June 2005

Updated July 10, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

World

• Suicide Bomber Strikes in Afghanistan (June 1): At least 20 people killed, including Kabul police chief, in attack on mosque in Kandahar.
• European Constitution in Jeopardy (June 1): Following France's lead, Dutch vote, 61.6%–38.4%, against proposed treaty in a nonbinding referendum. (June 6): Britain suspends a nationwide referendum on the constitution. (June 16): Leaders of the European Union abandon plans to ratify the constitution by 2006.
• Prominent Opponents of Syria Killed in Lebanon (June 2): Samir Kassir, a respected columnist and critic of Syria's influence in Lebanon, dies when a bomb explodes in his car in Beirut. (June 21): George Hawi, former head of the Communist Party and a champion of the opposition candidates in parliamentary elections, killed by a car bomb.
• Military Investigation Finds Abuse of Koran (June 3): Report details five cases in which interrogators or guards mishandled the Koran. Brig. Gen. Jay Hood says, however, that the inquiry failed to find evidence that it was flushed down the toilet.
• Bush Announces Aid for Africa (June 7): In a press conference with British prime minister Tony Blair, president says he will release $674 million. Blair had urged Bush to contribute $25 billion. (June 11): The Group of 8 industrialized nations agree to cancel $40 billion in debt owed by 18 poor countries to international lenders.
• Iraqi Leaders Support Militias (June 8): At a news conference, President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari say they believe ethnic and sectarian militias should continue to exist and be controlled by the Defense and Interior Ministries.
• Bolivian President Resigns (June 8): Carlos Mesa steps down as protesters, who want to nationalize the country's oil and gas companies, continue their blockade of La Paz. (June 9): Congress selects Eduardo Rodríguez, president of the Supreme Court, as president.
• Several Bombs Explode in Iran (June 12): Seven blasts kill about a dozen people in Ahvaz and Tehran. Officials say terrorists are trying to disrupt upcoming elections.
• Kuwait Adds Woman to Government (June 12): Prime Minister Sheik Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah appoints political science professor Massouma al-Mubarak to two ministry posts. She's the country's first woman to ever hold a cabinet position.
• Suicide Bomber Strikes in Kirkuk (June 14): At least 22 people die and about 80 wounded when bomb explodes near a group of elderly people lining up to receive pension checks.
• Sunnis Agree to Help Write Iraq's Constitution (June 16): In compromise with Shiite-led committee, Sunni Arabs will seat 15 representatives on the 55-member panel, with 10 others serving as advisers.
• Iran Faces Runoff Election (June 17): Because none of the seven candidates for president receive more than 50% of the vote, ultraconservative Teheran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and moderate former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani will compete in runoff election. (June 24): Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wins runoff election in a landslide, taking 17.2 million votes to Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's 10 million.
• Anti-Syrian Coalition Wins Parliamentary Majority in Lebanon (June 20): After four rounds of voting, alliance headed by Saad Hariri, son of the slain former prime minister, and Walid Jumblatt holds 72 of the 128 seats in Parliament.
• Four U.S. Women Soldiers Killed in Iraq (June 23): The women were victims of a suicide attack in Falluja. It's the war's largest number of American women killed in one attack.
• General Says Insurgency Still Strong in Iraq (June 23): Contradicting recent statements by Vice President Dick Cheney that the insurgency is in its “last throes,” General John Abizaid tells Congress that the strength of the insurgency is about the same as it was six months ago.
• Italy Issues Arrest Warrants for CIA Employees (June 24): Thirteen people sought in connection to the 2003 kidnapping of Egyptian cleric, Chiara Nobili. He was allegedly seized in Milan and later sent to Egypt, where his family said he was interrogated and tortured. Government officials think Nobili, who is still missing, has ties to al-Qaeda.
• Nations Approve Gay Marriage (June 28): Canadian House of Commons votes to extend right to entire country. (June 30): Spain legalizes gay marriage.
• U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan (June 28): Insurgents shoot down Chinook helicopter, killing eight Navy SEALs and eight other Special Operations troops who were on a mission to rescue four Navy Seals engaged in a firefight with members of the Taliban. Three of the SEALs were killed.
• Bush Pledges Aid for Africa (June 30): Commits $1.2 billion over five years to fight malaria in 15 African countries.

