The Iraq Study Group releases its final report, describing the situation in the Iraq War as "grave and deteriorating" and making seventy-nine policy recommendations.
Hamas gunmen try to assassinate Baha Balousheh, a security chief associated with Fatah, but instead shoot and kill his three children in the Gaza Strip. The assassination attempt may have been a revenge attack for the attempted assassination of Interior Minister Sayid Seyam of Hamas. (BBC)(JTA)
In an interview with Jeff Stein, a national security editor for Congressional Quarterly, Silvestre Reyes, the incoming Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee incorrectly claims that Al Qaeda is a "predominantly Shiite" organization. When asked if Hezbollah is a Sunni or a Shiite organization, Reyes said "It's hard to keep things in perspective and in the categories." (Fox News)
According to results released by the Interior Ministry of Madagascar, a total of 61.45% of the country's registered 7.3 million voters went to the polling stations on December 3 and re-elected Marc Ravalomanana as President with 54.8% of the votes, Jean Lahiniriko and Roland Ratsiraka received 11.68% and 10.9%, respectively. (BBC)
Two months after it opened, the "The World of Turkmenbashi Tales" themepark in Turkmenistan is made operational. The park, which is named after the Turkmenbashi, Saparmurat Niyazov, is expected to attract more children now that the rides work and all libraries have been closed. (USA Today)
2006 Fijian coup d'état: Media reports that gunfire had been heard near military barracks in Suva have been dismissed as being mistaken identification of a game of cricket. (AFP via OptusNet)
Three people are killed and a fourth injured when a gunman starts shooting at a Chicagoskyscraper. The gunman was then shot dead by a Chicago Police Department SWATsniper. (Chicago SunTimes)
Bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria threaten at least six townships in the Gippsland region with extreme weather conditions over the weekend expected to increase the danger. The Victorian Department of Education closes 24 schools due to threat of fire. (AP via Houston Chronicle)
Police in Phoenix, Arizona believe that they have captured the Baseline Killer who has nine killings attributed to him. They had Mark Godeau in custody since September in relation to two alleged sexual assaults in 2005. (CNN)
Nearly 100 people are dead or unaccounted for in Vietnam as a result of Typhoon Durian. It had earlier killed over 550 people in the Philippines and left a similar number missing. (Reuters)
Jona Senilagakali, the newly-installed Prime Minister of Fiji, conceded the coup had been "illegal" but it was "an illegal takeover to clean up the mess of a much bigger illegal activity of the previous government." (BBC)
Claims are being made that the military may attempt to arrest Ratu Ovini Bokini, Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs. Around 300 villagers have surrounded his compound in Tavua to defend him. (Fiji Times)
Grand Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani of Iran issues a fatwa calling for the deaths of AzerisRafiq Tağı, a writer, and Samir Sadagatoglu, his editor, who were charged in November 2006 with "inciting national, racial and religious enmity" after they criticized Islam. (EurasiaNet)
The Iraq Study Group Report calls the situation in Iraq "grave and deteriorating" and calls for a change in strategy including the removal of most United States troops by early 2008. (CNN)
Bainimarama fires Fiji police commissioner Moses Driver, who had declared that the Fiji Police will stand up to the Fiji Military. Bainimarama warned against a popular uprising against the coup. (CNN)
NASA presents "compelling" evidence that liquid water flowed recently on the surface of Mars. (NASA), (BBC)
A large explosion occurs near downtown Milwaukee, killing 3, injuring 37 others and leveling a factory compound.(AP)
Officials of the Islamic Courts Union in power in Bulo Burto, Somalia, declare that, under their interpretation of Sharia, all people in the city must pray five times a day, or they will be beheaded on sight. (Fox News)
Hundreds of thousands of Dalits stage a mass rally in Mumbai to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of their leader, B. R. Ambedkar. (BBC)
