Year 2004 in History

After hosting the show for over 30 years, Casey Kasem steps down as host of "American Top 40" and is succeeded by Ryan S

After hosting the show for over 30 years, Casey Kasem steps down as host of "American Top 40" and is succeeded by Ryan Seacrest

Britney Spears has her surprise marriage annulled less than 55 hours after tying the knot with childhood friend Jason Al

Britney Spears has her surprise marriage annulled less than 55 hours after tying the knot with childhood friend Jason Alexander at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas

Mark Zuckerberg launches Facebook from his Harvard dormitory room

American singer-songwriter Solange Knowles (17) weds Texas Southern University football player Daniel Smith (19) at Old

American singer-songwriter Solange Knowles (17) weds Texas Southern University football player Daniel Smith (19) at Old Bahama Bay Resort in Grand Bahama Island; divorce in 2007

Luciano Pavarotti performs in his final opera, "Tosca," at New York's Metropolitan Opera

Luciano Pavarotti (12 October 1935 – 6 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most...

"Alias" actress Jennifer Garner (30) divorces actor Scott Foley (30) due to irreconcilable differences after nearly 4 ye

"Alias" actress Jennifer Garner (30) divorces actor Scott Foley (30) due to irreconcilable differences after nearly 4 years of marriage

Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement on the Conflict in Darfur is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups, en

Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement on the Conflict in Darfur is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups, ending hostilities amid a 45-day ceasefire [1]

Model-actress Deborah Falconer (38) divorces actor Robert Downey Jr (39) due to irreconcilable differences after 12 year

Model-actress Deborah Falconer (38) divorces actor Robert Downey Jr (39) due to irreconcilable differences after 12 years of marriage

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry files for divorce from her second husband, R&B singer Eric Benet, six months after the

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry files for divorce from her second husband, R&B singer Eric Benet, six months after the couple separated

TV sitcom "Friends" airs the series finale of its 10th and final season in the US, attracting 52.5 million viewers

Model-actress Ali Landry (30) files for an annulment to her marriage to "Saved by the Bell" actor Mario Lopez (30) due t

Model-actress Ali Landry (30) files for an annulment to her marriage to "Saved by the Bell" actor Mario Lopez (30) due to infidelity, less than 2 weeks after getting married

The final episode of "Frasier" on NBC is watched by 33 million people

Massachusetts becomes the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage

The legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the United States expanded from one state in 2004 (Massachusetts) to all 50 states in 2015 through various court rulings, state legislation, and direct…

US Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombin

US Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing

"TLC" singer Tionne Watkins (34) divorces rapper Mack 10 (32) due to adultery after nearly 4 years of marriage

Model-actress Ali Landry (30) divorces "Saved by the Bell" actor Mario Lopez (30) due to irreconcilable differences, aft

Model-actress Ali Landry (30) divorces "Saved by the Bell" actor Mario Lopez (30) due to irreconcilable differences, after 2 weeks of marriage

First direct presidential election held in Indonesia, eventually won by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, commonly referred to as SBY, is an Indonesian politician and retired military officer who served as the sixth president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014 and the second...

German kayaker Birgit Fischer wins gold in K-4 500 m and silver in K-2 500 m in Athens; she is the first woman in any sp

German kayaker Birgit Fischer wins gold in K-4 500 m and silver in K-2 500 m in Athens; she is the first woman in any sport to win gold medals at six different Olympics, with golds 24 years apart, and the first person to win two or more medals in five different Games

Green Day releases their album "American Idiot" in the US

Green Day is an American rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987, by the lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and the bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with the drummer Tré...

Actress Andie MacDowell (46) divorces businessman Rhett Hartzog (45) after nearly three years of marriage

"Jackass" member Chris Pontius (30) weds Claire Nolan in Malibu

Hotel heiress and fashion model Nicky Hilton (21) divorces businessman Todd Andrew Meister (33) due to bi-coastal relati

Hotel heiress and fashion model Nicky Hilton (21) divorces businessman Todd Andrew Meister (33) due to bi-coastal relationship after nearly 3 months of marriage

Talk show host Ricki Lake and Rob Sussman divorce after 10 years of marriage

Ricki Pamela Lake is an American television host and actress. She is known for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film Hairspray, for which she received a nomination for the Independent...

