June 2003

Updated July 10, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

World

• Bush Travels to France for Summit (June 1): At meeting of Group of 8 leading industrial countries, leaders discuss nuclear weapons programs of North Korea and Iraq. Bush's first encounter with French president Jacques Chirac since dispute over war in Iraq.
• Arab Leaders Promise to Curb Violence (June 3): Leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, and Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas vow to work toward ending culture that foments extremism.
• Experts Reviewing Report on Iraq Weapons (June 3): Former CIA analysts begin pouring over top-secret National Intelligence Estimate to determine if intelligence community exaggerated Iraq's biological and chemical weapons programs.
• Terror Suspects Convicted (June 3): Two Moroccan men, Abdel-Ilah Elmardoudi and Karim Kourbriti, found guilty by federal jury in Detroit of plotting to attack U.S. airports, military bases, and landmarks.
• Bush Meets with Middle East Leaders (June 5): At a summit meeting in Aqaba, Jordan, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas commit to taking the first steps to implement the new peace plan, called the road map.
• U.S. to Move Troops from Demilitarized Zone (June 5): The U.S. and South Korea agree that 14,000 soldiers will be gradually withdrawn from border between North and South Korea and redeployed in northern South Korea.
• French Troops Begin Mission in Congo (June 6): Peacekeeping soldiers begin arriving in Bunia to try to stem brutal inter-tribal war between Lendus and Hema.
• Hamas Ends Talks with Palestinian Leader (June 6): Militant Islamic group withdraws from cease-fire negotiations with Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, claiming he yielded too much at summit with Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.
• Suicide Bomber Attacks in Kabul (June 7): Strikes military bus, killing 4 German peacekeeping troops and wounding about 30. Al-Qaeda suspected.
• Peace Plan Hits Snags (June 8): Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, three Islamic militant groups, collaborate in attack on Israeli soldiers in Hebron. Four soldiers die. (June 10): Israel tries to assassinate Hamas leader Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi. President Bush criticizes move. (June 11): Palestinian suicide bomber blows himself up on a bus in Jerusalem, killing 16 and wounding more than 100.
• Poles Approve Entry into EU (June 8): About 78% of voters in favor of joining European Union.
• U.S. Troops Move Against Hussein Supporters (June 9): In Operation Desert Scorpion, a force of about 4,000 soldiers circles area north of Baghdad where resistance is still strong.
• Britain Decides Against the Euro (June 9): Chancellor of the exchequer announces that the country will not adopt the euro. The government said England had not met certain economic conditions required before changing its currency.
• Ontario Approves Gay Marriage (June 10): Canadian court of appeals upholds lower-court ruling allowing same-sex marriages. First province to legalize such unions.
• European Union Completes Draft of Constitution (June 12): Convention of the Future of Europe ends with release of document. Written by 102 delegates, constitution, which includes more than 400 articles, gives EU laws precedence over individual nations', calls for two permanent presidents, a Parliament, and a foreign minister.
• Student Protests Continue in Iran (June 14): Students attacked on fifth day of demonstrations against Islamic government. Officials blame paramilitary group, Ansar Hezbollah.
• Czechs Vote to Join European Union (June 14): More than 77% vote yes in referendum to gain membership in 2004.
• Asian Group Criticizes Myanmar (June 16): Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation condemn Burmese government for its crackdown on opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters.
• U.S. Catches Top Aide to Hussein (June 16): Abed Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's presidential secretary and fourth on the most-wanted list in Iraq, apprehended near Tikrit.
• Bush Warns Iran (June 18): President tells Iran U.S. “will not tolerate the construction of a nuclear weapon.” International Atomic Energy Agency also accuses country of evaded inspections.
• Italy Gives Top Leaders Immunity (June 18): Legislation protects five most senior politicians, including Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, from prosecution while in office.
• British Diplomat Visits Burmese Opposition Leader (June 19): Foreign Minister Mike O'Brien says Daw Aung San Su Kyi is being held at Insein Jail outside of Rangoon. She's being detained under a law that permits the government to jail anyone suspected of planning to threaten state security.
• U.S. Foils Plan to Destroy Brooklyn Bridge (June 19): Justice Department announces that in May Iyman Faris had pleaded guilty to giving material support to al-Qaeda. He had planned to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge and to derail a train near Washington, DC.
• Captured Iraqi Official Tells Interrogators That Hussein Is Alive (June 20): U.S. troops intensify their search for Hussein after Abd Hamad Mahmoud al-Tikriti tells U.S. officials that Hussein and his sons, Uday and Qusay, survived attacks in March and April.
• Bush Speaks of Dangers in Iraq (June 21): In first comments about continuing deaths of U.S. soldiers in combat in Iraq, president says Hussein loyalists trying to “kill and intimidate” Americans.
• U.S. Attacks Convoy in Iraq (June 22): Officials announce that Predator drone had destroyed convoy near Syrian border. They originally believed Saddam Hussein was traveling in one of the vehicles.
• Bush Offers Aid to Pakistan (June 24): At meeting at Camp David, president offers Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf $3 billion package, but says he will not give Pakistan F-16 fighters it has long sought.
• British Soldiers Killed in Iraq (June 24): Six soldiers die in two coordinated attacks in southern Iraq.
• U.S. Claims Iraq Planned to Build Nuclear Weapons (June 26): Iraqi scientist shows American troops where he buried plans to enrich uranium. International Atomic Energy Agency, however, says the fact the plans and equipment remained obsolete proves Iraq had not restarted nuclear program.
• Israelis Agree to Pull Out of Gaza (June 27): Troops to begin leaving parts of Gaza Strip. Palestinians to assume security role and will work to intercept attacks by militants. First coordinated step in the peace process.
• Palestinian Militant Groups Announce Ceasefire (June 29): Hamas and Islamic Jihad vow to end attacks on Israeli targets for three months. Al Fatah announces a six-month truce.
• U.S. Troops Raid Areas in Central Iraq (June 29): Carry out about 20 attacks in Tigris River Valley, intending to end series of deadly attacks on U.S. and British troops.

