Portal:Current events/2013 December 6

• Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen:
  • The Yemeni Defense Ministry regains control of their military compound in Sana'a, Yemen, killing 11 militants in the process. (Reuters)
• Central African Republic conflict under the Djotodia administration:
  • The Red Cross claims that at least 300 people have died in two days of fighting in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. (BBC)

• 2013 North American cold wave:
  • Record snowfall occurs over the United States killing at least eleven and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. (USA Today)

• Pollution in China:
  • A record level of smog is reported in Shanghai causing officials to issue the highest level health warning and delaying of hundreds of flights.(Reuters)

• War in Afghanistan:
  • Royal Marine Sergeant Alexander Blackman is given a life sentence by a court martial for the murder of an unarmed insurgent. (BBC)
• The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to decide whether software can be patented. (Reuters via The Chicago Tribune)

• The China National Space Administration achieves Earth to Lunar transorbital insertion of their Chang'e 3 probe. The spacecraft enters a 100 km (62 mi)-high circular lunar orbit at 5:53 p.m. Beijing Time. The orbit is obtained after 361 seconds of variable-thrust engine braking. (Economic Times)
• Researchers at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute are published in the journal Cell, describing a link between Parkinsonism (Parkinson's disease) and the agricultural pesticides of paraquat and maneb. (MSN)

• 2014 FIFA World Cup:
  • The draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup is done in Brazil with the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions Spain and runners-up The Netherlands both drawn in Group B. (The Sports 24)