Yasser Arafat's death from unidentified causes is confirmed by the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Mahmoud Abbas

Yasser Arafat's death from unidentified causes is confirmed by the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Mahmoud Abbas is elected PLO chairman shortly after

American singer Jermaine Jackson (49) divorces Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza (35) after 9 years of marriage

The Cuzco Declaration is signed in Cuzco, Peru, establishing the Union of South American Nations

The Union of South American Nations (USAN), sometimes also referred to as the South American Union, abbreviated in Spanish as UNASUR and in Portuguese as UNASUL, is an intergovernmental regional...

A 9.3 magnitude earthquake creates a tsunami that devastates Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldiv

A 9.3 magnitude earthquake creates a tsunami that devastates Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, and other coastal regions of the Indian Ocean, killing about 230,000 people

Stardust successfully flies past Comet Wild 2, collecting samples that it will return to Earth two years later

Mikheil Saakashvili is elected President of Georgia

Mikheil "Misha" Saakashvili is a Georgian-Ukrainian politician. He was the third president of Georgia for two consecutive terms from January 2004 to November 2013, with a break from November 2007 to...

"Kinks" singer-songwriter Ray Davies (59) shot in the leg while chasing a 25-year old mugger in New Orleans, Louisiana

Costas Simitis announces his resignation as president of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement in Greece

"4th and 26", trailing Green Bay Packers by 3 in NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Philadelphia Eagles face 4th and 26 on the

"4th and 26", trailing Green Bay Packers by 3 in NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Philadelphia Eagles face 4th and 26 on their final drive, Donovan McNabb hits Freddie Mitchell for 29 yards. Eagles tie the game and go on to win in overtime

The world's largest ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary 2, makes its maiden voyage

RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is a British ocean liner. She has served as the flagship of the Cunard Line since April 2004, and as of 2026, is the only active, purpose-built ocean liner still in service.

Harold Shipman, a British GP who is believed to have killed more than 200 of his patients in Manchester, is found hanged

Harold Shipman, a British GP who is believed to have killed more than 200 of his patients in Manchester, is found hanged in his prison cell

The national flag of Georgia, the so-called "five cross flag" restored to official use after a hiatus of some 500 years

Television drama "The L Word", co-created by Ilene Chaiken, starring Jennifer Beals and Katherine Moennig, premieres on

Television drama "The L Word", co-created by Ilene Chaiken, starring Jennifer Beals and Katherine Moennig, premieres on Showtime

Canada: The residence of reporter Juliet O'Neill is searched by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigating l

Canada: The residence of reporter Juliet O'Neill is searched by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigating leaks concerning the deportation of Maher Arar

A whale explodes in the town of Tainan, Taiwan. A build-up of gas in the decomposing sperm whale is suspected of causing

A whale explodes in the town of Tainan, Taiwan. A build-up of gas in the decomposing sperm whale is suspected of causing the explosion.

people are trampled to death and 244 injured in a stampede at the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Rebels from the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front capture the city of Gonaïves, starting the 2004 Haiti rebellio

Rebels from the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front capture the city of Gonaïves, starting the 2004 Haiti rebellion

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics discovers the universe's largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 370

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics discovers the universe's largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 37093

Roof of the Transvaal water park in Moscow collapses, killing more than 25 people and injuring more than 100 others

46th Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins exactly 6 years to the day after his father Dale Earnhardt Sr. won his first a

46th Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins exactly 6 years to the day after his father Dale Earnhardt Sr. won his first and only Daytona 500 in 1998

The Pittsburgh Penguins lose their 12th consecutive home game, a NHL record

A runaway freight train carrying sulfur, petrol, and fertilizer catches fire and explodes near Neyshabur in Iran, killin

A runaway freight train carrying sulfur, petrol, and fertilizer catches fire and explodes near Neyshabur in Iran, killing 295 people, including 182 rescue workers

Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal of Austria, is awarded an honorary British knighthood in recognition of a "lifetime of serv

Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal of Austria, is awarded an honorary British knighthood in recognition of a "lifetime of service to humanity."

