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Major Events of December 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 December 2004 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of December 2004: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Dec 2004 Ukrainian Political Turmoil: Vote of No Confidence: Ukraine's parliament passed a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich during the contentious 2004 presidential election, with Viktor Yushchenko's opposition agreeing to continue negotiations.
  • 02 Dec 2004 India Initiates Bhopal Disaster Cleanup: Twenty years after the catastrophic Bhopal chemical disaster, India announced a new initiative to decontaminate and survey the affected areas, addressing long-standing environmental and health concerns.
  • 03 Dec 2004 Ukrainian Supreme Court Invalidates Presidential Election: The Supreme Court of Ukraine ruled the second round of the 2004 presidential elections invalid, mandating a new vote within three weeks. This decision was a critical moment in Ukraine's democratic process and political transformation.
  • 04 Dec 2004 Terrorist Attack in Pulwama, Kashmir: A militant group conducted a devastating terrorist attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India, using an improvised explosive device (IED) to destroy a vehicle. The attack resulted in the deaths of one major, nine Rashtriya Rifles soldiers, and two civilians, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the region.
  • 05 Dec 2004 Viktor Yushchenko Elected President of Ukraine: Following the Orange Revolution and widespread protests against electoral fraud, the Ukrainian Parliament elected Viktor Yushchenko as the President of Ukraine, marking a significant moment in the country's democratic transition.
  • 06 Dec 2004 Terrorist Attack on U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Gunmen stormed the U.S. consular compound in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, resulting in a four-hour battle. Nine Saudi civilians were killed during the attack. Saudi security forces successfully neutralized the threat by killing three gunmen, arresting two more, and pursuing others. While no Americans were killed, some were slightly wounded.
  • 07 Dec 2004 2004 U.S. Presidential Electoral Controversy: Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, who was also co-chair of George W. Bush's campaign, certified the 2004 election results amid ongoing disputes. Parallel vote count efforts suggested potential irregularities, with one claim asserting that John Kerry might be the legitimate winner in Ohio.
  • 08 Dec 2004 Lenovo Acquires IBM's PC Business: Lenovo, the largest Chinese personal computer manufacturer, announced its strategic plan to purchase IBM's global personal computer business. This acquisition would elevate Lenovo to become the third-largest PC maker worldwide, positioning it behind industry leaders Dell and Hewlett-Packard.
  • 09 Dec 2004 Canadian Supreme Court Supports Same-Sex Marriage: The Canadian Supreme Court ruled that a bill to legalize gay marriage was constitutional. While not definitively stating constitutional requirements, they acknowledged the government's stance by not challenging provincial court decisions. Prime Minister Paul Martin announced plans to introduce same-sex marriage legislation in January.
  • 10 Dec 2004 Tragic Death of Rania Siam: Eight-year-old Rania Siam is killed by Israeli troops while eating lunch at her home in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. The incident occurred after three mortar shells were fired into an Israeli settlement by Hamas, with Israeli troops responding to the source of fire. The Israeli army announced an investigation into her death.
  • 11 Dec 2004 Viktor Yushchenko Dioxin Poisoning: Tests conclusively revealed that Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was deliberately poisoned with a substantial dose of dioxin, a highly toxic chemical compound. This poisoning occurred during a critical period of the Ukrainian presidential election, raising serious questions about political interference and potential assassination attempts.
  • 12 Dec 2004 Israel-Palestine Conflict Incident near Rafah: A significant escalation of violence occurred near the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Rafah. A tunnel containing 1,500 kg of explosives was detonated, resulting in the deaths of five Israeli soldiers and injuries to ten others. Hamas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades' offshoot, 'Fatah Hawk', claimed joint responsibility. In a separate incident, five Palestinian schoolchildren were injured by Israeli tank fire.
  • 13 Dec 2004 Ongoing Iraq Conflict Violence: A car bomb attack near Baghdad's Green Zone resulted in at least 13 fatalities. In response to the murder of eight US Marines, the United States Army launched an air strike on Fallujah, escalating tensions in the region.
  • 14 Dec 2004 Canada's Same-Sex Marriage Legislation: Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler announced a groundbreaking bill to legalize same-sex marriage, which would include a provision allowing civic officials to opt-out of performing such ceremonies based on personal beliefs.
  • 15 Dec 2004 UK House of Lords Rules Against Anti-Terror Detention: The House of Lords made a landmark ruling declaring that the British Government's practice of detaining foreign nationals suspected of terrorism without trial was a violation of human rights legislation. This decision was a significant moment in balancing national security with individual civil liberties.
