Major Events of August 2004: Key Historical Moments from the Month
Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from August 2004 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.
Major Events of August 2004: Key Historical Moments from the Month
- 01 Aug 2004 Tragic Supermarket Fire in Asunción: A devastating fire at the Ycua Bolanos V supermarket complex in Asunción, Paraguay, resulted in a catastrophic loss of life, killing nearly 400 people and injuring 500 others. This was one of the deadliest commercial fire incidents in Paraguay's history.
- 02 Aug 2004 Bush Calls for Intelligence Reforms: U.S. President George W. Bush urges Congress to establish a national intelligence director and a national counterterrorism center, responding to post-9/11 security concerns.
- 03 Aug 2004 Abu Ghraib Prisoner Abuse Allegations: A U.S. court martial heard testimony from the lead criminal investigator alleging that prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib was committed 'for fun', highlighting serious misconduct within military ranks.
- 04 Aug 2004 UK Commemorates World War I Entry: A poignant ceremony at London's Cenotaph marked the 90th anniversary of the United Kingdom's entry into World War I, attended by four surviving veterans aged between 103 and 108 years old.
- 05 Aug 2004 FCC Broadband Wiretapping Ruling: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a significant preliminary ruling mandating that all broadband communication providers—including DSL, cable modem, broadband over powerline, and wireless services—comply with the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), requiring them to facilitate law enforcement wiretapping capabilities.
- 06 Aug 2004 UN Report on Darfur Crimes Against Humanity: A comprehensive United Nations report was released, detailing systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed by the Sudanese government in the Darfur region, highlighting widespread atrocities and potential genocide.
- 07 Aug 2004 Greg Maddux Achieves 300th Career Win: Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux reached a significant milestone by securing his 300th career win in an 8-4 victory against San Francisco at SBC Park. This achievement marks him as one of the most accomplished pitchers in Major League Baseball history.
- 08 Aug 2004 Ahmed Chalabi Arrested on Counterfeiting Charges: Ahmed Chalabi, a prominent Iraqi political figure, was arrested by an Iraqi judge on counterfeiting allegations. Chalabi strongly denied these charges, which added to the complex political landscape of post-invasion Iraq.
- 09 Aug 2004 U.S. Military Conflict with Moqtada Al-Sadr: Intense fighting erupted between U.S. forces and supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr in Iraq. Sadr vowed to 'protect Najaf until the last drop of blood', while the U.S. military claimed to have killed 300 of his supporters during violent clashes.
- 10 Aug 2004 9/11 Trial Complication: The U.S. refused to allow an alleged al Qaeda member to testify via videolink in the retrial of Moroccan Mounir al Motassadek, a significant 9/11 terrorism suspect trial, creating a procedural challenge for German prosecutors.
- 11 Aug 2004 UK Advances Human Embryo Cloning Research: In a landmark scientific development, researchers at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne received official permission to conduct human embryo cloning research, pushing the boundaries of biomedical science and sparking ethical debates about genetic research.
- 12 Aug 2004 US Forces Control Najaf's Imam Ali Mosque: US military forces took control of the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, where followers of radical Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr were being held, marking a significant moment in the Iraq conflict.
- 13 Aug 2004 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens: The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad were held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to 29, bringing together athletes from around the world in a celebration of international sports and competition.
- 14 Aug 2004 Gatumba Refugee Camp Massacre: In a horrific act of violence, gunmen killed at least 156 Congolese Tutsi refugees in an overnight raid at the Gatumba camp in Burundi, highlighting the ongoing regional conflicts and humanitarian crisis in Central Africa.
- 15 Aug 2004 Iraqi National Assembly Conference Attacked: A critical three-day conference of 1,300 Iraqi delegates convened in Baghdad to elect an interim National Assembly was disrupted by a violent mortar attack, resulting in one fatality and 17 injuries, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in post-Saddam Iraq.
