December 24, 2003

• An explosion occurs at Baghdad's Sheraton Ishtar hotel, probably caused by a rocket-propelled grenade. [1]
• Following the detection of BSE in a Mabton, Washington cow, several countries (including Japan, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) announce a ban on the importation of U.S. beef. [2] [3]
• Three Air France flights from Paris to Los Angeles are canceled due to security concerns expressed by the U.S. embassy in France. [4]
• Bolivian President Carlos Mesa declares a state of emergency because of flooding in central Bolivia, which killed at least 19 people and collapsed a bridge crucial to Bolivian exports. [5]