  • 16 Dec 2004 EU Invites Turkey for Membership Negotiations: European Union leaders agreed to invite Turkey to begin negotiations for EU membership in 2005, marking a significant milestone after 36 years of initial application.
  • 17 Dec 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act Signed: President George W. Bush signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, establishing the Office of the Director for National Intelligence to coordinate and oversee the United States' 15 intelligence agencies in the post-9/11 era.
  • 18 Dec 2004 African Union Intervention in Darfur Conflict: The African Union imposed a deadline for warring parties in the Darfur conflict to cease hostilities, warning that peace talks in Nigeria would end if the ceasefire was not respected. This diplomatic intervention aimed to de-escalate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
  • 19 Dec 2004 Deadly Bomb Attacks in Iraqi Shia Cities: Devastating terrorist bombings in the Iraqi Shia cities of Najaf and Karbala resulted in a tragic loss of life, with up to 60 people killed and 120 injured, highlighting the ongoing sectarian violence in post-invasion Iraq.
  • 20 Dec 2004 Escalating Sectarian Violence in Iraq: Fears of a potential civil war in Iraq intensified after devastating bombings in two of the country's holiest Shiite cities, resulting in 66 deaths and over 200 injuries, underscoring the deep sectarian tensions.
  • 21 Dec 2004 Deadly Suicide Attack on US Military Base in Mosul: A devastating suicide bombing occurred at a U.S. military base in Mosul, Iraq, resulting in 22 fatalities, including 13 American soldiers. This attack was one of the most significant and deadly attacks on U.S. forces during the Iraq War.
  • 22 Dec 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster: The most devastating natural disaster in recorded history struck the Indian Ocean region when a massive 9.3 magnitude earthquake off Sumatra Island, Indonesia, triggered catastrophic tsunami waves. These massive waves devastated coastal regions of multiple countries, including India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, causing unprecedented loss of life and widespread destruction.
  • 23 Dec 2004 Death of P. V. Narasimha Rao: P. V. Narasimha Rao, the ninth Prime Minister of India who served from 1991 to 1996 and was known for his economic reforms, passed away. Born in 1921, he was a pivotal figure in India's economic liberalization.
  • 24 Dec 2004 Asteroid Apophis Collision Risk Assessment: Scientists identified asteroid 2004 N4 (later named 99942 Apophis), a 400-meter space object, with a concerning one-in-forty probability of potentially colliding with Earth in 2029. The asteroid received a risk rating of 4, prompting significant astronomical and planetary defense attention.
  • 25 Dec 2004 Cassini-Huygens Mission to Titan: The Cassini orbiter releases the Huygens probe, which successfully landed on Saturn's moon, Titan on January 14, 2005. This groundbreaking mission provided unprecedented scientific insights into the moon's atmosphere and surface composition.
  • 26 Dec 2004 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: One of the most catastrophic natural disasters in recorded history struck Southeast Asia. A massive 9.3 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, generated enormous tsunami waves that devastated 14 nations. The disaster resulted in approximately 228,000 fatalities, causing unprecedented destruction across coastal regions of the Indian Ocean.
  • 27 Dec 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster: A catastrophic tsunami triggered by an Indian Ocean earthquake has caused massive loss of life, with initial estimates ranging between 20,000 to 45,000 fatalities. This devastating natural disaster represents one of the most significant humanitarian crises of the early 21st century.
  • 28 Dec 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster: A catastrophic tsunami triggered by a massive undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean has resulted in at least 59,000 confirmed deaths, with the toll expected to continue rising. This unprecedented natural disaster affected multiple countries across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region, causing widespread destruction and humanitarian crisis.
  • 29 Dec 2004 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster: A catastrophic earthquake in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004, triggered devastating tsunamis across multiple countries. Over 80,000 people have been confirmed dead, with the Red Cross warning that fatalities could exceed 100,000. The United States, Australia, Japan, and India formed an international alliance to provide humanitarian aid to the victims.
  • 30 Dec 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Aftermath: The devastating Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26th has resulted in over 120,000 confirmed deaths across 12 countries. The World Health Organization warns that up to five million people are at high risk of starvation due to lack of basic necessities. Preliminary estimates suggest Sumatra's death toll could exceed 400,000.
  • 31 Dec 2004 Potential Tsunami Death Toll Projection: Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Rusdihardjo, warned that the death toll from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake could potentially exceed 400,000 in Indonesia, underscoring the catastrophic impact of the natural disaster.