Nation

• Controversial Governor's Race Decided (June 6): Washington judge dismisses lawsuit filed by Republicans that claimed fraudulent and illegal votes gave the election to Democrat Christine Gregoire. Republican candidate Dino Rossi says he will not appeal the decision.
• Senate Confirms Controversial Nominee (June 8): Votes, 56–43, to confirm Janice Rogers Brown as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals.
• Government Revises Award Sought in Tobacco Case (June 8): Justice Department asks tobacco companies to fund a $10 billion smoking cessation program rather than $130 billion as recommended.
• Justice Department Report Faults FBI (June 9): Report written by department's inspector general says communication breakdown, obsolete computer system, and cumbersome bureaucracy allowed the FBI to miss five opportunities to catch two of the Sept. 11 hijackers in the months before the terrorist attacks.
• Senate Apologizes for Failure to Enact Antilynching Law (June 13): Issues a formal apology for decades-long failure to pass law making lynching illegal. From 1882 to 1968, 4,742 people, 3,446 of them black, were killed by lynch mobs.
• House Opposes Part of Patriot Act (June 15): Votes, 238–187, against provision that allows federal officials to seize records from libraries and bookstores for terrorism investigations.
• House Votes to Cut UN Dues (June 17): Against the urging of President Bush, House approves bill, 221–184, that, beginning in 2007, would reduce the money the U.S. pays to the organization by 50% if it does not make broad changes.
• Senate Democrats Block Bolton Vote (June 20): For the second time, Republicans are short of the 60 votes required to end the filibuster that has prevented John Bolton's nomination as ambassador to the UN.
• House Endorses Flag-Burning Ban (June 22): Votes, 286–130, in favor of resolution that proposes amending the Constitution to outlaw destruction of the American flag.
• Court Upholds Changes to Clean Air Act (June 24): Federal appeals court rules that the EPA acted within its authority in 2002, when it introduced a provision to the Clean Air Act, called New Source Review, which allows power plants, refineries, and factories to modernize their facilities without installing pollution control systems.
• Report on Halliburton Finds Questionable Costs (June 27): Audit by Democratic lawmakers reveals the Pentagon has disputed about $1 billion in bills and costs submitted by Halliburton for work performed in Iraq.
• Bush Defends War in Iraq (June 28): In nationally televised speech on the first anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis, Bush says the mounting loss of American and Iraqi lives “is worth it, and it is vital to the future security of our country.”
• Senate Passes Energy Bill (June 28): Votes, 85–12, for legislation that calls for $14 billion in tax incentives for the production of renewable energy sources, energy conservation, and alternative transportation fuels. Also offers tax breaks to consumers who buy efficient appliances and hybrid cars.
• Bush Calls for Overhaul of Intelligence Agencies (June 29): Following the recommendation of a presidential commission reviewing the new intelligence law that created the position of director of national intelligence, Bush creates a national security division at the FBI.
• TIME to Hand Over Reporter's Notes (June 30): Magazine to surrender notes from interviews with confidential sources taken by reporter Matthew Cooper for a story about Valerie Plame, a covert CIA operative whose identity was revealed in 2003 by columnist Robert Novak.

Business/Science/Society

• SEC Chief Announces Resignation (June 1): William Donaldson, chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission, steps down amid criticism that he was too tough in enforcing regulations. (June 2): President Bush nominates California congressman Christopher Cox to replace Donaldson.
• Pop Singer Cleared of Molestation Charges (June 13): A California jury acquits Michael Jackson of 10 charges, including molesting a child, conspiracy, and providing alcohol to minors.
• Schiavo Autopsy Results Released (June 15): Examination finds that Terri Schiavo's brain had deteriorated to half normal size and no treatment could have helped her. Autopsy also reveals no evidence of abuse.
• Tyco Chief Convicted (June 17): L. Dennis Kozlowski, former chief executive of Tyco, and Mark Swartz, the company's former chief financial officer, found guilty of fraud, conspiracy, and grand larceny. They bilked the company out of $600 million in a stock-fraud scheme and used the money for personal purposes.