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{{portalpar|Current events}}
'''June 2006''' : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- →
{{June 2006 events|}}
{| class="infobox" width="250"
|- style="font-size: 133%; background-color: #DDDDDD; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"
!Deaths
|-
|
*1: Rocío_Jurado
*2: Vince_Welnick
*6: Billy_Preston
*7: Abu_Musab_al-Zarqawi
*7: John_Tenta
*12: György_Ligeti
*12: Kenneth Thomson
*13: Charles_Haughey
*19: Arthur_Yap
*21: Khamis_al-Obeidi
*22: Moose
*23: Harriet the tortoise
*23: Aaron_Spelling
*24 Rhiannon_Thomas-Connolly
|}
{| class="infobox" width="250"
|- style="font-size: 133%; background-color: #DDDDDD; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"
!Events
|-
|
====Recent====
*Formation of a new Iraqi government
*Montenegrin independence vote
*Chilean student protests
====Ongoing====
*Atlantic hurricane season
*Avian influenza (H5N1) outbreak
*Black sites scandal
*Cole_Inquiry
*East Timor military and political crisis
*World Cup 2006, Germany
*Horn of Africa food crisis
*Immigration law debates in the US
*May_2006_Java_earthquake
*Iran's nuclear program
*North Indian cyclone season
*NSA_warrantless_surveillance_controversy
*Pacific hurricane season
*Pacific typhoon season
*Southern Hemisphere cyclone season
*Wimbledon Tennis Championships
|}
{| class="infobox" width="250"
|- style="font-size: 133%; background-color: #DDDDDD; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"
!Ongoing armed conflicts
|-
|
*Acholiland insurgency
*Arab-Israeli_conflict (Al-Aqsa_Intifada)
**Operation_Summer_Rains
* East African War
** Chadian-Sudanese_conflict
** Darfur_conflict in Sudan
*Iraq_War
*Ituri_conflict in the DR Congo
*Ivorian_Civil_War
*Nepal_Civil_War
*Second_Chechen_War
*South_Thailand_insurgency
|}
{| class="infobox" width="250"
|- style="font-size: 133%; background-color: #DDDDDD; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"
!Elections
|-
|
====Results====
*2 - 3: Czech Republic, Chamber of Deputies
*4: Peru, Executive runoff
*4: San Marino, Parliament
* 17: Slovakia, Parliament
|}
{| class="infobox" width="250"
|- style="font-size: 133%; background-color: #DDDDDD; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"
!Trials
|-
|
====Ongoing====
*Chile: Alberto_Fujimori (extradition)
*Chile: Augusto_Pinochet
*Ethiopia: 111 defendants, including leaders of the CUD and journalists, for charges related to the 2005 elections.
*Iraq: Iraqi_Special_Tribunal
**Saddam Hussein, among others
*Netherlands: ICC
**Thomas_Lubanga
*Netherlands: ICTY
*Sierra Leone: SCfSL
**Charles_Taylor
*UK: Leo O'Connor & David Keogh
*U.S.: Brian_Nichols
*U.S.: Kenneth_Lay and Jeffrey_Skilling
*U.S.: Tom_DeLay
|}
===June_1, 2006 (Thursday)===
*Extraordinary_renditions. The Bundesnachrichtendienst (German intelligence agency) declares that it had known of Khalid_El-Masri's seizure 16 months before Germany was officially informed of his mistaken arrest in the name of the War_on_Terror. Germany had previously claimed that it did not know of el-Masri's abduction by the CIA and his stay in the Salt_Pit in Afghanistan until his return to the country in May 2004
*The 16th_World_Economic_Forum_on_Africa is convened in Cape_Town, South_Africa.(BBC).
*China, France, Germany, Russia, the United_Kingdom and the United_States agree on a package of incentives and sanctions for Iran. (CNN).
* A report issued by the United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers admits their responsibility for 2005 levee failures that flooded the majority of New_Orleans,_Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane_Katrina. (AP) (Full report via NOLA.com)
*The United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security reveals that it plans to reallocate anti-terrorism funding to cities across the nation. Funding to New_York_City and Washington,_D.C. is cut, while funding in cities such as Omaha,_Nebraska and Los_Angeles,_California increases. New York Mayor Michael_Bloomberg's office calls the report's statement that there are no "national monuments or icons" in New York City "outrageous."(NYT)
*The Government_of_Spain overturns the conviction of Imad_Yarkas on charges of conspiracy in the September_11,_2001_attacks after the prosecutor admits that evidence of involvement in the conspiracy was "inconsistent, almost nonexistent." The Spanish government says it will provide further explanation in the coming days. (AP)
*Iran refuses to negotiate with the U.S. over its nuclear program.(CNN)
*The new Italian Justice Minister, Clemente_Mastella, announces that left-wing militant Adriano_Sofri could be pardoned before the end of the year (AGI).
