Portal:Current events/2004 December 31
{{Current events|year=2004|month=12|day=31|content=
- Colombia extradites FARC leader Simón Trinidad to the United States to face conspiracy, kidnapping, and drug trafficking charges. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4138753.stm (BBC)]
- Ukraine's Viktor Yanukovych resigns from his post as Prime Minister. [https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7215330 (Reuters)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050408155931/http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7215330 |date=2005-04-08 }}
- Taipei 101, the world's tallest skyscraper, is officially opened by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian. [http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/12/31/bt.taiwan.skyscraper.ap/ (CNN)] [http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041231-043626-7183r.htm (Washington Times)]
- 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
- Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Rusdihardjo, claims that the death toll from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake may eventually exceed 400,000 in Indonesia alone. ([http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/12/31/nation/9784484&sec=nation Malaysia Star]) ([http://washingtontimes.com/world/20041231-123615-9809r.htm Washington Times])
- The Canadian government pledges to match dollar-for-dollar the donations of private Canadian citizens, in addition to the $40,000,000 in federal funds already committed; so far, Canadians have donated CAD 20,000,000, mostly on-line. The government also announces plans to forgive the debt of the tsunami ravaged nations. [http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041231.wxcharity1231/BNStory/Technology/ (GM)]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1104443723554_8?hub=Canada (CTV)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313183743/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1104443723554_8?hub=Canada |date=2007-03-13 }} [https://web.archive.org/web/20151215012205/http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=e8a2be9f-e24c-4ea4-9a23-93197c55bbc3 (Ottawa Citizen)]
- The U.S. government pledges $350,000,000 for relief. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4138763.stm (BBC)]
- In 48 hours British charities have raised £45,000,000 from public donations; the UK government increases its donation from £15,000,000 to £50,000,000. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4136545.stm (BBC)]
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict:
- At least two Palestinians are killed when an Israeli aircraft fires a missile at the Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4136631.stm (BBC)]
- A 16-year-old Palestinian boy dies after being shot in Rafah, near the border with Egypt. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4136631.stm (BBC)]
- In Pakistan, president Pervez Musharraf announces that he will keep his additional role as an army chief. He had previously stated that he would give it up. [https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7211848 (Reuters)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050408155312/http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7211848 |date=2005-04-08 }} [http://www.dawn.com/2004/12/31/top1.htm (Pakistan Dawn)] [http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-12-30/pakistan/27148478_1_musharraf-sticks-pervez-musharraf-kashmir-issue (Times of India)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813184647/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-12-30/pakistan/27148478_1_musharraf-sticks-pervez-musharraf-kashmir-issue |date=2012-08-13 }}
- North Korea announces that it may break off talks about the fate of the eight Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea in the 1980s. [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/125028/1/.html (Channel News Asia)] [http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20041230p2a00m0dm001000c.html (Mainichi Shimbun)]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} [https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7211851 (Reuters)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050412060835/http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7211851 |date=2005-04-12 }}
- The cabinet of Spain approves the Zapatero administration's bill to legalize same-sex marriage. It will now go to the Cortes.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/spain-moves-closer-to-legalizing-gay-marriage-1.483950|title=Spain moves closer to legalizing gay marriage|date=31 December 2004|work=cbc.ca|accessdate=4 October 2015}}
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