The first European political party organization, the European Greens, is established in Rome

Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski is killed in a plane crash during thick fog and heavy rain near Mostar in Bosnia a

Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski is killed in a plane crash during thick fog and heavy rain near Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina

A bombing of a Superferry by Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines worst terrorist attack kills 116

Abu Sayyaf (ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, also known by its full name, Al Hamas Harakat Al Muqawamah Al Islamiyyah or simply Al Harakat Al...

Over 1 million Taiwanese participate in the 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally, forming a 500-kilometer (300-mile) long human chain

Over 1 million Taiwanese participate in the 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally, forming a 500-kilometer (300-mile) long human chain to commemorate the 228 Incident in 1947

Mohammed Bahr al-Uloum becomes President of Iraq.

New Democracy wins the national elections in Greece

At a national level, Greece holds elections for its legislature, the Hellenic Parliament.

A new constitution is signed by Iraq's Governing Council after the invasion and occupation by American-led forces

The 2003 invasion of Iraq was the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion began on 20 March 2003 and lasted just over one month, including 26 days of major combat operations.

Terrorists explode simultaneous bombs on Madrid's rail network ripping through a commuter train and rocking three statio

Terrorists explode simultaneous bombs on Madrid's rail network ripping through a commuter train and rocking three stations, killing 190

Music work "I La Galigo" by Richard Wilson debuts in Singapore, based on Bugis creation myth from South Sulawesi (world'

Music work "I La Galigo" by Richard Wilson debuts in Singapore, based on Bugis creation myth from South Sulawesi (world's most voluminous literary work)

Unrest in Kosovo results in more than 22 killed, 200 wounded, and the destruction of 35 Serb Orthodox shrines in Kosovo

Unrest in Kosovo results in more than 22 killed, 200 wounded, and the destruction of 35 Serb Orthodox shrines in Kosovo and two mosques in Belgrade and Nis.

A Swedish DC-3 shot down by a Russian MiG-15 in the 1950s is finally recovered after years of work. The remains of the c

A Swedish DC-3 shot down by a Russian MiG-15 in the 1950s is finally recovered after years of work. The remains of the crew are left in place, pending further investigations.

In Malaysia, the 11th Federal and State elections are held, returning the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional to power wit

In Malaysia, the 11th Federal and State elections are held, returning the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional to power with an increased majority

Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of the Palestinian Sunni Islamist militant group Hamas, and bodyguards killed in the

Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of the Palestinian Sunni Islamist militant group Hamas, and bodyguards killed in the Gaza Strip by Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache fired Hellfire missiles

Andhra Pradesh Federation of Trade Unions holds its first conference in Hyderabad, India

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI (M)) is a Marxist–Leninist political party in India.

HMS Scylla, a decommissioned Leander class frigate, is sunk as an artificial reef off Cornwall, the first of its kind in

HMS Scylla, a decommissioned Leander class frigate, is sunk as an artificial reef off Cornwall, the first of its kind in Europe.

Kraft Nabisco Championship Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Grace Park wins her only major title by 1 stroke, sinking a 6

Kraft Nabisco Championship Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Grace Park wins her only major title by 1 stroke, sinking a 6-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole; fellow South Korean Aree Song is runner-up

Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia join NATO as full members

NATO is a military alliance of thirty-two European and North American countries that constitutes a system of collective defense.

Australian swimmer Lisbeth Lenton breaks Inge de Bruijn's 4-year old 100m freestyle women's world record in 53.66s at th

Australian swimmer Lisbeth Lenton breaks Inge de Bruijn's 4-year old 100m freestyle women's world record in 53.66s at the Australian Olympic trials in Sydney

Google introduces Gmail: the launch is met with skepticism on account of the launch date

Islamist terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks attempt to bomb the Spanish high-speed train AVE near M

Islamist terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks attempt to bomb the Spanish high-speed train AVE near Madrid. Their attack is thwarted.

Islamic terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks are trapped by the police in their apartment and kill th

Islamic terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks are trapped by the police in their apartment and kill themselves

Rolandas Paksas becomes the first president of Lithuania to be peacefully removed via impeachment

The super liner Queen Mary 2 embarks on her first Transatlantic crossing, linking the golden age of ocean travel to the

The super liner Queen Mary 2 embarks on her first Transatlantic crossing, linking the golden age of ocean travel to the modern age of ocean travel.