* A number of fake million dollar bill gospel tracts, printed by Living_Waters_Publications, are seized from The_Great_News_Network by the United_States_Secret_Service as possible counterfeits. (WorldNetDaily)
*The Eureka_Tower, the tallest residential tower in the world, exterior is completed at a height of 297.2m and 91 floors in Melbourne, Australia. It takes the title from Q1 on the Gold_Coast, Australia
===June_2, 2006 (Friday)===
* The UK ''Independent'' newspaper reports that a great-grandson of Apache leader Geronimo has appealed to US President Bush to help recover the remains of his famous relative. The remains were purportedly stolen over 90 years ago by a group of students including the President's grandfather, and employed in ceremonies by Skull_and_Bones, a secret society at Yale University. (Independent) (Yale Alumni Magazine) (Newwest.net)
* British police shoot a suspect in an Anti-terrorism raid, although his injuries are non-life threatening. The 23 year old was shot in front of his family as 250 police raided his home in Forest_Gate, London. (BBC) (ABC)
*The BBC shows a video about a new alleged massacre by US troops in Ishaqi, Iraq, on March_15, 2006. (BBC)
*Robert_F._Kennedy,_Jr., writing in ''Rolling_Stone'' magazine, accuses George_W._Bush and his Republican Party of widespread voting fraud during the 2004 Presidential Election. (Rolling Stone) (Editor and Publisher)
* China, France, Germany, Russia, the United_Kingdom and the United_States propose a set of incentives and possible sanctions in an effort to encourage Iran to suspend or abandon its plans of nuclear development. (Washington Post)
* Female_genital_cutting is found to increase Infant_mortality and Childbirth complications. (BBC) (WHO)
* Expedition_13/Soyuz_TMA-8: Pavel_Vinogradov and Jeffrey_Williams spend more than six hours outside the International_Space_Station, conducting an extended maintenance spacewalk. (VOA), (CNN)
===June_3, 2006 (Saturday)===
*Pakistan bans ''The Da Vinci Code'' film because it is said to contain blasphemous material about Jesus. (AP)
*A strong quake measuring 5.2 on the Richter_scale hits Southern Iran killing a young girl in the village of Ramkan. (Pakistan Daily Times)
*The United States military finds its soldiers innocent of any wrongdoing in the Ishaqi_incident involving the deaths of 11 Iraqi civilians. (The Age)
*Iranian President Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad, while continuing to maintain that his country has the right to continue development on their nuclear technology, says that he "will not pass judgment on the proposals hastily," referring to the incentives package being offered by the US, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, France and China in order to dissuade Iran from further nuclear development. (Reuters)
*Human_Rights_Watch releases a video showing South Sudanese Vice President Dr. Riek_Machar Teny Dhurgon bribing cult and rebel leader Joseph_Kony and his second-in-command Vincent_Otti of the Lord's_Resistance_Army to not attack southern Sudanese citizens. (Scoop)
*A Russian diplomat is killed and four kidnapped in an attack near the Russian embassy in Baghdad, according to Russian and Iraqi officials. (BBC)
*In a special session of parliament, Montenegro declares its independence from the State Union of Serbia_and_Montenegro. (AP)
* 2006_Toronto_terrorism_arrests: The Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police announce the arrest of 17 suspected Islamic terrorists in connection with a planned terrorist attack around Toronto. The RCMP say that three tons of Ammonium_nitrate was seized. In comparison, the 1995 Oklahoma_City_bombing used one ton. (CBC), (CNN), (BBC), (Reuters), (VOA)
* Czech parliament election leaves the Czech Republic with a even split between party blocs.
* In response to his million dollar bill gospel tracts being seized from The_Great_News_Network by the United_States_Secret_Service, Ray_Comfort, founder of Living_Waters_Publications, states that he will refuse to turn over his supply of tracts without a warrant. (WorldNetDaily)
===June_4, 2006 (Sunday)===
*The Islamic_Courts_militia captures the key town of Balad, located near the Somalian capital Mogadishu, from a member of the warlord coalition, ARPCT. Reports say at least 15 people are killed in the fighting. (BBC)
===June_5, 2006 (Monday)===
*Javier_Solana, foreign policy chief of the European_Union, arrives in Tehran to talk with the Iranian Government about its plans to develop uranium enrichment facilities. (CNN)
*The Islamic_Court_Union announces that it has seized Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, after battles with the Alliance_for_the_Restoration_of_Peace_and_Counterterrorism, a group of secular US-backed warlords. (AP)
*Alan_García of the APRA is re-elected President of Peru after winning a runoff with the Union_for_Peru's Ollanta_Humala on Sunday. (FoxNews.com)
* Serbia confirms the dissolution of the State Union of Serbia_and_Montenegro and declares independence. (BBC)
*Australia calls for more South_East_Asian troops and police to help quell civil unrest in East_Timor. (Reuters)
===June_6, 2006 (Tuesday)===
*2006_Toronto_terrorism_case: Toronto police uncover an alleged subplot where Steven_Vikash_Chand, alias Abdul Shakur, intended to lead an invasion of the Parliament_of_Canada building and assassinate Prime Minister Stephen_Harper. (CBC)
*Iraqi_insurgency
**Iraqi Health Ministry figures show 6,025 civilian bodies were delivered to Baghdad's central mortuary in the first five months of this year. (BBC)
**The Iraqi administration has asked the United_Nations to join the investigations into alleged massacres by American soldiers. (zaman)
*Chad-Sudan conflict
**The Sudanese Janjaweed steal 350 head of cattle from Goz_Beida, Chad. (Voice of America)
**Rebel leader Timane_Erdimi's UFDC-SCUD forces kill 32 people and wound 50 others in attacks from Sudan into the Chadian city of Tine. Rebels briefly took control of the city before the Military_of_Chad chased them back over the border. (Mail and Guardian)
*Australia's Howard government commissions Ziggy_Switkowski to lead a commission on the introduction of Nuclear_energy in Australia. (Bloomberg)
*The opening date of the ironically Doomsday-related film, The_Omen, done so to collaborate to the date's religious significance (June 6th, 2006 - 06/06/06, or 666 which is known as the Number_of_the_beast in Chrisitian biblical literature). It is a remake of another film by the same name from the late 70s.
