November 28, 1960: British - Soviet Confrontation at the UN

At the United Nations, the British Minister of State "denounced Soviet colonialism ... and said that the Russians were 'the greatest oppressors of our day,' according to a story prepared for publication tomorrow in the New York Times. "Replying to a Soviet demand that the General Assembly call for independence 'forthwith' for all colonies and trust territories, Mr. Orsby-Gore contrasted the Soviet Union's record with Britain's granting of independence to 500,000,000 people in former subject territories since 1939. Valerian Z. Zorin, chairman of the Soviet delegation, and other Soviet-bloc delegates shouted and beat on their desks in protest against the British counter-attack."

In Caracas, Venezuela, "President Romulo Betancourt suspended constitutional guarantees throughout Venezuela today and called out the army to maintain order," according to a story prepared for tomorrow's New York Times. "Senor Betancourt said that violence was being instigated by extremist elements that wish to overthrow his government and 'establish a regime here like that of Cuba.'"

In Havana "Premier Fidel Castro expressed the hope ... that President-elect John Kennedy would decide that the Eisenhower policy toward Cuba must be changed. He predicted that if the United States attacked the island it would mean 'suicide for Yankee imperialism,'" according to a story for tomorrow's edition of the New York Times.