Twelve mortar rounds are fired on Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq by insurgents, killing 22 detainees and wounding 92

The occupation of Iraq began on 20 March 2003, when the United States invaded with a military coalition to overthrow Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and his Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and continued...

Two fuel trains collide in Ryongchon, North Korea, destroying 1,850 houses and killing a large but unknown number of peo

Two fuel trains collide in Ryongchon, North Korea, destroying 1,850 houses and killing a large but unknown number of people

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia join the European Uni

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia join the European Union, celebrated at the residence of the Irish President in Dublin.

Yelwa massacre of more than 630 nomad Muslims by Christians in Nigeria

Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov is killed in a land mine bomb blast under a VIP stage during a World War II memorial vi

Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov is killed in a land mine bomb blast under a VIP stage during a World War II memorial victory parade in Grozny, Chechnya

Kate Gosselin gives birth to sextuplets in Hershey, Pennsylvania

The Constitutional Court of South Korea overturns the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun

Roh Moo-hyun was a South Korean politician and lawyer who served as the ninth president of South Korea from 2003 to 2008. Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy...

Day of Mourning at Bykivnia forest, just outside of Kyiv, Ukraine where during 1930s and early 1940s communist bolshevik

Day of Mourning at Bykivnia forest, just outside of Kyiv, Ukraine where during 1930s and early 1940s communist bolsheviks executed over 100,000 Ukrainian civilians

Arizona Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson becomes 16th pitcher to throw a perfect game (2-0 vs Atlanta)

Stanislav Petrov receives the World Citizen Award for averting a potential nuclear war in 1983, after he correctly ident

Stanislav Petrov receives the World Citizen Award for averting a potential nuclear war in 1983, after he correctly identified a fault in the Soviet early warning system

Part of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport's Terminal 2E collapses, killing four people and injuring three others.

Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (IATA: CDG, ICAO: LFPG), also known as Roissy Airport, is the primary international airport serving Paris, the capital of France.

North Korea bans mobile phones

A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable wireless telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike...

NY Times publishes an admission of journalistic failings, claiming its flawed reporting and lack of skepticism during th

NY Times publishes an admission of journalistic failings, claiming its flawed reporting and lack of skepticism during the buildup to the 2003 Iraq War helped promote the belief that Iraq possessed large stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction

The Iraqi Governing Council chooses Ayad Allawi, a longtime anti-Saddam Hussein exile, to become Prime Minister of Iraq'

The Iraqi Governing Council chooses Ayad Allawi, a longtime anti-Saddam Hussein exile, to become Prime Minister of Iraq's interim government

The Al-Khobar massacres in Saudi Arabia kill 22

58th Tony Awards: "Avenue Q" (musical) & "I Am My Own Wife" (play) win

The 58th Annual Tony Awards were held June 6, 2004 at Radio City Music Hall and broadcast on CBS television.

Transit of Venus occurs between Earth and the Sun

A transit of Venus takes place when Venus passes directly between the Sun and the Earth (or any other superior planet), becoming visible against (and hence obscuring a small portion of) the solar...

Cassini-Huygens makes its closest flyby of Phoebe

Cassini–Huygens ( kə-SEE-nee HOY-gənz), commonly called Cassini, was a space-research mission by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to send a space probe to...

A 1.3 kilogram chondrite type meteorite strikes a house in Ellerslie, New Zealand causing serious damage but no injuries

SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded spaceplane to achieve spaceflight

SpaceShipOne is an experimental air-launched rocket-powered aircraft with sub-orbital spaceflight capability at speeds of up to 3,000 ft 910 m h) using a hybrid rocket motor.

Capital punishment is declared unconstitutional in New York

Capital punishment has not been a penalty under state law in the State of New York since 2004 after the New York Court of Appeals declared that the statute as written was not valid under the state's...

Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism

The European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) is a system introduced by the European Economic Community on 1 January 1999 alongside the introduction of a single currency, the euro as part of the...

Saturn Orbit insertion of Cassini-Huygens begins at 01:12 UTC and ends at 02:48 UTC.

