Major Events of June 2015: Key Historical Moments from the Month
Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from June 2015 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.
Major Events of June 2015: Key Historical Moments from the Month
- 01 Jun 2015 USA Freedom Act and Patriot Act Expiration: Due to Congressional inaction, parts of the Patriot Act expired at 12:01 a.m., temporarily halting the National Security Agency's surveillance of telephone records and sparking a significant debate about privacy and national security.
- 02 Jun 2015 USA Freedom Act Passes: The US Senate voted 67-32 to pass the USA Freedom Act, ending the NSA's bulk collection of phone records. The responsibility shifts to phone companies, who can only provide data with a FISA court warrant. The law also reinstated key Patriot Act provisions.
- 03 Jun 2015 FIFA Corruption Scandal: Chuck Blazer's Confession: Chuck Blazer, a former high-ranking FIFA official, publicly admitted to accepting bribes related to the bidding processes for the 1998 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, further exposing systemic corruption within international soccer's governing body.
- 04 Jun 2015 Greece Debt Crisis Escalation: Syriza party officials reject a last-minute offer from Greece's creditors, bringing the country closer to a potential financial default.
- 05 Jun 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility Prison Break: Convicted killers Richard Matt and David Sweat escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, sparking a massive manhunt and highlighting significant security vulnerabilities in the prison system.
- 06 Jun 2015 War in Donbass - The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed that his forces repelled an attack against Marinka and captured 12 rebels, including one Russian.
- 07 Jun 2015 41st G7 Summit in Germany: World leaders convene at the G7 Summit in Bavaria, with primary discussions focused on the critical Greek debt crisis and ongoing tensions in Ukraine, signaling complex global economic and geopolitical challenges.
- 08 Jun 2015 Zivotofsky v. Kerry Supreme Court Decision: The United States Supreme Court issued a landmark 6-3 ruling against a congressional law that would have allowed individuals born in Jerusalem to list Israel as their birthplace. The court affirmed the President's exclusive constitutional authority in recognizing foreign sovereignty, reinforcing executive power in diplomatic matters.
- 09 Jun 2015 FIFA Corruption Investigation Continues: Swiss police escalated their investigation into FIFA corruption allegations by seizing computer records, marking a significant development in the international soccer governing body's ongoing scandal.
- 10 Jun 2015 Vatican Addresses Sexual Abuse Cases: Pope Francis approved a new system empowering the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to investigate and decide on cases of clerical abuse of office related to the abuse of minors.
- 11 Jun 2015 Tamir Rice Case: Officer Charged with Murder: A Cleveland court found probable cause to charge Timothy Loehmann, a Cleveland Police Department officer, with murder in connection with the shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, a case that sparked national discussions about police use of force and racial bias.
- 12 Jun 2015 US Drone Strike Kills Al-Qaeda Leader: Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Nasser al-Wuhayshi, who was Osama Bin Laden's former private secretary, was killed in a targeted US air strike in Yemen, representing a significant blow to the terrorist organization.
- 13 Jun 2015 Syrian Refugee Crisis: Approximately 13,000 Syrian refugees fled to Turkey after Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units surrounded the ISIL-held town of Suluk, demonstrating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
- 14 Jun 2015 Syrian Civil War: Kurdish Advance Against ISIS: Kurdish fighters made significant territorial gains near Tell Abyad, a strategic border town between Syria and Iraq, causing thousands of civilians to flee as the conflict with Islamic State intensified.
- 15 Jun 2015 Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration: Global commemorations marked the 800th anniversary of King John's sealing of the Magna Carta, a foundational document in the development of constitutional law and human rights.
- 16 Jun 2015 Donald Trump Announces Presidential Campaign: American businessman Donald Trump officially announced his campaign to run for President of the United States in the 2016 election, launching his bid at Trump Tower in New York City.
- 17 Jun 2015 Charleston Church Shooting: A tragic mass shooting occurred at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where nine African American worshippers were killed by a white supremacist gunman, sparking national conversations about racism and gun violence.
- 18 Jun 2015 Charleston Church Shooting Arrest: Dylann Roof, the suspected perpetrator of a racially motivated mass shooting, was apprehended at a traffic stop. He was accused of shooting nine people, including a South Carolina state senator. Despite having a prior criminal record for drug possession, Roof had legally purchased the firearm after passing background checks.
- 19 Jun 2015 Charleston Church Massacre: A tragic mass shooting at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist, killed nine African American worshippers during a bible study meeting. Roof was arrested in Shelby, North Carolina, and reportedly confessed to the racially motivated hate crime, stating he was there to 'shoot black people'.
- 20 Jun 2015 Deadly Heat Wave in Pakistan: A severe heat wave struck southern Pakistan, resulting in approximately 2,000 deaths due to dehydration and heat stroke, underscoring the devastating impact of extreme weather conditions.
- 21 Jun 2015 Greece Debt Negotiations: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras proposed new reforms, signaling potential progress in the country's critical debt negotiations, which were crucial to preventing a potential economic collapse.
- 22 Jun 2015 Confederate Flag Controversy After Charleston Shooting: In the wake of the Charleston church shooting, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the State House grounds. Walmart also announced it would cease selling Confederate-themed merchandise, marking a significant moment in the national dialogue about racial symbols.
- 23 Jun 2015 Kurdish Forces Advance Against ISIL in Syria: During the Syrian Civil War, Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) captured Brigade 93 military base and entered Ayn Issa, strategically penetrating the first defense line of ISIL north of its de facto capital, al-Raqqah.
- 24 Jun 2015 Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Death Sentence: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was formally sentenced to death in a federal court for his role in the Boston Marathon bombing. He confirmed his guilt and apologized to the victims.
- 25 Jun 2015 Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare: In King v. Burwell, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed key elements of the Affordable Care Act with a 6-3 vote, including healthcare policy subsidies and employer mandates.
- 26 Jun 2015 Bloody Friday: Global Terrorist Attacks: A series of coordinated and uncoordinated terrorist attacks occurred across multiple countries, resulting in approximately 750 casualties. These attacks targeted locations in France, Tunisia, Somalia, Kuwait, and Syria, demonstrating the widespread reach of terrorist organizations.
- 27 Jun 2015 Confederate Flag Removal by Bree Newsome: Civil rights activist Bree Newsome performed an act of civil disobedience by scaling the South Carolina state flag pole and removing the Confederate flag, symbolizing a powerful statement against racial oppression.
- 28 Jun 2015 Greek Debt Crisis Escalates: The European Central Bank limits lending to Greek banks, intensifying the financial crisis. Greece announces bank closures, ATM withdrawal restrictions, and plans a referendum on the Euro currency.
- 29 Jun 2015 Egyptian State Prosecutor Assassinated: Hisham Barakat, Egypt's State Prosecutor, was killed in a bomb attack in Cairo, marking a significant political assassination that could have major implications for Egypt's judicial and political landscape.
- 30 Jun 2015 Greek Debt Crisis Escalation: The European Union's Greek bailout program concluded with Greece failing to make a payment to the International Monetary Fund. This marked a critical moment in the ongoing Greek debt crisis, signaling potential economic instability and future negotiations.