News stories from Tuesday January 1, 1974

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

Effective today, crude-oil prices in some producing countries rose by 60 to 90 percent to record levels as Libya, Indonesia and Bolivia adjusted their export prices following a pattern set by the major Persian Gulf producers a week ago. Libya, the principal North African producer, announced a posted price of $18.77 a barrel. [New York Times] The holiday traffic death toll dropped because of the fuel shortage and lower speed limits. [CBS] Premier Golda Meir's Labor party lost ground in Israel's crucial parliamentary elections, but appeared certain of dominating the next coalition government. In heavy balloting, Labor lost votes to smaller parties on the right and left. The Likud, the rightist alliance that was the principal opposition group, gained at Labor's expense. Judging from early returns, it seemed likely that the Labor alignment would be the only party in a position to form a new coalition government. Election analysts estimated that Labor would emerge with 50 or 51 Parliamentary seats. It now has 56. [New York Times] The White House said that President Nixon had violated the law when he named his wife to serve on the new National Voluntary Service Advisory Council. The White House statement, which did not explain how the illegality was discovered, said the law prohibited a President from appointing a relative to a government position. [New York Times] A dispute over the price canners will pay for the 1974 tuna catch kept the American tuna fishing fleet from participating in the traditional New Year's Day opening of the internationally controlled yellowfin fishing season in the eastern Pacific. Fleet owners rejected an offer of $556 a ton, $55 more than the 1973 price, and were demanding $675 a ton -- a level a canners' spokesman called "utterly unrealistic." [New York Times] The skiing business has been hurt by the energy crisis. Business is down considerably at Stowe, Vermont, from last year, and the area's economy is dependent upon skiing. In Vail, Colorado, however, the energy crisis seems far away; Vail's ski business is up 40%. Vice President Gerald Ford, vacationing in Vail, said that a state which is dependent on recreation should receive special fuel allocations. [CBS] The United Nations command in the Middle East reported that there had been a sharp increase in shooting incidents along the Israeli-Egyptian cease-fire line the day before the Israeli parliamentary elections. A United Nations spokesman in Cairo said there were a total of 72 incidents on Sunday, including 22 outbreaks of sometimes intense artillery fire, [New York Times] A small crowd cheered in the New Year at Times Square in New York; the older crowd generally stayed inside, where the Waldorf-Astoria offered Guy Lombardo as entertainment. Little sign of the energy crisis was shown in Los Angeles. The new year was ushered in with the same enthusiasm as last year. [CBS] CBS reporters questioned Mrs. Edward Nixon about her husband's involvement with President Nixon's search for a suitable presidential library site; Mrs. Nixon reacted angrily. [CBS] As Queen Elizabeth cited William Whitelaw, the architect of the compromise settlement in Northern Ireland, by making him a Companion of Honor in the traditional New Year's honor list, Northern Ireland's new power-sharing executive assumed power in the province amid incidents of gunfire and bomb blasts. [New York Times] Representative Les Aspin charged that the oil industry contributed millions to President Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign, and that is why the President can't effectively deal with the energy crisis. [CBS] In a move apparently reflecting a tough new French policy against Basque militants in the aftermath of the assassination of Premier Luis Carrero Blanco of Spain, six Basque refugees were rounded up in the French Basque region and sent under police guard to live in northern France, far from the Spanish border. [New York Times] Passengers were stranded on two Amtrak trains which stalled in Galesburg, Illinois, and Klamath Falls, Oregon. [CBS] The refusal of British coal miners to work overtime has caused an economic crisis. The government blames the miners for the country's problems, and Prime Minister Heath refuses to give into the miners. Negotiations have been continuing, but without success. Miners claim they are prepared to compromise, but Mr. Heath isn't. [CBS] President Nixon is expected to sign a bill increasing Social Security benefits and taxes. The tax hike will hit middle income families the hardest; the elderly will benefit from the increase. [CBS] New York Mayor John Lindsay was replaced today by Abraham Beame. Lindsay passed out free drinks at his farewell party; Beame charged $1.75 per drink at his incoming celebration. [CBS]