Important Events From This day in History June 15th

 http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/june16th.html

2002 Arthur Andersen and Enron Accounting Practices

2002 : The accounting firm Arthur Andersen is convicted of obstruction of justice for shredding documents related to its audit of Enron. Due to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission not allowing convicted felons to audit public companies Arthur Andersen agrees to surrender its CPA licenses and its right to practice before the SEC on August 31st, 2002. The case against Arthur Anderson is reversed by the Supreme Court of the United States on May 31st, 2005, who unanimously reversed Andersen's conviction due to what it saw as serious flaws in the jury instructions. Together with the stigma and bad publicity of the case even though the conviction is overturned Arthur Andersen has not recovered (in 2002 they employed over 80,000 in 2008 they employ less than 500).

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1904 U.S.A. The General Slocum

1904 : An excursion steamer The General Slocum, carrying more than 1,300 people from St. Mark's German Lutheran Church for their 17th annual Sunday school picnic burst into flames on New York's East River with the loss of over 1000 lives.

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1917 U.S.A. Espionage Act is passed

1917 : The Espionage Act is passed by the U.S. Congress, creating harsh penalties for anyone found to be interfering with the United States war efforts through the sharing of information to the country's enemies. Palmer Raids Timeline

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1920 U.S.A. Lynching

1920 : A mob of 5,000 people lynched three African-American men in Duluth, Minnesota, who were jailed for the alleged rape of a 17 year old white woman.

1927 U.S.A. Ku Klux Klan

1927 : The growth of the Ku Klux Klan in the southern states and the increase in floggings of Negroes including women and children by the Klan has many in the north demanding the Klan be disbanded, in the latest incident in Gainsville Georgia a woman and her son were dragged from their bed and taken out of town where they were flogged and told to leave the area or more would follow, when admitted to the hospital 82 lash marks were found on the woman's body.

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1935 U.S.A. New Deal Legislation

1935 : In a rush to try and get President Roosevelt New Deal Legislation Passed both houses of Congress were called in on a Saturday.

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1945 U.S.A. Judy Garland

1945 : 23-year-old Judy Garland marries director Vincente Minnelli, her second husband. The couple had one daughter, actress and singer Liza Minnelli.

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1955 UK Rail Strike

1955 : The 17 day Rail Strike in the UK has ended after a settlement has been reached.

1955 U.S.A. Civil Service Workers

1955 : A 7.5% pay raise across the board for the governments civil service workers has been approved by house civil service committee.

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1965 Vietnam Rolling Thunder

1965 : U.S. planes bomb targets in North Vietnam, as part of Operation Rolling Thunder, launched in March 1965.

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1966 UK World's First Hovercraft Show Opens

1966 : The world's first Hovercraft Show has opened to promote export sales of hovercraft for ferry operators, and military craft.

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1971 UK Free School Milk

1971 : Opposition to Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher's ("Thatcher The Milk Snatcher") plans to end free school milk for children over the age of seven is growing with many Labour-controlled local councils threatening to increase local rates to provide Free School Milk. The conservative government has said more is spent on free school milk than books in the education system and this needs to change.

1985 Lebanon Hijacking

1985 : Following the Hijacking of a TWA Boeing 727 Jet Airliner by members of the Islamic Holy War Fighters, after landing in Beirut Shot and Killed an American Marine and threatened to kill more unless demands were met.

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1985 Soviet Union US Spy Charges

1985 : An American Envoy has been ordered to leave the Soviet Union following being arrested on Espionage Charges by the KGB in the continuing tit for tat expulsions by USSR and the United States.

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1992 U.S.A. Dan Quayle

1992 : The US Vice President Dan Quayle instructed a Trenton, N.J., elementary school student to spell (US Spelling) potato as (UK Spelling) "potatoe" during a spelling bee.

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1996 Great Britain Terrorist Bomb Manchester

1996 : The IRA detonates a massive bomb outside the Arndale shopping centre at lunch time injuring 200 mostly by flying glass, and seven are said to be in a serious condition. The IRA had issued a telephone warning at 1000 or the deaths and injuries would have been much more severe.

1998 Japanese Yen Crashes

1998 : Shares around the world suffer a major drop as the Japanese Yen trades at ¥146 to the US dollar following Friday's announcement that Japan is now technically in recession. Stocks on the Nikkei and around the world drop as investors became increasingly worried that the turmoil in Asia would hit the the rest of the worlds economies.

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1999 Kosovo Mass Murders

1999 : As Yugoslav forces pull out of Kosovo as part of the agreed NATO peace plan, more evidence emerges of the mass killings committed by Serb Forces on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. The peace plan has called for the withdrawal of Serb Forces and the disarming of the Kosovo Liberation Army KLA.

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2005 China Microsoft Censors Blogs

2005 : Microsoft encountered criticism for censoring Chinese blogs. The censorship involved Microsoft's MSN service, in which Chinese bloggers were blocked from using such words as "demonstration," "democracy," "human rights," and "freedom". Scrutineers labeled the company's actions as giving concessions to the Chinese government, while Microsoft defended itself by saying that it will abide by all laws of the countries in which it operates.

2005 Aruba Natalee Holloway

2005 : Two weeks after Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway disappeared while on a spring break vacation in Aruba, police begin a detailed search and investigation into her disappearance. A number of suspects are arrested but no body is found and no charges are bought. Currently the case is still unsolved.

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2006 U.S.A. Bill Gates

2006 : Bill Gates announces he will transition from day-to-day responsibilities at Microsoft to concentrate on the charitable work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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2007 Former KKK Member Guilty of Murder

2007 : A former Ku Klux Klan member was found guilty of the 1964 murder of two African-American teens. Seventy-one year old James Seale could face life in prison when sentenced for involvement in the murders. Seale had been arrested at the time of the murders but then released due to lack of evidence.

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2010 Landslides and Flooding in Bangladesh

2010 : Landslides caused by flooding in Bangladesh killed at least fifty-three people, while many more remained missing. The landslides caused by heavy rain and flooding buried many houses and buildings under mud, and many rescue efforts were stalled by mud blocking roads into the area.

2012 US To End Child Immigrant Deportation

2012 : President Obama announced that the US would immediately end the deportation of illegal immigrants who came to the country as children. The declaration means that illegal immigrants between the ages of sixteen and thirty would be eligible for work permits and could effect up to 800,000 people. Obama stated the move was the right thing to do, while Republican opponent Mitt Romney stated that it was not the correct way to address the issue.

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2013 Iranians Celebrate Presidential Election

2013 : Iranian citizens celebrated in the streets of Tehran at the election of Hassan Rouhani as the president of Iran. Rouhani was elected with over fifty percent of the vote and did not have to face a run-off election. Citizens were excited by the possibility of reform from this new leader.