June 1 — Middle East/International Organizations: SYRIA/UNHRC
The United Nations Human Rights Council calls for an investigation into a massacre in Houla, Syria, where 108 civilians were executed. Forty-one UNHRC members vote in support of a resolution condemning Syria, while Russia, China, and Cuba vote against it. (June 7): Syrian pro-government forces and militia known as shabiha massacre 78 people in the village of Qubair in Hama province, many of them women and children. The attack increases concerns of sectarian violence. Survivors from Qubair, which is mostly populated by Sunni Muslims, blame the attack on a neighboring village whose inhabitants are from the Alawite ethnic group. (June 22): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the violence forces more and more Syrians to flee the country, while 1.5 million are in need of humanitarian aid. (June 27): After almost a year since the beginning of the uprising, Syrian President Bashir al-Assad admits that his country is in the state of a civil war.
June 2 — Africa: EGYPT
A court in Egypt holds former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak responsible for the killings of protesters during the 2011 uprising and sentences him to life in prison. Mubarak ruled Egypt from 1981 to 2011. (June 24): Mohammed Mursi, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, wins Egypt’s run-off election, becoming the country’s first democratically elected president. (June 30): The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) officially transfers power to President Mursi, but retains significant legislative powers and control over the military. It also gives itself veto power over a new constitution once it is drafted. After the ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court that the recent parliamentary election was unconstitutional, the SCAF dissolves the parliament, where the Islamic parties, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, held 70 percent of the seats. The Court says that the parliamentary election was violated by allowing party candidates to contest one-third of seats designated for independents.
June 5 — South Asia/North America: PAKISTAN/UNITED STATES
Senior al-Qaeda commander, Abu Yahya al-Libi, who is believed to be second-in-command after Osama bin Laden’s death, is killed in Pakistan’s northern region of Waziristan in a U.S. drone strike. The attack causes anger in Pakistan and raises accusations that the U.S. has violated Pakistan’s sovereignty. Al-Libi’s death is a significant blow to the organization’s operations.
June 9 — Europe: EUROPEAN UNION
The eurozone finance ministers agree to provide Spain with a loan up to $123 billion to help its struggling banks. It is not a bailout, which involves painful austerity measures, as in case of Greece, Portugal, or Ireland, but a loan on favorable conditions. The funds will go straight to the banks, and they will also be used to buy bonds of this country. The eurozone leaders also agree to a plan to build more integrated eurozone, leading to a fiscal union in the future. They also unveil a plan to create a European treasury with powers over national budgets.
June 10 — East Asia: MYANMAR
Myanmar’s president, Thein Sein, imposes a state of emergency in the western state of Rakhine after communal clashes between Rakhine Buddhists and the Muslim Rohingya minorities became violent and left several people dead. The attacks also destroy 2,500 homes by fire and make 30,000 people homeless.
June 15 — North America: UNITED STATES
The United States President Barack Obama issues an executive order that ends deportations of illegal immigrants under the age of 30 who have arrived in the U.S. when under the age of 16 and have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least five years. The new decree affects more than 800,000 people, but does not lead to citizenship.
June 17 — Europe: GREECE
Greece’s pro-bailout New Democracy party wins the most votes in the country’s parliamentary elections but without a majority. The party advocates keeping the bailout, but asks for more time to restructure the economy in such a way that would promote the growth. The left-wing radical Syriza party comes second. Syriza’s leaders call for canceling the bailout, nationalizing banks, but staying in the eurozone. The European Union’s leaders say that if Greece rejects the bailout, it may have to be forced out of the euro. (June 20): New Democracy’s leader, Antonis Samaras, becomes Greece’s prime minister and assembles a coalition with third-placed socialist Pasok party and other smaller parties. The coalition plans to pursue the austerity measures, but wants the bailout conditions to be revised. Samara is Greece’s fourth prime minister in the last eight months. (June 21): Greece officially asks the EU to renegotiate its EU and IMF bailout conditions without jeopardizing, however, its membership in the euro.
June 17 — Africa/North America: NIGERIA/UNITED STATES
Suicide bombers from Boko Haram militant group attack three churches in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, killing at least 50 people and injuring many others. The bombings spark revenge riots. Boko Haram is a violent militant Islamist group based in the predominantly Muslim north of the country that seeks to establish the sharia law throughout Nigeria. It is believed that the group has ties to al-Qaeda. Since 2009, the group has carried out a number of fatal attacks, causing sectarian clashes in which more than 600 people have died. (June 21): The United States designates three members of Nigeria’s Islamist group, Boko Haram, as terrorists. (June 23): Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, sacks his defense minister and national security adviser saying his government needs a new approach to fighting militants.
June 18 — Middle East: IRAQ
A suicide bomber targeting a Shia funeral in the Iraqi town of Baquba kills at least 30 people and injures scores of others. So far in June itself, more than 130 people, mostly Shia Muslims, have been killed in violent attacks across Iraq.
June 18 — East Asia: CHINA/PHILIPPINES
The Philippines withdraw its ships from a disputed Scarborough Shoal reef in the South China Sea, citing stormy weather rather that giving up the claim to the territory. Since April, the Philippines and China have been embroiled in the standoff over the disputed reef, which is believed to be rich in natural resources.
June 19 — South Asia: PAKISTAN
After convicting him of contempt of court, Pakistani Supreme Court forces Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani out of office after he refused to pursue corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari. (June 27): Water and Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf becomes Pakistan’s new prime minister. The Supreme Court presses him to follow up on charges against President Zardari. The situation shows the long-running power struggle between the country’s judiciary and the politicians.
June 25 — East Asia: CHINA
China’s three-astronaut crew completes the country’s first ever manual docking of their spacecraft Shenzhou-9 with another spacecraft, the Tiangong-1 lab module. The mission is part of China’s plan to build a space station by 2020. The crew included China’s first female astronaut, Liu Yank.
June 25 — North America: UNITED STATES
The United States Supreme Court strikes three provisions of the Arizona Immigration Law judging that they violate the U.S. constitution. It upholds, however, the fourth provision, which requires immigration status checks during law enforcement stops or arrests.
June 27: Middle East: KUWAIT
Kuwaiti constitutional court rules the February parliamentary elections illegal and dissolves the parliament dominated by Sunni Islamists. It also reinstates the previous pro-government parliament. The decision sparks massive protests throughout the country.
June 27 — Europe: UNITED KINGDOM
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom concludes her two-day visit in Northern Ireland with a historic first-time handshake with former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, who is now Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister. It happens during an event organized by a group called Cooperation Ireland, promoting cooperation among Northern Ireland’s communities.