This article provides a timeline of the Cassini–Huygens mission (commonly called Cassini).

ASEAN Regional Forum accepts Pakistan as its 24th member.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional grouping of all 11 states in Southeast Asia, which aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its members.

Official opening of Bangkok's subway system

The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. (This was largely a

The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. (This was largely a symbolic event; actual construction would not start for several weeks)

Adelphia Communications Corporation founder John J. Rigas is convicted on charges of conspiracy, securities and bank fra

Adelphia Communications Corporation founder John J. Rigas is convicted on charges of conspiracy, securities and bank fraud [1]

Former South African President Nelson Mandela calls for commitment by the world to take action against AIDS

The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when...

The United Kingdom government publishes Delivering Security in a Changing World, a paper detailing wide-ranging reform o

The United Kingdom government publishes Delivering Security in a Changing World, a paper detailing wide-ranging reform of the country's armed forces

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel close their second reunion tour with a free concert in front of the Colosseum in Rome; an e

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel close their second reunion tour with a free concert in front of the Colosseum in Rome; an estimated 600,000 fans attend, making it their largest crowd

A supermarket fire kills 396 people and injures 500 in Asunción, Paraguay

MESSENGER spacecraft launches from Cape Canaveral

MESSENGER was a NASA robotic space probe that orbited the planet Mercury between 2011 and 2015, studying Mercury's chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field.

Congolese Tutsi refugees massacred at the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi

Gatumba Refugee Camp is also known as Gatumba Transit Center was a temporary refugee camp in Burundi which was massacred in 2004 by Forces for National Liberation rebels.

The Australian women's 4 x 100 m freestyle relay team of Alice Mills, Lisbeth Lenton, Petria Thomas, and Jodie Henry sma

The Australian women's 4 x 100 m freestyle relay team of Alice Mills, Lisbeth Lenton, Petria Thomas, and Jodie Henry smashes the world record to take gold in 3:35.94 at the Athens Olympics

Bay of Plenty defeats Auckland 33-26 in Rugby Union to win NZ's Ranfurly Shield for the first time in the shield's 102-y

Bay of Plenty defeats Auckland 33-26 in Rugby Union to win NZ's Ranfurly Shield for the first time in the shield's 102-year history after 28 unsuccessful challenges

Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe wins the men's 200 m freestyle in an Olympic record time of 1:44.71, achieving the 200/400

Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe wins the men's 200 m freestyle in an Olympic record time of 1:44.71, achieving the 200/400 m freestyle double at the Athens Olympics

Chinese researchers find an MD5 collision

Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband wins the coveted 100 m freestyle gold medal in 48.17 ahead of Roland Schoeman of

Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband wins the coveted 100 m freestyle gold medal in 48.17 ahead of Roland Schoeman of South Africa at the Athens Olympics

An American sweep in the 400 m medals at the Athens Olympics; Jeremy Wariner wins gold in 44.00 ahead of Otis Harris and

An American sweep in the 400 m medals at the Athens Olympics; Jeremy Wariner wins gold in 44.00 ahead of Otis Harris and Derrick Brew

Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May team up to win the women's beach volleyball gold at the Athens Olympics beating Braz

Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May team up to win the women's beach volleyball gold at the Athens Olympics beating Brazilian pair Shelda Bede & Adriana Behar 21–17, 21–11

Cuba beats Australia 6-2 to win the baseball gold medal at the Athens Olympics; Japan takes bronze; the US does not qual

Cuba beats Australia 6-2 to win the baseball gold medal at the Athens Olympics; Japan takes bronze; the US does not qualify

Australia wins its first-ever Olympic men's field hockey gold medal with a 2-1 win after extra time against the Netherla

Australia wins its first-ever Olympic men's field hockey gold medal with a 2-1 win after extra time against the Netherlands in Athens

A huge upset at the Athens Olympic Stadium in the men's 4×100 m relay; Great Britain (38.07) edges the United States (38

A huge upset at the Athens Olympic Stadium in the men's 4×100 m relay; Great Britain (38.07) edges the United States (38.08) to win the gold medal

28th Summer Olympic Games close at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece

The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, Agónes tis 28is Olympiádas), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (Αθήνα 2004), were an...

