December 28, 1960: Britain and France Favor Coalition Government in Laos, Creating Split with U.S.

The U.S. and two of its allies are split over how to respond to events in Laos, according to a report being prepared for publication in tomorrow's New York Times. Britain and France support a role for the Left and Neutralists in the government, according to the report. The U.S. opposes a coalition government. Meanwhile, Communist China said in a letter released today that the situation in Laos had "developed to extremely serious proportions" and that China would "have to consider taking measures to safeguard its own security." In another development, the shots that hit a U.S. plane over Laos may have been from the ground, not a Soviet plane, according to officials in Washington.

Jews living outside Israel are godless and violated the precepts of their religion, Israeli Premier David Ben-Gurion said today. "Since the day when the Jewish state was established and the gates of Israel were flung open to every Jew who wanted to come, every religious Jew has daily violated the precepts of Judaism and the Torah of Israel by remaining the the Diaspora," he said.

In Brussels there were clashes between police and demonstrators today. It was the tenth day of a widespread strike against a government austerity program.