*BAA_plc, the owners of London's Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted_Airports, accept a £10 billion takeover bid from a consortium led by Spains' Grupo_Ferrovial and including the Quebec public employees' pension fund. (BBC)
*The trial of Tim_Selwyn for Sedition begins in Auckland, New_Zealand. Selwyn is the first New Zealander in over 80 years to be charged with sedition. (Newswire)
*Iceland's Prime Minister Halldór_Ásgrímsson resigns after poor showings in local elections. Foreign Minister Geir_Haarde takes over. (BBC)
* The house of Jason_Grimsley, was searched as part of the ongoing BALCO steroids probe. Grimsley, a relief pitcher for the Arizona_Diamondbacks, asked for and received an unconditional release from the team the next day. (USA Today)
===June_7, 2006 (Wednesday)===
*A Meteorite Impact_event occurs in northern Troms County, Norway. Locals compare the resultant explosion to the nuclear explosion at Hiroshima. The impact location was apparently desolate, and no structural damage or casualties are reported. (Aftenposten) (PhysOrg)
*A Constitutional_amendment to ban Same-sex_marriage is killed when it fails to gain the three-fifths majority required for Cloture in the United_States_Senate. 49 Senators voted for the motion, and 48 voted against. This also fell far short of the two-thirds majority that would have been required for passage. (ABC News)
*A Syrian military court issues an arrest warrant for former Syrian_Vice_President Abdual-Halim_Khaddam on charges of inciting a foreign country to invade, and having contacts in Israel. Another military court sentences prominent pro-Democracy and pro-Kurd Syrian blogger Mohammad_Ghanem to 6 months in prison after he is convicted of insulting the president, discrediting the Syrian_government and fomenting sectarian unrest. (Al Jazeera)
*Swiss investigator Dick_Marty concludes that there are "serious indications" that the CIA operated secret prisons for suspected al-Qaeda leaders in Poland and Romania, adding that "authorities in several European countries actively participated with the CIA in these unlawful activities. Other countries ignored them knowingly, or did not want to know." (Washington Post)
===June_8, 2006 (Thursday)===
* Scientists in Greece announce to have revealed previously hidden ancient Greek letters on the Antikythera_mechanism, thought to be one of the world's first known Analog_computers. (The Register)
* A delegation from the rebel Lord's_Resistance_Army arrives in Juba,_Sudan for peace talks with the Ugandan government to be mediated by Riek_Machar, Vice President of Southern_Sudan.(BBC)
* Conflict_in_Iraq
**According to an aide to Iraq's prime minister Nuri_al-Maliki, the leader of Al-Qaeda_in_Iraq and one of the world's most wanted men, Abu_Musab_al-Zarqawi, was killed by a U.S. air raid. Al-Zarqawi's body was retrieved and visually identified by known scars, tattoos and fingerprints. (CNN)(BBC)
**First_Lieutenant Ehren_Watada, 28, publicly refuses to go to Iraq, saying it would make him party to War_crimes. (Reuters) (Aljazeera) (ABC) (FOX)
**Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri_al-Maliki fills the last open posts of his Council of Ministers, appointing Qadir_Obeidi as Defense_minister and Jawad_Bulani as Interior_minister.(BBC)
*Haya_Rashed_Al-Khalifa, a former ambassador to France and one of the first women in Bahrain to practice law, is elected President of the Sixty-first United Nations General Assembly. (Hindustan Times), (UN.org)
*The Broadmead area of Bristol, United_Kingdom is temporarily closed following the discovery of a suspected unexploded German bomb from World_War_II (BBC).
* Microsoft makes Windows_Vista beta 2 available for general download. PC World
* Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir_bin_Mohamad declares his successor, Abdullah_Ahmad_Badawi, betrayed his trust — Mahathir's strongest criticism of Abdullah's administration yet. (Malaysia Today)
* The U.S._House_of_Representatives definitively rejects the concept of Net_neutrality (ZDNet)
* Technical Metal Vocalist Jens_Kidman Turns 40 years old today.
===June_9, 2006 (Friday)===
* Seven Palestinian civilians, including women and three children, are killed in an explosion on a beach in the Gaza_Strip crowded by Holiday makers, sparking an intense international debate as for its cause. (Ynet),(Guardian),(The Australian),(Reuters),(Haaretz),(Süddeutsche Zeitung),(New York Times), (BBC)
*Disney/Pixar's new film ''Cars'' opens worldwide (except in UK)
*The 2006_FIFA_World_Cup begins at the FIFA_World_Cup_Stadium_Munich. (BBC)
*The suspected WWII 'bomb' under Broadmead in Bristol, United_Kingdom turns out to be a piece of reinforced concrete. (BBC)
*Celebrations for Thailand's King_Rama_IX's Diamond_Jubilee begins.
===June_10, 2006 (Saturday)===
*Three prisoners commit suicide at Guantanamo_Bay_detainment_camp in protest against the internationally criticized conditions at the camp. Human rights organisations express concern.(Houston Chronicle), (New Zealand Herald), (CNN), (Reuters)
* The first tropical depression of the 2006_Atlantic_hurricane_season forms in the northwestern Caribbean_Sea. (CNN)
* The militant Hamas group calls off its truce with Israel after seven civilians are killed in the Gaza_Strip. More than seventy Qassam_rockets were launched at Israeli towns by Hamas militants since Friday morning, wounding Palestenian and Israeli civilians alike. (Globe and Mail), (Haaretz)
* A Yemeni man, linked to the September_11,_2001_attacks in the United_States, has been deported from New_Zealand. It is only the second time that section 72 of the Immigration Act, which deals with threats to National_security, has been used to deport someone. Its use requires the consent of the Governor-General, and there is no right of Appeal. (newswire)
===June_11, 2006 (Sunday)===
* Iraqi eye-witnesses claim Abu_Musab_al-Zarqawi was briefly interrogated and kicked in the chest by the U.S._military before his subsequent death. (The Sunday Times)
* The first named storm of the 2006_Atlantic_hurricane_season forms, Tropical_Storm_Alberto_(2006), from Tropical Depression One. (CNN) (NHC)
===June_12, 2006 (Monday)===
* Fatah activists reportedly attack the Palestinian parliament building, setting fire to the fourth floor and riddling the building with gunfire. (AP), (VoA)
* Tropical Storm Alberto threatens to hit the Northwest coast of Florida, United_States. Hurricane warnings are issued and Gov. Jeb_Bush declares a state of emergency. Mandatory evacuations are ordered for low-lying areas. (AP via NBC Weather Plus)
* Albania signs a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, a first step toward joining the European_Union. (VOA)
* U.S. officials say that North_Korea is planning to test the Taepodong-2 Intercontinental_ballistic_missile that may be able to reach the United_States. (Reuters)
* Five people are killed, and about 80 injured, when an Israeli train travelling between Tel_Aviv and Haifa collides with a truck on a level crossing near Netanya. The first anniversary of a similar accident on Israel_Railways near Revadim on the Beersheba line is in nine days' time. (Reuters), (CNN), (Ynetnews), (Wikinews)
* A Palestinian sniper opens fire on highway 443 near Jerusalem, killing one person and wounding four. All victims are Palestinians living in Jerusalem. (Haaretz)
* A blackout hits Auckland, New_Zealand, lasting for several hours after a severe storm lashed the country. Many media outlets compared it to the 1998_Auckland_power_crisis. (New Zealand Herald)
===June_13, 2006 (Tuesday)===
*U.S. Supreme Court, in its decision of ''Hill_v._McDonough'', allows challenge of Constitutionality of Lethal_injection. (Chicago Tribune)
*In ''House_v._Bell'', the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that new DNA forensic evidence is permissible during post-conviction Appeals for Death_row inmates. (Washington Post)
* The cancellation of end-of-the-year exams and a nationwide strike by teachers protesting low pay sparks a large scale riot in the Guinean capital of Conakry. 16 people are killed. (CNN)
*U.S. President George_W._Bush makes a surprise 5-hour visit to Iraq to meet with newly named Prime_Minister_of_Iraq Nouri_al-Maliki, President_of_Iraq Jalal_Talibani, national political leaders and U.S. troops. The visit was kept a secret from al-Maliki until five minutes before they met. (MSNBC)
*Israeli investigation brings evidence that a buried explosive device caused the Gaza_beach_blast in which seven Palestenian civilians were killed, rather than an artillery shelling as stated by the Hamas-led Palestenian government. A former Pentagon official paid by the Human_Rights_Watch organization asserts than an Israeli shelling caused the tragedy. United_Nations_Secretary-General Kofi_Annan retracts earlier skeptic remarks he made on Israel's position on the incident. Süddeutsche_Zeitung reports numerous flaws in the Palestenian footage from the beach, including a dead man later walking around. (Ynet),(Guardian),(The Australian),(Reuters),(Haaretz),(Süddeutsche Zeitung)
:Subsequent examination of the evidence by The_Guardian supports the Human Rights Watch assessment.
