Year of Variants: Stubborn virus marks momentous 2021 (June)

ANKARA (AA) - Expedited vaccination campaign worldwide against COVID-19, Turkey's new discovery of natural gas in Black Sea, Taliban's advancement across Afghanistan, protests in Lebanon, Hong Kong, Spain marked the top news stories globally in June.

JUNE

June 1

- Uganda’s former Transport Minister Gen. Katumba Wamala, his daughter, and driver killed in gun attack in capital Kampala.

- Death toll hits 50 in anti-government protests raging in different parts of Colombia since late April.

June 2

- Isaac Herzog elected new president of Israel, succeeding Reuven Rivlin.

- Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in European Union tops 250 million.

June 3

- NASA unveils plan to launch two new missions to Venus between 2028 and 2030.

- Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered worldwide crosses 2 billion.

June 4

- Turkey announces new discovery of 135 billion cubic meters of natural gas in Black Sea.

- Hong Kong bans annual vigil for victims of China’s crackdown on 1989 Tiananmen Square protests for second year, thousands of police patrol streets to deter gatherings.

- Deforestation in Amazon breaks record for third straight month.

June 5

- Some 160 civilians killed in terrorist attack on village in northern Burkina Faso.

- Taliban overrun five districts in various parts of Afghanistan as violence escalates.

June 6

- Four members of Muslim family killed, 9-year-old boy injured in premeditated vehicle attack in Ontario, Canada.

- President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, ruling Morena party retain power after mid-term elections in Mexico.

June 7

- Russian scientists discover microscopic worm-like creatures that survived for at least 24,000 years in Siberian permafrost.

- At least 63 people killed, over 100 injured after two passenger trains collide in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.

- President Vladimir Putin signs law authorizing Russia’s withdrawal from Open Skies Treaty.

June 8

- Over 3,300 people, including 2,000 children and more than 500 women, forced to flee their homes after terrorist attack in Burkina Faso’s northeastern Sahel region.

- Turkey launches massive operation to clear mucilage from Sea of Marmara.

- President Emmanuel Macron slapped by a citizen during an official visit in southeastern France.

- UN court upholds 2017 conviction, life sentence of former Serbian commander Ratko Mladic for role in Bosnian genocide.

June 9

- El Salvador approves adoption of cryptocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender.

- Albanian parliament dismisses President Ilir Meta for “serious violations” of constitution.

June 10

- Zahid Quraishi, an American of Pakistani descent, becomes first Muslim to serve as US federal judge.

- Emma Coronel Aispuro, wife of notorious drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, pleads guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

June 11

- G7 Summit kicks off in England with leaders of world’s richest economies and three guest countries.

- Council of EU adopts legislation on EU digital COVID-19 certificate, paving the way for system to become operational as of July 1.

- Protests break out in capital Beirut over economic crisis plaguing Lebanon.

June 12

- YPG/PKK terrorists attack hospital in northwestern Syria, killing 14 civilians and injuring over 32.

- Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 95th birthday with scaled back ceremonies due to coronavirus restrictions.

June 13

- Naftali Bennett secures parliament votes to become Israel’s new prime minister, ending Benjamin Netanyahu’s record 12-year run.

- Around 25,000 people take to streets of Madrid to protest Spanish government’s plan to pardon several jailed Catalan leaders.

- Algeria revokes accreditation of French state-run news channel France 24.

- American actor Ned Beatty, known for roles in hit 1970s films Network, Deliverance, and Superman, dies at the age of 83.

June 14

- NATO increases “tailored assurance measures” for Turkey.

- Arlene Foster steps down as Northern Ireland’s first minister.

- Court in Egypt upholds death sentence for 12 members of Muslim Brotherhood.

June 15

- EU and US return to “excellent” trade relations after ending 17-year dispute over Airbus-Boeing aircraft subsidies.

- At least 36 people injured in car bomb explosion at military base in Colombia’s northeastern Cucuta city, near border with Venezuela.

June 16

- US President Joe Biden and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin meet face-to-face in Geneva for the first time.

June 17

- Turkey administers over 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine shots in 24-hour period.

- US President Biden signs legislation making Juneteenth, or June 19, a federal holiday to mark end of slavery.

- China successfully sends three astronauts into space in first manned mission in five years.

- Montenegro’s Parliament adopts resolution recognizing Srebrenica genocide, dismisses country’s justice minister for controversial remarks on issue.

June 18

- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed for second five-year term by UN General Assembly.

- Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro expresses desire for negotiations with US President Joe Biden’s administration, easing diplomatic and trade tensions.

June 19

- Ebrahim Raisi elected new president of Iran.

- COVID-19 death toll in Brazil crosses grim mark of 500,000, second-highest in the world after the US.

June 20

- Libya reopens main coastal road linking country’s eastern and western parts.

- Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party wins early parliamentary elections.

June 21

- Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pardons nine jailed Catalan leaders.

- EU extends economic sanctions against Russia over illegal annexation of Crimea for another year.

- Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven loses no-confidence vote in parliament.

- Number of COVID-19 deaths in Colombia passes 100,000.

June 22

- Philippine’s President Rodrigo Duterte threatens to jail anyone refusing COVID-19 vaccines.

June 23

- Russia fires warning shots and drops bombs to stop British Royal Navy destroyer that it accused of entering its waters in the Black Sea.

- Second Libya conference concludes in Berlin with final declaration stressing need for holding elections and withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from North African country.

June 24

- Residential building partially collapses in Miami, US, killing at least 97 people.

- Hundreds of unmarked graves found at a former residential school for Indigenous children in western Canada.

June 25

- Mt. Merapi volcano in Indonesia erupts three times in 24 hours.

- US court sentences former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to 22.5 years in prison for murder of George Floyd.

June 26

- British Health Secretary Matt Hancock resigns after breaking COVID-19 rules by hugging and kissing an aide.

- Study of wastewater finds the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland topped the lists for use of marijuana, cocaine and other illegal drugs in Europe.

June 27

- Turkey discovers new ancient sites near famed Gobeklitepe in southeastern Sanliurfa province.

- Lytton, a village in British Columbia, records Canada’s highest ever temperature of 46.1 C (121.2 F).

- Over 270 police officers in Germany face investigation over links to far-right groups and involvement in far-right extremism and crimes.

June 28

- Ethiopian government declares unilateral cease-fire after months of fighting with rebel forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

June 29

- South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court.

- Kenya’s government declares 3 million people at risk of starvation due to severe drought in country’s northern regions.

- Hong Kong suspends flights with UK due to spread of coronavirus delta variant.

June 30

- Bangladesh imposes weeklong lockdown to curb surge in infections driven by delta strain.

- 182 human remains discovered in unmarked graves at the site of the former St. Eugene’s Mission School in British Columbia, Canada.

- WHO lists coronavirus delta strain as a variant of concern.