December 20, 2013 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- A gunman opens fire outside a terminal at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines, killing four people, including the mayor of Labangan, Ukol Talumpa. (CNN)
- Sinai insurgency:
- Two Egyptian soldiers are killed and eight wounded in an operation targeting Sinai militants in the northern Sinai Peninsula. (FOX News)
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict:
- Israeli forces kill a Palestinian and wound four others in three separate incidents of cross-border violence in the Gaza Strip (Haaretz)
- Syrian Civil War:
- Britain agrees to help destroy Syria's chemical weapons (Los Angeles Times)
- Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal):
- Two roadside bombings in Iraq kill 11 people (Daily Star)
- Bombings and shootings across northern Iraq kill 14 people. (Reuters)
Business and economy
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 hit record highs after the United States ecomomy grew more than expected in the fiscal year. (CNN)
Disasters and accidents
- At least five people are killed by a 35-state storm system causes heavy snow along with air and road traffic congestion in the United States.(NBC)(Fox News)(Fox News)
International Relations
- The Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran threatens countermeasures to the U.S. Senate's proposed new sanctions. (Los Angeles Times)
Law and crime
- The Supreme Court of Canada strikes down anti-prostitution laws in the country. (CP24)
- Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the U.S. state of Utah, and gay couples begin receiving marriage licenses, after a federal judge strikes down a provision of the Utah Constitution. (Deseret News)
- Uganda passes law banning homosexuality. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is hospitalized after falling ill. (The New York Times)
Science and technology
- China successfully launches the Bolivian Túpac Katari from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. (BNamericas)