* 70,000 coalition forces begin a crackdown on insurgents in Baghdad, the Iraqi PM's office says. (CNN)
* Two Israeli Missiles fired from an aircraft hit a van carrying a Palestinian rocket-launching squad in Gaza with Grad 122 mm rockets. Two Islamic Jihad militants and seven civilians are killed, including two schoolchildren and three medical personnel. Israeli Defense minister expresses sorrow, but no apology. (Reuters), (Haaretz)
* At least 10 people are killed and 20 others are wounded in car bombing attacks in a popular market in Kirkuk, Iraq. (Sydney Daily Telegraph)
*The South_Central_Farm in Los_Angeles, California, reportedly the largest urban farm in the United_States, is raided by the LAPD, with assistance from the Los_Angeles_Fire_Department. http://la.indymedia.org/ http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/05/24/46822.php http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/05/24/18251311.php
===June_14, 2006 (Wednesday)===
*Violent riots in Conakry, Guinea continue. (CNN)
*Ron_Wood of The_Rolling_Stones admitted to a rehabilitation clinic to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse, (Sydney Morning Herald)
*Two specimens of ''Mesozygiella_dunlopi'', dating to the Early_Cretaceous and the oldest known Orb-weaver_spiders, are discovered in Amber. (BBC)
*The Islamic_Courts_Union captures the Somali town Jowhar from the secular warlords of the Alliance_for_the_Restoration_of_Peace_and_Counter-Terrorism, one week after taking over Mogadishu. (BBC)
*Abu_Bakar_Bashir is released from prison after serving a 26 month sentence for his role in the 2002_Bali_bombing. (CNN)
*State of Origin II at Suncorp_Stadium, Brisbane, Australia is won by Queensland over New South Wales 30-6. This brings the 2006 State of Origin series to 1 all even after New South Wales won the first game on 24_May, 2006
===June_15, 2006 (Thursday)===
*U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel_Alito breaks a tie in a 5-4 decision in ''Hudson_v._Michigan'', allowing evidence admitted in cases where Police did not knock and announce themselves when executing a Search_warrant. (CNN)
*Hundreds are wounded in fighting between rival factions of the Movement_of_the_Democratic_Forces_of_Casamance led by Salif_Sadio, who supports the continuation of the Casamance_Conflict, and Magne_Dieme, who supports reconciliation with the Government_of_Senegal. The fighting has spread to The_Gambia and Guinea-Bissau may intervene. (allAfrica.com)
*Burundi rebel group Fighters_of_the_National_Liberation_Forces, the last active rebel group in the country, shell the capital Bujumbura with 15 60mm mortars injuring at least eight civilians despite ongoing peace talks between the group and the Government_of_Burundi in Tanzania. (News24.com)
* Coalition forces in Afghanistan launch and execute Operation Mountain Thrust to drive Taliban forces out of the southern provinces of Afghanistan. The operation is the largest operation since the start of the Afghanistan war. (National Post), (Ottawa Citizen)
* The United_States_Conference_of_Catholic_Bishops approves a new English translation for mass. Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
* Bill_Gates, Chairman of the Microsoft Corporation announces he will step down from his daily duties in 2008. He wants to shift his daily life to his charity, the Bill_and_Melinda_Gates_Foundation. His successors will be Microsoft Technical Officer Ray_Ozzie (software architecturing) and Craig_Mundie for researching and strategic affairs. MSNBC
* U.S. President George_W._Bush announces the establishment of the Northwestern_Hawaiian_Islands_National_Monument, the largest Marine_Protected_Area in the world.(BBC)
* The U.S. military suffers its 2500th fatal casualty in the Iraq_war. 18,490 have been wounded. (Toronto Star)(truthout)
* The United_Kingdom agrees to jail former Liberian president Charles_Taylor if he is convicted, removing a key obstacle to a proposed trial to be held at The_Hague under the auspices of the Special_Court_for_Sierra_Leone. (BBC)
* A video of a U.S._Marine singing a song, entitled "Hadji_Girl", about the killing of Iraqi Civilians, sparks outrage after being widely distributed on the Internet. Amidst huge condemnation, Cpl Joshua Belile issues an apology. A Marine spokesman, Lt. Col. Scott Fazekas, said that they were investigating. (BBC) (NYT)
* Clean up crews try to stop Coal_tar in the Dasha_River entering the Wangkuai_Reservoir supplying the city of Baoding in northern China. (New Kerala)
* A bomb explodes in Kandahar killing 10 and wounding 15 people. (AP)
* Two Israeli teenage girls escape Kidnapping attempt in the West_Bank. Three Palestinian suspects armed with a pistol are arrested soon afterwards.(Ynet)
* A claymore mine suspected of being laid by the Tamil Tigers kills 58 people in Sri_Lanka. (Reuters)
===June_16, 2006 (Friday)===
*The United_States_House_of_Representatives passes a resolution supporting President Bush's policy on Iraq 256-153. (L.A. Times)
*Surveillance and intelligence reports have confirmed that North_Korea is preparing to test its Taepodong-2 missiles on Sunday. (Toronto Star) (BBC)
*The Italian Pretender, Vittorio_Emanuele,_Prince_of_Naples, is arrested as part of an investigation into corruption and prostitution. (BBC)
*An H5 strain of Avian_flu has been detected in the Canadian province of Prince_Edward_Island. The bird flu currently has a "low risk" to humans.(Globe and Mail)
*Chinese journalist Yang_Xiaoqing, a reporter for the state-run China_Industrial_Economy_News, is sentenced to one year in prison at the Longhui No. 1 People's Court in Hunan_province for Extortion. Xiaoqing wrote an article exposing local Communist Party official Yang_Jianxin's embezzlement of state assets. Jianxin has been reassigned to an advisory post in Shaoyang_city. Hundreds of protesters block police cars to prevent them from taking Xiaoqing to jail. (CPJ)
*The Winnipeg police have made numerous arrests in the relation to the Shedden_massacre, including five members from the Bandidos motorcycle club. (CBC)