Nation

• Report Critical of Roundup of Immigrants (June 2): Internal review by Justice Department's inspector general says detention of illegal immigrants was highly problematic and left many people with no links to terrorism jailed under harsh circumstances. (June 5): Testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General John Ashcroft says roundup of 762 illegal immigrants necessary to protect country. He also seeks broader power to track down other possible terrorists.
• House Approves Ban on Abortion Procedure (June 4): Votes, 282-139, to outlaw intact dilation and extraction method.
• Senate Votes to Extend Child Tax Credit (June 5): Acting in response to outrage that about 6.5 million families earning between $10,500 and $26,625 a year were denied the tax credit, Senate votes, 94–2, to give them credit of $400 per child.
• Maine Approves Universal Health Care (June 13): State will offer low-cost coverage to all residents by 2009.
• Federal Court Rules in Favor of Justice Department (June 17): Rules, 2–1, that department had legal right to withhold the names of people arrested for immigration violations after Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
• Bush Bars Racial Profiling, with Exceptions (June 17): New regulation prohibits federal agents from using race or ethnicity in typical investigations, but does allow agents to consider the characteristics when information they receive about suspects includes race or ethnicity.
• House Votes to Eliminate Federal Estate Tax (June 18): Bill passes, 264–163. Uncertain future in Senate.
• FTC Moves to Curb Telemarketers (June 27): Federal Trade Commission creates Do-Not-Call registry. Beginning in October, telemarketers are prohibited from calling numbers on the list.
• Congress Passes Drug Plan (June 27): In bipartisan vote, Senate, 76–21, approves what could be the largest expansion of Medicare since it was launched in 1965. House votes 216–215 for the $400 billion plan.

Business/Science/Society

• FCC Relaxes Media Ownership Rules (June 2): Votes, 3–2, to allow media companies to own as many as three TV stations, eight radio stations, a daily newspaper, and a cable company in one market.
• Martha Stewart Indicted (June 4): Charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and securities fraud from Dec. 2001 sale of shares in ImClone Systems.
• New York Times's Editors Resign (June 5): Executive editor Howell Raines and managing editor Gerald Boyd step down, a result of a scandal over plagiarism and sloppy fact-checking.
• Unemployment Reaches Nine-Year High (June 6): Labor Department reports rate rose to 6.1% in May, highest level since 1994.
• Clinton Memoir Hits Bookstores (June 9): Hillary Rodham Clinton's much-publicized Living History debuts to mixed reviews and record sales.
• Former ImClone Chief Sentenced (June 10): Samuel Waksal, former CEO of the biotech company, receives 87-month sentence for securities fraud, and perjury, charges stemming from 2001 sale of ImClone stock.
• Robot Heads for Mars (June 10): A rover named Spirit, equipped with eight cameras and a robot arm to analyze samples of the red planet's geologic composition, takes off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• McDonalds Ask Meat Suppliers to Limit Antibiotic Use (June 19): World's largest restaurant chain requests that meat suppliers phase out use of some growth-producing antibiotics in animals.
• FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Sales of Ulcer Drug (June 20): Prilosec, top-selling ulcer and heartburn medication, to be offered without a prescription in the fall.
• Latest Harry Potter Book Flies off Shelves (June 21): Fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, tallies record sales.
• Fed Cuts Rates Again (June 25): Federal Reserve cuts short-term interest rates by a quarter of a point, bringing rates to lowest level since 1958.