December 7, 2003

Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán receives a 20-year prison sentence for money laundering, embezzlement, electoral crime, etc. [1] [2]
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe announces that he is withdrawing his country from the Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth had earlier decided to maintain Zimbabwe's suspension until human rights and democratic reforms had taken place. [3]
President Putin's United Russia Party wins a resounding victory in the 2003 Russian election, with 37% of the vote. Second place and 12.5% of the vote goes to the Communist Party, with Zhirinovsky's LDPR nationalists close behind with 11.5%. However, electoral monitors say the democratic process was "overwhelmingly distorted" in the government's favour. [4] [5]
Afghan villagers have disputed United States claims that a bombing by the US that killed nine children had killed the intended target, Taliban militant, Mullah Wazir. They say Wazir had left the village ten days earlier. [6] [7]
Currency analysts remain negative on the US dollar. [8]
One US soldier is killed and two are injured Sunday in Mosul when a convoy is attacked. [9]