August 16, 2004

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August 16, 2004

After 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain in two hours, severe Flash Flooding at Boscastle in Cornwall , UK , results in buildings, roads, and over 50 cars swept away. Flood waters race through town at speeds up to 65 km/h (40 mph). Many have to leave their homes; helicopters airlift 150 people to safety. (BBC) (Reuters)

NASA / ESA Spacecraft Cassini-Huygens discovers two new Natural Satellite s of Saturn . They are provisionally named "S/2004 S 1" (later named " Methone ") and "S/2004 S 2" (later named " Pallene "). (NASA)

In the standoff between the Jaish-i-Mahdi militia and Iraqi and US forces, fears of a major assault on Najaf mount. The city is closed to Journalist s and some Iraqi Government soldiers are reported to desert. Some delegates at the National Conference call on Iraqi interim Prime Minister Allawi to end military operations against Muqtada Al-Sadr . (BBC) (Knight Ridder)

At the 100th anniversary ceremony of the Herero uprising, Germany apologises for the Genocide in Namibia , but rules out Reparations . (Guardian)

announces that the federal government will no longer resist court proceedings aiming to require provincial governments to issue same-sex marriage licences. (Toronto Star)