F. Kennedy first suggests the idea for the Peace Corps of the United States. The Premier of New South Wales officially opens Warragamba Dam, one of the world's largest domestic water supply dams. October 24 – Nedelin catastrophe: A large rocket explodes on the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, killing at least 92 people of the Soviet space program. November November 8 – 1960 United States presidential election: In a close race, Democratic U. S. Senator John F. Kennedy is elected over Republican U. S. Vice President Richard Nixon, to become (at 43) the second youngest man to serve as President of the United States, and the youngest man elected to this position. November 14 Belgium threatens to leave the United Nations, over criticism of its policy concerning the Republic of the Congo. Stéblová train disaster: A head-on collision between two trains in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, kills 118 people. November 22 – The United Nations supports the government of Joseph Kasavubu and Joseph Mobutu, in the Republic of the Congo. November 26 – 1960 New Zealand general election: The National Party defeats the governing Labour Party after only three years in office. National leader Keith Holyoake becomes Prime Minister of New Zealand for a second time. November 28 – Mauritania becomes independent of France. December December – The African and Malagasy Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OAMCE – Organisation Africain et Malagache de Coopération Économique) is established. December 1 Patrice Lumumba, deposed premier of the Republic of the Congo, is arrested by the troops of Colonel Joseph Mobutu. A Soviet satellite containing live animals (dogs Pcholka and Mushka) and plants is launched into orbit. Due to a malfunction, it burns up during re-entry. Striking coal miners at the Miike Coal Mine in Japan return to work, ending the unprecedented 312-day-long Miike Struggle. December 2 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorizes the use of $1.0 million for the relief and resettlement of Cuban refugees, who had been arriving in Florida at the rate of about 1,000 per week. December 4 – The admission of Mauritania to the United Nations is vetoed by the Soviet Union. December 7 – The United Nations Security Council is called into session by the Soviet Union, in order to consider Soviet demands for the Security Council to seek the immediate release of former Congolese Premier Patrice Lumumba. December 8 – For the first time, Mary Martin's