*Prachanda, reclusive leader of the Communist_Party_of_Nepal_(Maoist), meets with Prime Minister Girija_Prasad_Koirala, in what is thought to be his first visit to the capital Kathmandu in decades. (BBC)
**After ten hours of talks, they agree to form a new Government with representatives of the Maoists included and a new election to be held in 2007. The rebels agree to suspend their people's government. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/17/wnepal17.xml&sSheet;=/news/2006/06/17/ixnews.html
*Israeli air strike near Gaza kills one Islamic_Jihad militant and wounds two others, reportedly on their way to launch Qassam_rockets. No civilians were hurt in the strike. More than a hundred Qassam rockets were launched against Israeli towns in the past week, six of them on Friday. (CNN),(Israeli MFA)
*Evangelist Gilbert_Deya is arrested by police at Edinburgh Sheriff_Court in relation to allegations by Kenyan_police of involvement in Child_trafficking. (BBC)
===June_17, 2006 (Saturday)===
* Violence intensifies in Sri_Lanka as government troops allegedly attack Tamils in a church in response to an attack on the navy by the Tamil_Tigers. (BBC)
* Avian_flu: The EU_Community_Reference_Laboratory_for_Avian_Influenza in Weybridge, UK, confirms that birds sent from Hungary after investigations began on June_9 in Kiskunmajsa, a region where a significant amount of poultry is farmed, tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus. This is the first time that the virus has been found in Hungary.
===June_18, 2006 (Sunday)===
*The ''Washington_Post'' reveals that the current United_States administration turned down an Iranian attempt to settle disagreements about recognizing the right of existence of Israel and alleged Iranian support of Terrorism in 2003. (Washington Post)
* According to an investigative report by Ron_Suskind, Al-Qaeda was 45 days from launching a gas attack on the New_York_City_subway when it was called off by Osama_bin_Laden's second-in-command, Ayman_al-Zawahri, in 2003. (Globe and Mail), (MSNBC)
* The people of Catalonia accept the proposed changes to the Statute_of_Autonomy_of_Catalonia, notably a change that would define Catalonia as a Nation. (CBC)
* The Israeli town of Sderot shuts down for 24 hours in protest of continuing Qassam_rocket attacks. More than six hundred Qassam rockets were launched against Israeli towns since Israel's disengagement from the Gaza_Strip, a hundred of which in the past week. One rocket left parts of Sderot without electricity for several hours this morning.(Haaretz), (IHT).
===June_19, 2006 (Monday)===
*CaryAn's birthday. '''Bold text'''last name kept confidential.
* The Carolina_Hurricanes win Ice_hockey's Stanley_Cup in game seven of a best of seven series for the first time defeating the Edmonton_Oilers 3-1. (''USA Today''), (CBC)
* Kathleen_Blanco, the Governor of the U.S._state of Louisiana, calls in the Louisiana_National_Guard to patrol the streets of New_Orleans following six deaths on the preceding weekend. (''Chicago Tribune'')
* The United_States_Army charges three soldiers of the 101st_Airborne_Division 3rd Brigade Combat Team with murder in relation to the deaths of three men in custody in Iraq. (''USA Today'')
* The Mujahedeen_Shura_Council in Iraq claims that they have captured two United States soldiers. (CBC)
* Iraqi prosecutors in the Trials_of_Saddam_Hussein call for Saddam_Hussein to be sentenced to death, together with his half brother Barzan_al-Tikriti and former vice-president Taha_Yassin_Ramadan. (Daily Mail)
* North_Korea is said to be readying for long-range missile test of Taepadong-2 missile thought to have a range which includes the western USA coastline. (CNN)
===June_20, 2006 (Tuesday)===
* ''The_Washington_Post'', under the Freedom of Information Act, obtains the transcript of an investigative interview with Donald_Rumsfeld. The U.S. Secretary_of_Defense cited poor memory, loose office procedures, and preoccupation with "the wars" as the reasons he did not know how his department nearly squandered $30 billion leasing several hundred tanker aircraft from Boeing. (The RawStory) (Washington Post)
* Iraqi officials have unconfirmed reports that they have found the bodies of the two U.S. soldiers the American military began looking for at the beginning of this week. The bodies of PFC Kristian_Menchaca of Houston,_Texas, and PFC Thomas_Lowell_Tucker of Madras, Oregon showed several signs of torture. (MSNBC) (CNN)
* Jack Abramoff scandals: David_Safavian, former George_W._Bush White_House official, is convicted of four felony counts of lying and Obstruction_of_justice related to his dealings with lobbyist Jack_Abramoff. (CNN)
* Charles_Taylor, former President_of_Liberia, leaves Sierra_Leone for his human rights trial at The_Hague. (Reuters)
* Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro_Koizumi announces plans to withdraw his country's troops from Iraq. The 600 soldiers had been deployed to Iraq in 2004 to aid in reconstruction and sparked controversy in Japan, as it was the most ambitious overseas deployment by Japan since World_War_II. (Reuters)
* Israeli Prime Minister Ehud_Olmert and Palestinean President Mahmoud_Abbas will attend a common meeting later this week. (MSNBC)
===June_21, 2006 (Wednesday)===
*War in Afghanistan: Six Canadian soldiers are wounded following two separate attacks in the southern provinces of Afghanistan. The six casualties are the first coalition casualties since Operation_Mountain_Thrust began on June_12, 2006. (CBC)
*The Government_of_Chad demands that the Security_Council act to stop Janjaweed and UFDC incursions into Chad. (Reuters)
*In a press conference in South_Africa, Sudanese_President Omar_al-Bashir says that United_Nations peacekeeping forces shall never enter Sudan because they are controlled by an international Jewish conspiracy involving "heavy propaganda and media campaigns." (SudanTribune)