- 16 Aug 2004 Canada's Same-Sex Marriage Progress: Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler announced that the Canadian federal government would not obstruct court proceedings aimed at compelling provincial governments to issue same-sex marriage licenses, marking a significant step towards nationwide marriage equality.
- 17 Aug 2004 MD5 Cryptographic Vulnerability Discovered: Chinese researchers successfully found a collision in the MD5 cryptographic hash function, revealing a significant vulnerability in this widely used security algorithm and highlighting potential risks in digital security.
- 18 Aug 2004 Muqtada Al-Sadr Agrees to Withdraw from Najaf: In a significant political development in Iraq, Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr announced his agreement to withdraw his militia from the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf following threats from Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Al-Sadr also committed to disbanding the Jaish-i-Mahdi militia and participating in mainstream political processes.
- 19 Aug 2004 Google's Initial Public Offering: Google Inc. launched its highly anticipated initial public offering on the Nasdaq stock market, marking a significant milestone in the company's history and the tech industry.
- 20 Aug 2004 Hepatitis E Crisis in Darfur: A deadly outbreak of Hepatitis E is spreading through refugee camps in Darfur, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region and highlighting the severe health challenges faced by displaced populations.
- 21 Aug 2004 Dhaka Opposition Party Rally Bombing: A series of coordinated grenade blasts targeted an opposition party rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, resulting in at least 13 fatalities and causing widespread political shock.
- 22 Aug 2004 Munch Museum Art Heist in Oslo: Two iconic paintings by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, 'The Scream' and 'Madonna', were dramatically stolen at gunpoint from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. The theft involved armed robbers who brazenly took these priceless artworks, causing significant cultural and artistic shock.
- 23 Aug 2004 Intense Battle in Najaf, Iraq: U.S. Marines engaged in fierce combat with Shi'ite militiamen around the historically significant Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq. This confrontation represented the most intense fighting since a 20-day rebellion erupted, highlighting the ongoing sectarian tensions and conflict in the region.
- 24 Aug 2004 Russian Airline Terrorist Attack: Two Russian airliners were destroyed by suicide bombers near Moscow, resulting in the tragic loss of 89 passengers. The attacks, believed to be carried out by female Chechen terrorists, occurred within minutes of each other after departing from Domodedovo International Airport, highlighting the ongoing conflict in the Chechen region.
- 25 Aug 2004 Israel's First Olympic Gold Medal: Gal Fridman makes history by becoming Israel's first Olympic gold medalist, winning the men's Mistral One Design windsurfing event at the Athens Games.
- 26 Aug 2004 Pinochet Loses Legal Immunity: Chile's Supreme Court stripped former military dictator Augusto Pinochet of his legal immunity, paving the way for potential prosecution for serious human rights violations including murder and torture.
- 27 Aug 2004 Najaf Standoff Resolution: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani successfully mediated an end to the Najaf standoff, brokering an agreement for both al-Sadr militia and U.S. troops to withdraw from the city. The interim police government would replace them, with Sistani taking responsibility for the Imam Ali Mosque. This resolution occurred two days before the one-year anniversary of Sayed Mohammed Baqir Al-Hakim's assassination.
- 28 Aug 2004 Pope Returns Sacred Icon to Russian Orthodox Church: In a significant gesture of interfaith goodwill, a Roman Catholic Cardinal returned an 18th-century copy of the revered Our Lady of Kazan icon to the Kremlin's Cathedral of the Assumption. This symbolic act represented an important moment of reconciliation between the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches.
- 29 Aug 2004 Michael Schumacher's Record-Breaking Formula One Championship: Michael Schumacher secured his historic seventh world championship title by finishing second in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, cementing his status as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time.
- 30 Aug 2004 Republican National Convention Renominates Bush-Cheney: At the Republican National Convention in New York City, President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were officially re-nominated for the 2004 presidential election.
- 31 Aug 2004 Milosevic Begins Defense at War Crimes Trial: Slobodan Milosevic, former Yugoslav President, commenced his defense at his international war crimes trial. He was accused of genocide and crimes against humanity, which he claimed were 'unscrupulous lies'.