmed reports of further resignations within the Justice Department and some officials feared further dismissals.
[New York Times] - James Doyle, special assistant for public affairs, announced that the Watergate special prosecution force planned to continue its investigation. Mr. Doyle reported that, although the special staff had been told that it would be absorbed by the Justice Department, no formal notification concerning its future course had been received. [New York Times]
- The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that the Honda Motor Company's unconventional automobile engine has successfully met 1976 exhaust emission standards in large, standard-sized cars, as well as the smaller, compact cars. It was the first time that a standard-sized car was found capable of meeting emission levels without the use of a catalytic device. [New York Times]
- The United Nations Security Council passed a joint resolution submitted by the United States and the Soviet Union calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East. The resolution was submitted after two days of talks between Secretary of State Kissinger and the Soviet party leader, Leonid Brezhnev. [New York Times]
- Israeli forces have expanded their bridgehead, according to an Israeli military spokesman, and now control approximately 24 miles along the western bank of the Suez Canal. It is believed the Israeli intention is to trap the large Egyptian forces on the eastern bank rather than to proceed to Cairo or the Nile delta. [New York Times]
- The Swedish government, concerned about its setback in last month's elections, has moved to ease public discontent by announcing a series of proposals that would increase public works and family allowances, move toward tax reforms, create more jobs and increase rent subsidies for lower-income people. The Social Democrats, the ruling party for 41 years, lost ten seats in Parliament in the elections. [New York Times]