* The United_States_Marine_Corps announces that it will be charging seven Marines and one sailor with charges including murder in relation to the death of civilian Hashim_Ibrahim_Awad in Al Hamdaniya, Iraq, on April_26. A fourth soldier from the 101st_Airborne_Division was charged in connection with the shooting deaths of three detainees during an operation in Salaheddin province in May. (NBC) (CNN)
* Xanana_Gusmão, President of East_Timor, asks Prime Minister Marí_Alkatiri to resign. (CNN)
* Saddam_Hussein's principal defense lawyer, Khamis_al-Obeidi, is assassinated in Baghdad. (BBC)
*Ukraine's formerly estranged Orange_Revolution allies reach an agreement to restore Yulia_Tymoshenko as Prime_Minister_of_Ukraine after three months of uncertainty. (Kyiv Post)
*Katharine_Jefferts_Schori, the Episcopal bishop of Nevada, and the new leader of the Episcopal_Church_in_the_United_States_of_America has said that Homosexuality is not a Sin. (Melbourne Herald Sun)
===June_22, 2006 (Thursday)===
*The International_Astronomical_Union officially names Pluto's recently discovered moons, S/2005 P 2 and S/2005 P 1, Nix (after Nyx, the Greek_Goddess of Darkness) and Hydra (multi-headed monster from Greek myth) respectively. (SMH), (National Geographic)
*East_Timor President Xanana_Gusmão threatens to resign over the social unrest in his country. (BBC)
*The U.S. Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation raids terror suspects in Miami,_Florida, with seven arrests made. The detainees are charged with terrorism conspiracy, in connection of being in the early stages of planning attacks against Chicago's Sears_Tower and possibly FBI and government buildings in the Miami area. (Associated Press) (FOX News) (CNN)
*The International_Committee_of_the_Red_Cross admits the Israeli Magen_David_Adom and the Palestine_Red_Crescent_Society. The resolution, ending 58 years of struggle, was passed by a 237-54 vote, over Muslim objections. (CNN) (BBC)
* Japan dispatches ships and planes to monitor developments in North_Korea as that country prepares to test a long range missile. (Associated Press)
* United_States and coalition forces have found 500 pre-1991 chemical weapons since the 2003_invasion_of_Iraq. A Pentagon official has stated that the weapons were degraded beyond the point of use, but the report states they remain a danger and are still potentially lethal. (AFP) (FOX News)
* After 16 years in office, Angelo_Cardinal_Sodano retires as Cardinal_Secretary_of_State. He will be succeeded by Tarcisio_Cardinal_Bertone, until now Archbishop_of_Genoa. (Holy See Bollettino)
===June_23, 2006 (Friday)===
*Human_Rights_Watch estimates that several hundred civilians in eastern Chad have been massacred by Sudanese Janjaweed and UFDC attacks in the past week alone. HRW also accuses the Government of Sudan of using Child_soldiers. HRW Africa Director Peter Takirambudde refers to the attacks as "havoc," and that civilians "are trapped between the carnage in Darfur and Chad's downward spiral into chaos." (CNN)
*Director of the United_States Missile_Defense_Agency, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. Obering III, stated that he is "very confident" any North Korean missile headed towards the United States would be destroyed mid-flight by interceptor missiles if approved by the President. (Associated Press)
*U.S. President George_W._Bush has issued an executive order stating that he will limit taking of private property by the federal government and that it must "benefit... the general public...and not merely for the purpose of economic interest of private properties..." (White House Press Release)
*Saddam_Hussein has ended a brief Hunger_strike, after missing one meal in his prison. He did this in protest of the killing of one of his lawyers. (Reuters)
*A United_States warship is reported to have shot down a missile in the Pacific, in a test of their now operational sea-based missile defense system. (AFP)
*Harriet, a Galapagos_tortoise, has died at age 176. Harriet was one of the oldest known animals in the world. (Sydney Morning Herald)
*Norman_Mineta announces his resignation as United_States_Secretary_of_Transportation effective from July 7, 2006. (Associated Press)
*''The_New_York_Times'' publishes a major story on the Terrorist_Finance_Tracking_Program, a secret CIA surveillance of international Private_banking for the last five years via the Society_for_Worldwide_Interbank_Financial_Telecommunication (SWIFT) and rejects government requests to withdraw it. (NYT)
* Prime Minister of Poland Kazimierz_Marcinkiewicz announced a dismissal of Zyta_Gilowska, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. PM's advisor Paweł_Wojciechowski was introduced as her successor. Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz declared that Gilowska's policy will be continued. (CNN)
===June_24, 2006 (Saturday)===
*In Germany, 378 people (including 122 England fans) are arrested after a violent confrontation between England supporters and Germany supporters in Stuttgart. Approximately 60,000 England supporters are present in Stuttgart for Sunday's World Cup second round game with Ecuador. (BBC)
*Current Bolivian Minister_of_Hydrocarbons Andrés_Soliz_Rada asks Bolivia’s chief prosecutor to issue charges against former heads of Enron, its Subsidiary Prisma_Energy_International, former President_of_Bolivia Gonzalo_Sánchez_de_Lozada, former Vice President Víctor_Hugo_Cárdenas, former Enron director for Bolivia Peter_E._Weidler, several ministers during Sánchez's 1993-1997 presidency, and former executives of Bolivia's state oil company for “contracts damaging to the state, contravening the constitution and falsification of contracts.” Lozada is charged with Genocide for his role in the Bolivian_Gas_War. (Reuters)
*President Gloria_Macapagal-Arroyo of Philippines signs a law that repeals the Death_penalty. (Sun Star)
*In Vietnam, President Trần_Đức_Lương, Prime_Minister Phan_Văn_Khải and the Chairman of the Assembly Nguyen_Van_An resign, citing old age. (BBC)
*In Gaza, Israel captures two civilian Palestinian brothers in an overnight raid, in the Muamar_family_detention_incident.(BBC)
*Dea_Diemar starts writing her first Novel, [[England versus
Denmark]].