Beslan school hostage crisis begins as armed terrorists take hundreds of school children and adults hostage in the Russi

Beslan school hostage crisis begins as armed terrorists take hundreds of school children and adults hostage in the Russian town of Beslan in North Ossetia

Sexual assault charge against LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant is dropped by the Eagle County District Attorney's offices in C

Sexual assault charge against LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant is dropped by the Eagle County District Attorney's offices in Colorado after the victim decides not to participate [1]

Beslan school massacre, an Islamist terrorist attack in North Ossetia–Alania, Russia, ends in the deaths of approximatel

Beslan school massacre, an Islamist terrorist attack in North Ossetia–Alania, Russia, ends in the deaths of approximately 344 people, mostly teachers and children

Hurricane Ivan, a Category 5 hurricane, hits Grenada, killing 39 people and damaging 90% of its buildings

Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, and devastating tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States.

The NASA unmanned spacecraft Genesis crash-lands when its parachute fails to open

Bomb explodes outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, killing 10 people

A helicopter crashes in the Aegean Sea, killing all passengers, including Patriarch Peter VII of Alexandria and 16 other

A helicopter crashes in the Aegean Sea, killing all passengers, including Patriarch Peter VII of Alexandria and 16 others, such as journalists and bishops of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria

Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears 20-16 at Soldier Field to end their NFL-record 24-game road losing streak

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North...

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces a lockout of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head offic

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces a lockout of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head office

SF Giants outfielder Barry Bonds hits his 700th career MLB home run, off San Diego's Jake Peavy

Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB).

NFL Oakland Raider wide receiver Jerry Rice ends NFL streak of 274 consecutive games with a reception in a 13-10 victory

NFL Oakland Raider wide receiver Jerry Rice ends NFL streak of 274 consecutive games with a reception in a 13-10 victory over Buffalo Bills [1]

Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre of India merge to form the Comm

Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre of India merge to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist)

SF Giants outfielder Barry Bonds is intentionally walked four times in a nine-inning game (MLB record) for the second ti

SF Giants outfielder Barry Bonds is intentionally walked four times in a nine-inning game (MLB record) for the second time on 1 May 2004

At least 1,070 people in Haiti are reported killed by floods caused by Hurricane Jeanne

ICC Men's Cricket Champions Trophy, The Oval, London: West Indies beat England by 2 wickets; Player of the Series: Ramna

ICC Men's Cricket Champions Trophy, The Oval, London: West Indies beat England by 2 wickets; Player of the Series: Ramnaresh Sarwan, WI, 166 runs

Canadian runner Ed Whitlock (73) becomes the first person over 70 to complete a marathon in under 3 hours (2:54:48) at t

Canadian runner Ed Whitlock (73) becomes the first person over 70 to complete a marathon in under 3 hours (2:54:48) at the Toronto Marathon, Ontario

Asteroid 4179 Toutatis passes within four lunar distances of Earth

4179 Toutatis (provisional designation 1989 AC) is an elongated, stony asteroid and slow rotator, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo asteroid group,...

The AIM-54 Phoenix, the primary missile of the F-14 Tomcat, is retired from service nearly two years before the F-14 its

The AIM-54 Phoenix, the primary missile of the F-14 Tomcat, is retired from service nearly two years before the F-14 itself is retired

American Samoa joins the North American Numbering Plan

American Samoa is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the south Pacific Ocean.

Jeff Kent becomes the all-time home run leader for MLB second basemen when he hits two in the Astros' 9-3 win against th

Jeff Kent becomes the all-time home run leader for MLB second basemen when he hits two in the Astros' 9-3 win against the Rockies, reaching 302 overall home runs to break Ryne Sandberg's major league record set in 1997

Final game in Montreal Expos team history is played in NYC against the Mets at Shea Stadium, an 8-1 defeat; Jamey Carrol

Final game in Montreal Expos team history is played in NYC against the Mets at Shea Stadium, an 8-1 defeat; Jamey Carroll scores the final Expos run, and Endy Chavez is the last Expos batter

Seattle Mariners' Japanese right fielder Ichiro Suzuki adds two more singles in a 3-0 defeat to Texas to finish the seas

Seattle Mariners' Japanese right fielder Ichiro Suzuki adds two more singles in a 3-0 defeat to Texas to finish the season with an MLB record of 262 hits

TV series "Desperate Housewives," starring Teri Hatcher and an ensemble cast, premieres in the US on ABC

Desperate Housewives is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions.

