June 3 — Middle East: YEMEN
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is seriously wounded in an attack on his presidential compound, suffering shrapnel injuries and burns. The blast caused by a planted bomb kills seven other people and injures the prime minster, deputy prime minister, and the governor of the capital, Sanaa. (June 6): While injured President Saleh is transported to Saudi Arabia for treatment, Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi takes over presidential responsibilities.
June 12 —Middle East/Europe: TURKEY
Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) wins a decisive victory in the country’s parliamentary election. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who presided over strong economic growth of the past years, will serve a third term. AKP, however, comes short of the two thirds majority needed to amend the constitution without agreements from opposition parties. The current constitution was drafted 30 years ago by a military government and Prime Minister Erdogan is pushing for changes.
June 14 — Europe: ITALY
Italians vote against four government proposals in a referendum, which is seen as a major blow to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s policies. The proposals included restarting nuclear power generation, water privatization, and immunity from trial for government ministers. Prompted by the results, the opposition is calling for Berlusconi to resign.
June 15 — Middle East/International Organizations: SYRIA/UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations report presents evidence that Syrian government has used live ammunition and tanks against mostly unarmed civilians during the recent pro-democracy protests. It is believed that more than 1,100 people have been killed and more than 10,000 detained. The injured have been denied medical care. More than 8,000 people have fled into Turkey. So far, attempts to draft a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria for its crackdown on the protesters have been opposed by Russia and China.
June 16 — East Asia: CHINA/VIETNAM/BRUNEI/PHILIPPINES/TAIWAN/MALAYSIA
China sends a navy ship into the disputed waters of the South China Sea to patrol the area amid the recent upsurge in regional tensions over the sovereignty over the waters and two island chains, the Paracels and the Spratlys. It is believed that the area contains the wealth of natural resources, such as oil and natural gas, as well as is rich in fish. The area is also one of the region’s main shipping lanes. China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia claim sovereignty over the Spratlys, while China and Vietnam dispute the ownership of the Paracels.
June 20 — Former Soviet Republics/Europe: RUSSIA/BELARUS
Russia agrees to grant Belarus a $3 billion bailout over its currency crisis. The loan is conditional on privatization reforms, which are supposed to take place within the next three years.
June 20 — Africa: TUNISIA
A court in Tunisia sentences former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife in absentia to 35 years in prison and fines them $66 million for embezzlement and misusing public funds while in office. Ben Ali and his family fled to Saudi Arabia after he was forced out of power during the recent popular uprising.
June 22 — Middle East: BAHRAIN
A court in Bahrain gives long jail sentences to 21 opposition members, including eight life-sentences for their participation in recent pro-democracy protests, which were suppressed by the government forces. Among those who received life sentences are Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, one of the main human rights activists in Bahrain, and Hassan Mushaima, who returned from exile in February to take part in the pro-democratic movement. Bahrain is expected to hold more trials.
June 25 — Europe: SPAIN
Hundreds of protesters in Spain march from across the country toward the capital, Madrid, expressing their frustration with the country’s poor state of economy and tough austerity measures, the implementation of which started last year. The recession has left the country with an unemployment rate reaching 23 percent. This number is even higher among the people under the age of 30. Unlike Portugal and Greece, however, Spain did not need a bailout.
June 26 — Europe/East Asia: UNITED KINGDOM/CHINA
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao arrives in the United Kingdom to promote more trade between Britain and China. China is also interested in diversifying their foreign reserves holdings by purchasing government bonds in other currencies such as the euro. Before coming to Britain, Prime Minister Wen stopped in Hungary, where he agreed to purchase a certain amount of the Hungarian debt in government bonds.
June 27 — Africa/International Organizations: LIBYA/ICC
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest warrants for Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and the head of intelligence, Abdullah al-Sanussi, accusing them of crimes against humanity. The court says they ordered attacks against civilians during the popular uprising that started a few months ago.
June 27 — East Asia: CAMBODIA
The Special Court of Cambodia (ECCC), the United Nations backed Tribunal established to try senior members of the Khmer Rouge regime, holds a first hearing in the trial of four former top officials in the regime that ruled between 1975 and 1979. They include the second in command in the regime, Nuon Chea, former head of state, Khieu Samphan, former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, leng Sary, and his wife leng Thirith, former Minister of Social Affairs. They all are accused of genocide and crimes against humanity.
June 28 — Europe: GREECE
Greece holds a 48-hour general strike, while tens of thousands of protesters march on parliament in the capital, Athens, to oppose the legislators’ efforts to pass new austerity measures. Prime Minister George Papandreou says that if the $25 billion plan is not passed, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will not grant Greece the loans, and the country will default on its debts. The people are angry over the proposals such as a new tax on minimum wage earners and rising unemployment, reaching 16 percent.