===June_25, 2006 (Sunday)===
* The Sudanese government announces the lifting of a partial ban on United_Nations operations in the conflict-hit Darfur region. The ban was made after the government accused the UN of transporting a rebel leader who opposes a recent peace deal. (BBC)
* Arcelor declares its merger with Mittal_Steel. The new company will be called ''Arcelor-Mittal''. (CNN-IBN) (BBC)
* Eight Palestinian militants, including Hamas militants, infiltrate into an army post in Israel using a tunnel. Two Israeli soldiers are killed, one kidnapped and three wounded in the attack, in which at least two Palestinian militants die. Israeli PM vows a fierce military response to the attack once the soldier, Gilad_Shalit, is returned. Two infantry brigades and supporting armoured regiments are deployed along the Gaza_Strip border, in preparation for a major offensive.(Haaretz),(Reuters UK),(BBC)
* José_Ramos_Horta resigns as both Foreign and Interim Defence Minister of East_Timor amidst ongoing political turmoil. (SMH)
* Italians vote in a referendum on whether to approve the modification of 53 articles in the constitution. Approval would give more power to the prime minister and to the regions, making Italy a Federal_state. (Scotsman)
*The world's second richest man, Warren_Buffett, pledges to donate approximately $37 billion USD in shares to the Bill_&_Melinda_Gates_Foundation, effectively making it the largest charitable organization in history. (Fortune)(NYT)(BBC)
*WWE Stable Degeneration_X reunites at WWE Vengeance 2006.
===June_26, 2006 (Monday)===
* Electronic IDs will be distributed to all under the age of 12 in Belgium, as a means of protection from child abduction, and will carry a special code in addition to a hotline. (The Telegraph Group Limited)
* U.S._President George_W._Bush criticises the disclosure of a program to monitor financial transactions by suspected terrorists as "disgraceful". White_House_Press_Secretary Tony_Snow also states that news organizations, including the ''New_York_Times,'' should think if "the public's right to know, in some cases, might override somebody's right to live..." (CNN)(White House Press Briefing)
* Waziristan_War: a suicide car bombing kills six Pakistani soldiers. BBC
* Marí_Alkatiri resigns as Prime Minister of East_Timor after weeks of political unrest. (Melbourne Herald-Sun), (Reuters)
* A Suicide_bomb in Pannapittya, Sri_Lanka, kills three people, including Parami_Kulkathunga, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri_Lankan_Army. (Asian Tribune)
* Israel has stated that they will ensure that the Hamas-controlled Palestinian government is "toppled" if their captured soldier, Gilad_Shalit, is killed. Three Palestinian groups claiming to hold Shalit refuse to provide information about his health via the Palestine Red Crescent, unless all jailed Palestinian women and teenagers are released from Israeli prisons. Three Qassam_rockets are launched from the Gaza_Strip against Israeli towns, one of them wounding 4 civilians in Sderot and causing a power outage throughout the city. (ABC News America), (Haaretz), (AFP/High Ranking Source), (Jerusalem post)
* Italians reject the modification of their constitution. In a two-day referendum, "No" beats "Yes" approximately 61% to 38%, thus keeping the text unchanged. The Northern League had announced its withdrawal from the centre-right opposition coalition if reform was defeated. Votes of Italians living abroad are still to be counted. (BBC) (CorriereDellaSera)
===June_27, 2006 (Tuesday)===
* Chadian rebels attack the neighboring Central_African_Republic. They have reportedly formed an alliance with CAR rebels. Large areas of both countries have descended into violence. (BBC)
* Armenian President Robert_Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham_Aliyev agree to allow the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh to decide the region's future status through a popular vote. (Radio Free Europe-Armenian Liberty)
* The most recent attempt in the United_States to adopt a Flag_desecration_amendment fails in the Senate by one vote. (CNN)
* Popular_musician Axl_Rose from the band Guns_N'_Roses is arrested in Stockholm, Sweden, for alleged violent conduct including biting a security guard on the leg. (BBC)
* Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali_Khamenei says Iran does "not need" to talk with the United States over its nuclear program. (CBS News)
* The Hamas-led Palestinian Government has reportedly agreed to implicitly recognise Israel, paving the way to reopening peace talks with it. Other Hamas officials later deny these reports. (BBC).
* A Palestinian militant group kidnaps and an hour later kills a 19-year-old Israeli tertiary student, Eliyahu_Asheri. The same group later threatens it will kill the student if the Israeli offensive continues. (Haaretz)
* The Iraqi_Special_Tribunal announces that Saddam_Hussein and six co-defendants will face trial on August_21 in relation to the 1980s Anfal_campaign in which 100,000 Kurds are estimated to have died. (China Post)
*A vote in the Legislative_Yuan to recall Taiwanese President Chen_Shui-bian, who is implicated in numerous corruption scandals, fails to gain the necessary two-thirds majority. (Bloomberg) (AP)
*Nguyen_Minh_Triet becomes President_of_Vietnam with Nguyễn_Tấn_Dũng expected to become the new Prime_Minister_of_Vietnam. (CNN), (BBC)
*Ronaldo broke the all-time World_Cup finals goal-scoring record of 14 goals set by Gerd_Müller of Germany, scoring his 15th World Cup goal, and Brazil's first goal of the match (Round of 16), against Ghana in his 18th World Cup match.
