Iraq

Early in the month, there were clashes between Iraqi government and US forces and Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia in Najaf, and between government and militia forces in al-Kut. On the 12th, US forces increased pressure on the militia in Najaf, which had by this time been confined to the central part of the city. At this point there were about 2,000 US Marines and 1,800 Iraqi National Guard troops in the Najaf area. In all cases, the Mehdi Army appeared to be getting the worst of the fighting. Late in the month, after negotiations between al-Sadr and Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, al-Sadr agreed to withdraw his militia from Najaf and Kufa. In exchange, the Iraqi government agreed to drop murder charges against al-Sadr for the killing of cleric Majeed Al-Khoei in April 2003 and to withdraw foreign forces from Najaf and Kufa (CNN.com).

Sudan

A ceasefire began between government and rebel forces in Darfur, monitored by representatives from the African Union (AU) supported by small troop contingents from Rwanda and Nigeria (CNN.com).

Nepal

Around the middle of the month, Maoist rebels succeeded in cutting road links to Kathmandu (CNN.com).

1 AUGUST 2004

Iraq

Car bomb attacks on four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul killed seven people (CNN.com).

6 AUGUST 2004

Diplomatic affairs

In talks between the UN and Sudan, the Sudanese government agreed to take a number of actions in the Darfur region, including setting up ‘safe areas’ for civilians and disarming local Arab militias (AP).

7-9 AUGUST 2004

Pakistan

A series of bomb attacks in Karachi and elsewhere killed 15 people (CNN.com).

8 AUGUST 2004

Venezuela

There were large rallies in Caracas by both supporters and opponents of President Hugo Chavez (AP).

10 AUGUST 2004

Mauritania

The government claimed to have foiled a coup by elements of the armed forces, the Islamist political opposition and foreign subversives. Around this time there were an unspecified number of arrests of members of the political opposition. Islamist politician Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour was arrested on the 11th (AP).

Singapore, politics

Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong resigned and was replaced on the 12th by Lee Hsien Loong, son of Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew (CNN.com, www.rulers.org).

Turkey

There were explosions at two hotels in Istanbul, killing two people. The Abu Hafs Al Masri Brigades, a group linked to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility (AP).

11 AUGUST 2004

Iraq

A bomb exploded in a market in Khan Bani Saad, killing six (CNN.com).

15 AUGUST 2004

Venezuela, politics

A referendum was held in which voters were asked if President Hugo Chavez should be allowed to complete the roughly two years of his remaining term in office. Fifty-nine point two percent voted to keep him in office; 40.8% voted to remove him (IFES, CNN.com).

India

A bomb blast in Dhemali, in Assam state, killed 15 people. Police said they suspected the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) of responsibility (CNN.com).

16 AUGUST 2004

United States, military affairs

President Bush announced his intention to begin a major redeployment of military forces. About 60,000 to 70,000 military personnel are to be withdrawn from overseas areas to the US over the next decade. Most of these forces will be from Europe, particularly Germany, where the heavy ground forces deployed there will be replaced with a smaller contingent of lighter, more mobile units. Administration officials said the US could close about half of its military bases in Europe by the end of 2010. Bush said the redeployment would result in stronger alliances and in forces better able to meet current challenges (CNN.com).

21-24 AUGUST 2004

Bangladesh

There was an attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka on the 21st. Gunfire and grenades killed 20 people and wounded over 300. Party leader Ivy Rahman was mortally wounded. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on the stage but was not hurt. Hasina blamed the government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for the attack. Over the following days there were riots and violent demonstrations by Awami League supporters (CNN.com).

22 AUGUST 2004

Somalia

Members of what is to be a new parliament were sworn in at a ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya. The body is the result of negotiations among clan leaders, religious leaders and warlords; the talks began in October 2002 under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a group of seven East African states, and have been financed by the EU, China and Kenya. Each of Somalia’s four major clans have 61 seats and a coalition of smaller clans is sharing 31 seats. The parliament has a five-year term and is to select a president, provided of course that it overcomes nagging disputes over selection of members and is able to establish itself in Somalia (AP).

Mexico

Gilberto Higuera Guerrero was arrested in Mexicali. Higuera was the ‘principal operator’ for Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, leader of a gang which controls much of the drug traffic across the US border (CNN.com).

24 AUGUST 2004

Russia

Two airliners appeared to have been destroyed in terrorist attacks. Both departed from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. A Volga-Avia Express Tupolev 134 en route to Volgograd disappeared from radar at 2256 hours local time; its wreckage was found near Tula. A Siberia Airlines Tupelov 154 was en route to Sochi when it disappeared from radar at 2259 hours, about 160 km from Rostov-on-Don. Eighty-nine people aboard the planes were killed (CNN.com).

25-27 AUGUST 2004

Pakistan, politics

Prime Minister Chaudhry Shaujaat Hussain announced his resignation on the 25th. On the 27th, former finance minister Shaukat Aziz was approved as Prime Minister; he received 191 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly (CNN.com).

26 AUGUST 2004

Western Hemisphere, diplomatic relations

Cuba broke off diplomatic relations with Panama after Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso pardoned four Cuban exiles accused of attacks on Cuban interests (CNN.com).

Iraq

Unidentified snipers opened fire on thousands of demonstrators making their way from Kufa to Najaf’s old city, killing 23 (CNN.com).

27 AUGUST 2004

Sudan

A Libyan C-130 taking Eritrean deportees home was hijacked by four Eritreans and forced to land in Khartoum, Sudan. After a brief standoff the hijackers surrendered peacefully (AP).

29 AUGUST 2004

Russia

Alu Alkhanov won the election for the presidency in Chechnya. Authorities said he received 74% of the vote and that turnout was 85.2% (CNN.com).

Mexico

Around 150,000-200,000 people, many bused in from nearby states, attended a rally in Mexico City in support of Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who faces possible prosecution over his conduct in a land-use case (AP).

Australia, politics

Prime Minister John Howard called elections for 9 October (CNN.com).

30 AUGUST-2 SEPTEMBER 2004

United States, politics

The Republican Party held its nominating convention in New York. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were once again the party’s nominees. In his acceptance speech Bush proposed a number of minor social welfare initiatives, particularly in the area of job training. On the 29th tens of thousands of people demonstrated near the convention site against Bush (CNN.com).

31 AUGUST 2004

Israel

Suicide bombers from Hamas struck two buses in Beer Sheva, killing 16 Israelis (CNN.com).

Russia

A suicide bombing outside a subway station in Moscow killed nine people (CNN.com).