SpaceShipOne wins Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight

The Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 (equivalent to $21,000,000 in 2025) prize for the first non-government organization to launch a...

Seven-time All-Star and six-time NBA Champion forward Scottie Pippen announces his retirement from the NBA and the Chica

Seven-time All-Star and six-time NBA Champion forward Scottie Pippen announces his retirement from the NBA and the Chicago Bulls

Having already clinched his record 7th F1 World Drivers' Championship, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher wins a r

Having already clinched his record 7th F1 World Drivers' Championship, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher wins a record 13th race of the season with a victory at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka

"The O'Reilly Factor" producer Andrea Mackris files a sexual harassment lawsuit against host Bill O'Reilly [1]

Care International aid worker Margaret Hassan is kidnapped in Iraq

Margaret Hassan was an Irish aid worker who had worked in Iraq for many years until she was abducted by unidentified assailants in Baghdad during the Iraqi insurgency.

Discovery and isolation of new wonder material Graphene announced in paper by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov (Nobel

Discovery and isolation of new wonder material Graphene announced in paper by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov (Nobel Prize 2010). Incredibly they used scotch tape to peal layers off Graphite. [1]

A powerful earthquake and its aftershocks hit Niigata prefecture, northern Japan, killing 35 people, injuring 2,200, and

A powerful earthquake and its aftershocks hit Niigata prefecture, northern Japan, killing 35 people, injuring 2,200, and leaving 85,000 homeless or evacuated.

10 people, including NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick and 4 family members, are killed in a plane crash near Martinsville Sp

10 people, including NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick and 4 family members, are killed in a plane crash near Martinsville Speedway in Virginia; plane owned by NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports

"That's What I Love About Sunday" single released by American country singer Craig Morgan (Billboard Song of the Year 20

"That's What I Love About Sunday" single released by American country singer Craig Morgan (Billboard Song of the Year 2005)

With no sign the lockout of its players will end in the near future, the National Hockey League cancels 2005 All-Star Ga

With no sign the lockout of its players will end in the near future, the National Hockey League cancels 2005 All-Star Game scheduled for February in Atlanta

12 French soldiers, 3 UN personnel and hundreds of civilians die during the Côte d'Ivoire civil war.

The First Ivorian Civil War was a civil conflict in the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) that began with a military rebellion on 19 September 2002 and ended with a peace agreement on 4 March 2007.

An express train collides with a stationary car near the village of Ufton Nervet, England, killing 6 and injuring 150.

The interim government of Iraq calls for a 60-day "state of emergency" as US forces storm the insurgent stronghold of Fa

The interim government of Iraq calls for a 60-day "state of emergency" as US forces storm the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah during the Iraq War

Video game Halo 2 a first person shooter first released on Xbox by Bungie Studios

Halo 2 is a 2004 first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox console.

New Zealand Tomb of the Unknown Warrior dedicated at the National War Memorial, Wellington

The National War Memorial of New Zealand is located next to the Dominion Museum building on Buckle Street, in Wellington, the nation's capital.

"Let Me Love You" single released by Mario (Billboard Song of the Year 2005)

"Let Me Love You" is a song by American singer Mario, released by J Records on October 4, 2004, as the lead single from his second studio album, Turning Point (2004).

Kmart Corp. announces it is buying Sears, Roebuck and Co. for $11 billion USD and naming the newly merged company Sears

Kmart Corp. announces it is buying Sears, Roebuck and Co. for $11 billion USD and naming the newly merged company Sears Holdings Corporation.

Russia officially ratifies the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty which extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,...

Island of Dominica hit by the most destructive earthquake in its history. Damage concentrated in the north and the town

Island of Dominica hit by the most destructive earthquake in its history. Damage concentrated in the north and the town of Portsmouth. Also felt in neighboring Guadeloupe, where one person is killed.

