December 21, 2010 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- The Palestinian militant group "Army of Islam" fires rockets from Gaza into southern Israel in response to the killing of three of its members by Israel last month, with one rocket landing close to a kindergarten near Ashkelon, injuring a 14-year-old girl; Israeli jets respond with air strikes in the Gaza Strip, injuring at least two Palestinian militants, Palestinian sources say. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)(Arutz Sheva) (The Jerusalem Post)
- North Korea silences its guns to prevent confrontation with South Korea as the South's "reckless" and ""childish play with fire" military drills continue. North Korea also invites International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors into the country. (Al Jazeera)
Arts and culture
- Pope Benedict XVI comments on condoms and pedophilia:
- Survivors of child sexual abuse carried out by priests react with fury after Pope Benedict XVI's claims that pedophilia wasn't considered an "absolute evil" as recently as the 1970s and that society considers child pornography "normal". (Irish Independent)
- The Vatican claims recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI concerning the use of condoms by male sex workers to reduce HIV infection do not mean the contraceptive devices can be used to fight against pregnancy in females. (BBC)
- Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips and Rugby Union player Mike Tindall. (BBC)
Business and economy
- Toyota agrees to pay the US government $32.4 million over its handling of car recalls in 2010 where over 10 million cars were recalled worldwide, over 14 separate recalls. (BBC)
- BSKYB takeover
- The European Commission approves News Corporation's bid to take full control of British satellite broadcaster BSkyB. However, the deal will be reviewed by Ofcom before a final decision is made. (BBC)
- UK Business Secretary Vince Cable is stripped of his powers to rule on the proposal after telling undercover journalists from the Daily Telegraph that he intended to block the deal and had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will now have that responsibility. (BBC)
Disasters
- At least 39 people are killed and hundreds injured in a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in southeastern Iran. (Times of India)
International relations
- Top Fatah members aligned with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas asked Israel to attack Hamas ahead of Hamas’ violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, according to a US diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks. (The Jerusalem Post)
- The Turkish government warns US President Barack Obama that a congressional vote on a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide during World War I will severely damage Turkey–United States relations. (Sify) (The Washington Post)
- The Australian government pays damages to Indian doctor Muhamed Haneef whom the country wrongly charged and deported over an unsuccessful 2007 bomb plot in the United Kingdom. (BBC)
- India and Russia sign a range of treaties including on development of a fifth-generation stealth fighter and provision of nuclear reactors from Russia to India. (The Hindu) (BBC) (RIA Novosti)
- Britain sends a Russian diplomat home because of what it claims is "clear evidence of activities by the Russian intelligence services against UK interests". (BBC)
Law and crime
- The Thai Cabinet agrees to lift a state of emergency in the capital Bangkok and three surrounding provinces. (CNN) (Thai News Agency)
- The Venezuelan parliament approves a law tightening rules on internet content. (AFP) (BBC)
- In the United Kingdom Stephen Griffiths (Aka "The Crossbow Cannibal") is sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of three women in Bradford, West Yorkshire. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- Tuvalu Prime Minister Maatia Toafa is ousted in a vote of no confidence, necessitating nominations for a new Prime Minister. (RNZI)(RNZI)
- Milo Đukanović resigns as Prime Minister of Montenegro. (BBC.com)
- Siale'ataonga Tu'ivakano is elected as the Prime Minister of Tonga. (BBC)
- 2010 United States Census
- The United States Census Bureau releases the first data from the 2010 Census, revealing the United States to have a population of 308,745,538 on April 1, 2010. (CNN.com)
- Nevada was once more the fastest growing state, growing 35.1% over 2000. Michigan was the only state to lose population. The District of Columbia broke a five-census streak of population loss. Puerto Rico also lost population. (U.S. Census Bureau)
- Eight states will gain seats in reapportionment for the 113th United States Congress, with Texas receiving four new seats and Florida receiving two. California fails to gain seats for the first time since 1920. Ten states will lose seats, with New York and Ohio each losing two. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Science
- A total lunar eclipse will take place on December 20/21, 2010. (CNN)
- In the United Kingdom an earthquake of magnitude 3.6 hits Cumbria and surrounding counties. (BBC)