1 JULY 2004

Hong Kong, China

Hundreds of thousands demonstrated for greater political democracy (CNN.com).

2 JULY 2004

Cuba

Luis Hernando Bustamante, a leader of the Norte del Valle cartel in Colombia, was captured as he entered the country on a false passport (AP).

3 JULY 2004

Italy, politics

Economy and Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti resigned. He was replaced on the 16th by Domenico Siniscalco (www.rulers.org).

5 JULY 2004

Indonesia, politics

In the first round of a presidential election, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won 33.6% of the vote, President Megawati Sukarnoputri won 26.6%, former general Wiranto won 22.2% and Amien Rais won 14.7%. Susilo and Megawati were scheduled for a 20 September run-off (IFES, CNN.com).

9 JULY 2004

Egypt, politics

President Hosni Mubarak launched a major reshuffling of the government. Prime Minister Atef Obeid and the rest of the cabinet resigned. Mubarak named Ahmed Nazif to replace Obeid (CNN.com).

12 JULY 2004

Northern Ireland

There was some violence against some Protestant marches, particularly in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast (AP).

14 JULY 2004

Iraq

Usama Kashmoula, governor of Ninevah province, was killed in an apparent ambush near the ‘Sunni triangle’ (CNN.com).

16 JULY 2004

Brazil

There were demonstrations in Sao Paulo, Brazilia and other cities protesting the country’s conservative fiscal and monetary policies (CNN.com).

17-24 JULY 2004

Israel, Gaza Strip

On the 17th Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority (PA), replaced Abdel Razik al-Majeida as head of national security with Mussa Arafat. After the announcement, about 2,000 people demonstrated against Arafat in southern Gaza. The next day, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades attacked PA intelligence offices in Khan Yunis. In the following days there was confusion over who was actually head of security forces in the area. On the 24th, about 300 armed Palestinians briefly seized PA offices in Khan Yunis (CNN.com).

22 JULY 2004

United States, military affairs

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States released its report on the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. It did not find that particular leaders were negligent but that there was a failure to appreciate the threat posed by al Qaeda; there were also failures in organization and procedure of the government’s counter-terrorism agencies which contributed to the success of the attacks. It recommended the establishment of a cabinet-level intelligence director, a single counter-terrorism center and a joint congressional committee to oversee homeland security (CNN.com).

Iraq

Gen. Salim Blaish was shot and killed in Mosul (CNN.com).

25 JULY 2004

Israel

Around 100,000 people demonstrated against plans to withdraw Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip. They formed a human chain stretching from the Nissanit settlement in northern Gaza to Jerusalem (AP).

27-30 JULY 2004

United States, politics

The Democratic Party held its nominating convention in Boston. Senator John Kerry is the nominee for President and Senator John Edwards is the nominee for Vice-President. Kerry has called for a less confrontational foreign policy and complained that the Bush administration is too ‘unilateral’ – does not adequately coordinate US policy with that of allies and other states. He has also accused Bush of deliberately misleading the country as he sought support for the invasion of Iraq, and has said he would do a better job than Bush of enlisting international assistance for Iraq. In domestic policy Kerry has advocated some tax cuts for the middle class and tax increases for the wealthy (CNN.com).

28 JULY 2004

Iraq

A suicide bombing in Baquba killed at least 68 people (CNN.com).

29 JULY 2004

Pakistan

Authorities announced the capture of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian believed to be involved in the August 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania (CNN.com).

30-31 JULY 2004

Ivory Coast

The government and rebels held talks in Accra, Ghana. They agreed on steps to advance the peace process. The government is to carry out political reforms promised in January 2003 by the end of August, and the rebels are to begin disarming by 15 October (Reuters).