The Orange Revolution begins in Ukraine, resulting from the presidential elections

World of Warcraft, a multiplayer online role-playing video game, is released and becomes the world's most subscribed gam

World of Warcraft, a multiplayer online role-playing video game, is released and becomes the world's most subscribed game

Male Poʻouli bird dies of avian malaria at the Maui Bird Conservation Center in Olinda, Hawaii, before it can breed, ren

Male Poʻouli bird dies of avian malaria at the Maui Bird Conservation Center in Olinda, Hawaii, before it can breed, rendering the species in all probability extinct

Marco Antonio Barrera beats Erik Morales by majority decision to win WBC super featherweight boxing title at the MGM Gra

Marco Antonio Barrera beats Erik Morales by majority decision to win WBC super featherweight boxing title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas; final fight of legendary trilogy; The Ring's 'Fight of the Year'

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge resigns

Thomas Joseph Ridge is an American politician and author who served in the George W.

70th Heisman Trophy Award: Matt Leinart, USC (QB)

On This Day launches MusicOrb.com and TodayinSport.com, separate sites for music and sports history, now its music and s

On This Day launches MusicOrb.com and TodayinSport.com, separate sites for music and sports history, now its music and sport channels

Ballon d'Or: Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko is named best football player in Europe ahead of Deco (Porto/FC

Ballon d'Or: Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko is named best football player in Europe ahead of Deco (Porto/FC Barcelona) and Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho

The Millau viaduct, the highest bridge in the world, designed by architect Norman Foster and engineer Michel Virlogeux,

The Millau viaduct, the highest bridge in the world, designed by architect Norman Foster and engineer Michel Virlogeux, near Millau, France is officially opened

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is the first to cross the termination shock, where solar and interstellar winds merge

World's largest indoor water park Tropical Islands Resort, opens in the Aerium, an old airship hanger, in the world's la

World's largest indoor water park Tropical Islands Resort, opens in the Aerium, an old airship hanger, in the world's largest free-standing hall, south of Berlin, Germany

Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean is hit by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake

On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a Mw 9.2–9.3 earthquake struck with its epicenter off the west coast of Aceh, in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Cassini orbiter releases Huygens probe which successfully landed on Saturn's moon Titan on January 14, 2005.

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest in the Solar System. It is the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere—denser than Earth's—and is the only known object in the Solar...

Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reaches Earth; it is the brightest extrasolar event known to hav

Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reaches Earth; it is the brightest extrasolar event known to have been witnessed on the planet

A fire in the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina kills 194.

On 30 December 2004, a fire broke out in the crowded República Cromañón nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 194 people and leaving at least 1,492 injured.

Official opening of Taipei 101, then the tallest skyscraper in the world, at a height of 509 metres (1,670 feet)

The tallest building in the world, as of 2026, is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Famous Births

Millie Bobby Brown is born

Millie Bobby Brown, British actress, known for british actress, was born on 2004-02-19. Millie Bonnie Bongiovi, known professionally as Millie Bobby Brown, is a British actress and film producer.

Olivia Rodrigo is born

Olivia Rodrigo, American singer-songwriter and actress, known for american singer-songwriter and actress, was born on 2004-02-20. Olivia Isabel Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter and actress.

Carlos Alcaraz is born

Carlos Alcaraz, Spanish athlete, known for spanish tennis player, was born on 2004-05-05. Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a Spanish professional tennis player. He is currently ranked world No.

Ai Mori is born

Ai Mori, Japanese athlete, known for japanese rock climber, was born on 2004-09-17.

Notable Deaths

Ray Charles dies

Ray Charles, American singer, songwriter and pianist, known for american singer, songwriter and pianist, died on 2004-06-10.

Henri Cartier-Bresson dies

Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer, known for french photographer, died on 2004-08-03. Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French humanist photographer, and also an artist.

Fay Wray dies

Fay Wray, American actress, known for american actress, died on 2004-08-08. Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian-American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow…

Maurice Wilkins dies

Maurice Wilkins, New Zealand zealand-born british biophysicist, known for new zealand-born british biophysicist, died on 2004-10-05.

Rodney Dangerfield dies

Rodney Dangerfield, American stand-up comedian, known for american stand-up comedian, died on 2004-10-05.