===June_28, 2006 (Wednesday)===
* Up to 200,000 people in the Wilkes-Barre,_Pennsylvania area of the Northeast_United_States are ordered to evacuate their homes due to the rising level of the Susquehanna_River. 46 of 67 of Pennsylvania's counties are under a State_of_emergency. Extensive flooding is also occurring in surrounding states, including New_York, where Governor George_Pataki states "This is the worst flooding by far I’ve seen in my 12 years as governor." Governor Jon_Corzine declares his entire state under a state of emergency. (CBS News Alert) (FOX News)
* An angry mob in Dili, East_Timor, attacks a refugee camp as the 2006_East_Timor_crisis continues. (''Melbourne Age'')
* Israel launches an offensive into the southern Gaza_Strip, following aerial strikes on bridges and electric power installations. Meanwhile, four Israeli war planes fly over the palace of Syria's president Bashar_Assad in Latakia, reportedly while he was at the palace. (Haaretz), (CNN), (BBC), (Reuters)
* Members of the militant wing of Mahmoud_Abbas's Fatah party, Al-Aqsa_Martyrs'_Brigades, claim they have launched a chemical-tipped missile at the Israeli town of Sderot. The same group has recently claimed to possess about 20 biological warheads for Qassam_rockets fired daily at Israeli towns. The Israeli Army says they have not detected a launch of any such rocket, nor received reports of such a weapon hitting Israel. At least four Qassam_rockets are launched against Israeli towns on Wednesday. (Reuters), (Haaretz)
* After numerous attempts to revive the film franchise over the past nineteen years, Superman is the central character in a new film from director Bryan_Singer entitled ''Superman_Returns''.
===June_29, 2006 (Thursday)===
* A new audio tape, allegedly from Osama_Bin_Laden, is released praising Abu_Musab_al-Zarqawi. (Associated Press)
* Internet_Explorer Version 7 Beta 3 is released for Windows_XP and Windows_Server_2003
* The United_States_House_of_Representatives votes to end a 25-year ban on off-shore drilling. (MSNBC)
* Former Governor of the U.S._state of Alabama Don_Siegelman is convicted of bribery and conspiracy. (WTVM)
* The Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average closes up over 215 points as a result of the United_States Federal_Reserve saying that it would consider the overall economy, and direction of inflation, in setting the interest rate. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the 17th consecutive time to 5.25% due to ongoing concerns about inflation. (Associated Press) (Yahoo) (International Herald Tribune)
* A suicide bomber attacks the funeral of a Shiite soldier in Kirkuk, Iraq, killing four and wounding 27. (USA Today)
* The Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States rules in ''Hamdan_v._Rumsfeld'' that the Bush Administration has no authority to try detained prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay by military tribunal, and that the proceedings violate the Geneva_Convention as well as the US_constitution. (BBC)
*British_House_of_Commons By-elections for the constituencies of Blaenau Gwent and Bromley and Chislehurst are held to fill vacant parliamentary seats. (BBC)
*Operation_Summer_Rains:
:* Israeli government puts off an offensive to the northern Gaza_Strip, and freezes military operations in the southern Gaza strip, to allow further time for diplomatic negotiations. There have been no Palestinian fatalities in two days of Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip and West_Bank. (Haaretz)
:* Six Qassam_rockets are launched from the northern Gaza_Strip against Israeli towns. The Israel_Defense_Forces fire over 400 artillery shells at unpopulated areas in the Gaza Strip, to suppress further rocket attacks. (Ynet)
:* Russia asks Israel to avoid harming Palestinian civilians in any offensive in the Gaza_Strip and urges militants to free the abducted Israeli soldier. (Independent SA)
:* The body of Israeli student Eliyahu_Asheri is found buried in a field near Ramallah with a head shot. Asheri, 18, was kidnapped and killed on Sunday night by a Palestinian militant group. (Haaretz)
:* Failed Israeli air strike against two Islamic_Jihad militants in Gaza leaves one civilian lightly wounded. (Ynet)
:* The body of Noam Moskovich, an Alzheimer's patient who was claimed to be abducted by Palestinian militants, is found in Rishon_LeZion. Police ruled out both criminal and terrorist motives. (Jerusalem Post)
:* Israeli soldiers arrest 62 Hamas members in the West_Bank, including 8 ministers and 20 lawmakers in the Palestinian_Authority, raising concern at concurrent G8 summit. Israeli officials announce that further arrests are expected, and that the suspects will face standard criminal proceedings. (Haaretz), (Reuters Alertnet)
*Kuwait holds a Parliamentary election, the country's first with Universal_suffrage. Opposition parties win a parliamentary majority but no women are elected.(Fox News) (Turkish Press)
*The Cabinet Balkenende II of the Netherlands resigns after a row between the coalition partners about the citizenship of former MP Ayaan_Hirsi_Ali. (Expatica.com), (BBC)
===June_30, 2006 (Friday)===
*A judge orders the arrest of former Mexican President Luis_Echeverría on charges relating to the 1968 Tlatelolco_Massacre. (Reuters)
*The United_States military orders an investigation into claims that five US soldiers raped an Iraqi woman and then murdered her and three members of her family. (Houston Chronicle)
*With the election of Trish_Law in a by-election, the National_Assembly_for_Wales becomes the first legislature in the world to have a majority of female members. (BBC)
*Operation_Summer_Rains:
** On the sixth day to the abduction of Cpl. Gilad_Shalit, his father calls the abductors to provide him with a sign of life from Gilad, as a humane requisite. He also personally thanks Egyptian President Hosni_Mubarak for his personal involvement in resolving the crisis. (Ynet)
** Israeli air strike kills one Islamic_Jihad militant in the Gaza_Strip, the first Palestinian fatality in the IDF incursion. A child is lightly wounded in another air strike in the Gaza Strip. (Haaretz)
** An upgraded Qassam_rocket lands in the cemetery of Ashkelon, an Israeli city with a population exceeding 117,000. This is the furthest range Qassam rockets have reached to date. (Ynet)
{{Events by month links}}
2006
*2006-06
Zh-min-nan:2006_nî_6_goe̍h
Cs:Červen_2006
Et:Juuni_2006
Es:Junio_de_2006
Ko:2006년_6월
Lad:Aktualidad
Pl:Czerwiec_2006
Ro:Iunie_2006
Ru:Июнь_2006
Sk:Jún_2006
Tl:Hunyo_2006
Th:มิถุนายน_พ.ศ._2549
Vi:Tháng_6_năm_2006
Zh-yue:2006年6月
Zh:2006年6月