News stories from Sunday August 12, 1973

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

Communist troops conducted a heavy offensive against a village 48 miles from Phnom Penh.American bombing will continue until the bombing deadline which is just a few days away. Heavy U.S. air support stalled the Communist drive on Phnom Penh and inflicted heavy casualties on insurgent troops. Officials say that insurgents are giving propaganda speeches to villagers to support their takeover. Supplies being shipped down the Mekong River may face grave Communist attacks after American bombing ends. Ambassador Emory Swank attended ceremonies turning over transport planes to Cambodia, as the flow of military supplies from the U.S. has increased. Officials believe that Communist insurgents are already present in Phnom Penh, and little hope is seen for a negotiated settlement. The Cambodian prime minister doesn't believe that Americans will abandon Cambodia. [NBC] Time magazine reports that two Maryland businessmen have accused Vice President Spiro Agnew of extorting campaign contributions from state and federal contractors. The accusers, Jerome Wolff and Lester Matz, are also believed to be involved in the scandal. [NBC] Phase IV economic controls begin Monday. Wheat will be greatly affected and prices are expected to soar; wheat reserves are low since the U.S. sold much of last year's wheat crop to Russia.The world's wheat shortage is felt acutely in Paris, but bread prices in France won't rise. France successfully urged the European Common Market to ban all wheat exports from Western Europe as soon as prices began rising. France ordinarily exports wheat, but because of the ban foreign countries are seeking U.S. wheat. The United States has so far ruled out export controls, resulting in higher prices for bread and flour because of higher wheat prices caused by increased demand and lower supplies. [NBC] Israeli intercepted an Iraqi airliner and claims to have caught Palestinian leaders on board. Dr. George Habash, Palestinian leader, stated that he abhors the Israeli action. The United Nations will discuss the matter fully. [NBC] Chilean President Salvador Allende is facing opposition in his attempt to turn Chile into a Marxist state. Allende swore in a new cabinet which includes military personnel and national police. The non-Marxist military men are necessary in the cabinet to head off an impending civil war, according to Allende. The new government will attempt to restore confidence as strikes have almost immobilized the country. Bitter opposition exists between Allende and the citizens of Chile. [NBC] The lawyer for Elmer Wayne Henley, 17, has requested a psychiatric exam for his client. Henley and David Brooks, 18, are charged with murder in the Houston, Texas, sex-related mass killings. 23 bodies have now been discovered. [NBC] Some parents of the Houston mass murder victims blame the police. Five victims lived in the same neighborhood but police saw no connection there. The Houston police department claims inadequate staffing. Despite that admission, the department refused federal aid to upgrade it. [NBC] Skylab has developed a new problem: the gyroscopes used to stabilize it have failed, and the backup system is being employed. [NBC] A beach club manager was shot to death in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. He is the fifth white murder victim there in the past 18 days. [NBC] Jack Nicklaus won the PGA Championship. It was the 14th tournament win for Nicklaus. [NBC]