September 7, 2004

• The United States Congress returns from its summer vacation. Several new pieces of legislation, including a major intelligence reform bill, are in the works in response to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. (The Guardian)
• Fighting between U.S. forces and Shia insurgents across Baghdad's Sadr City suburb has left at least 34 dead, including one American. The Associated Press reports that this death marks the 1,000th U.S. combat fatality in Iraq. (MSNBC) (BBC)
• 2004 Atlantic hurricane season:
  • Hurricane Frances, now downgraded to a tropical depression, dumps up to 5 inches (127 mm) of rain on Georgia. At least nine deaths in Florida, two deaths in the Bahamas, and one death in Georgia are blamed on the storm. Damage estimates range widely from US$2 to US$15 billion. NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building was heavily damaged by the storm. (CNN) (MSNBC)
  • Hurricane Ivan strikes Grenada, then strengthens back to Category Four strength. (CNN)
• Conflict in Iraq:
  • The British Royal Institute of International Affairs issues a report (pdf) saying that if current conditions continue unabated in Iraq, the most likely outcome would be a major civil war which could destabilize the entire Middle East. (Christian Science Monitor) (Reuters)
  • Two Italian NGO employees, Simona Torretta and Simona Pari, and two Iraqi citizens of undisclosed identity, are kidnapped from their office in central Baghdad by a 20 man commando team. They worked for the humanitarian organization Un ponte per Baghdad. (La Repubblica) (NYT)
• Israeli-Palestinian conflict: An Israeli attack on a Hamas training camp kills 14 members of the military wing of Hamas. (Reuters)