| 2006-01-22
Evo Morales is inaugurated as President of Bolivia, becoming the country's first indigenous president.
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| 2006-01-19
A Slovak Air Force Antonov An-24 crashes in Hungary.
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| 2006-01-01
Sydney, Australia swelters through its hottest New Years Day on record. The thermometer peaked at 45 degrees celsius, sparking bushfires and power outages. (Same as 1939)
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| 2006-12-07
A tornado strikes Kensal Green, North West London, seriously damaging about 150 properties.
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| 2006-01-04
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel suffers a second, apparently more serious stroke. His authority is transferred to acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
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| 2006-10-16
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake rocks Hawaii, causing property damage, injuries, landslides, power outages, and the closure of Honolulu International Airport. See 2006 Hawaii Earthquake.
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| 2006-05-03
Armavia Flight 967 crashes into the Black Sea, killing 113 people on board, with no survivors.
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| 2006-12-05
Commodore Frank Bainimarama overthrows the government in Fiji.
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| 2006-10-09
North Korea allegedly tests its first nuclear device.
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| 2006-05-23
Alaskan stratovolcano Mount Cleveland erupts.
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| 2006-03-18
Mike Rann secures the first Labor majority government in South Australia since 1985 by winning the state election.
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| 2006-07-05
North Korea launches at least two short-range Nodong-2 missiles, one SCUD missile and one long-range Taepodong-2 missile.
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| 2006-03-28
At least 1 million union members, students, and unemployed take to the streets in France in protest at the government's proposed First Employment Contract law.
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| 2006-06-05
Serbia declares independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.
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| 2006-06-25
Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier, is kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists in a cross-border raid from the Gaza Strip.
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| 2006-12-15
First flight of the F-35 Lightning II.
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| 2006-03-10
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrives at Mars.
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| 2006-11-05
Saddam Hussein, former president of Iraq, and his co-defendants Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti and Awad Hamed al-Bandar are sentenced to death in the al-Dujail trial for the role in the massacre of the 148 Shi'as in 1982.
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| 2006-09-01
Luxembourg became the first country to complete the move to all digital television broadcasting.
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| 2006-04-11
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announces that Iran has successfully enriched uranium.
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| 2006-04-22
243 people are injured in pro-democracy protest in Nepal after Nepali security forces open fire on protesters against King Gyanendra.
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| 2006-04-02
Over 60 tornadoes break out; hardest hit is in Tennessee with 29 people killed.
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| 2006-02-24
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declares Proclamation 1017 placing the country in a state of emergency in attempt to subdue a possible military coup.
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| 2006-03-04
No response is received in the final attempt to contact Pioneer 10 by the Deep Space Network.
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| 2006-10-02
Five school girls are murdered by Charles Carl Roberts in a shooting at an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania before Roberts commits suicide.
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| 2006-03-25
Capitol Hill massacre: A gunman kills six people before taking his own life at a party in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.
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| 2006-01-19
The New Horizons probe is launched by NASA on the first mission to Pluto.
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| 2006-04-24
King Gyanendra of Nepal gives into the demands of protesters and restores the parliament that he dissolved in 2002.
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| 2006-12-04
An adult giant squid is caught on video for the first time by Tsunemi Kubodera near the Ogasawara Islands, 1,000 km (620 miles) south of Tokyo.
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| 2006-02-17
A massive mudslide occurs in Southern Leyte, Philippines; the official death toll is set at 1,126.
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| 2006-03-01
English-language Wikipedia reaches its one millionth article, Jordanhill railway station.
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| 2006-08-24
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefines the term "planet" such that Pluto is considered a Dwarf Planet.
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| 2006-05-03
Zacarias Moussaoui is sentenced to life in prison in Alexandria, Virginia.
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| 2006-02-22
At least six men stage Britain's biggest robbery ever, stealing £53m (about $92.5 million or 78€ million) from a Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent.
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| 2006-08-04
2006 Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers, is carried out by Sri Lankan government forces, killing 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger (known internationally as Action Contre la Faim, or ACF).
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| 2006-07-04
Space Shuttle program: STS-121 Mission – Space Shuttle Discovery launches at 18:37:55 UTC.
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| 2006-05-27
The May 2006 Java earthquake strikes at 5:53:58 AM local time (22:53:58 UTC May 26) devastating Bantul and the city of Yogyakarta killing over 6,600 people.
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| 2006-07-03
Asteroid 2004 XP14 flies within 432,308 kilometres (268,624 mi) of Earth.
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| 2006-05-18
The post Loktantra Andolan government passes a landmark bill curtailing the power of the monarchy and making Nepal a secular country.
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| 2006-05-17
The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef.
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| 2006-05-05
The government of Sudan signs an accord with the Sudan Liberation Army.
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| 2006-07-03
Valencia metro accident leaves 43 dead in Valencia, Spain.
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| 2006-08-27
Comair Flight 5191 crashes on takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky bound for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Of the passengers and crew, 49 of 50 are confirmed dead in the hours following the crash.
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| 2006-02-04
A stampede occurs in the ULTRA Stadium near Manila killing 71.
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| 2006-01-02
An explosion in a coal mine in Sago, West Virginia traps and kills 12 miners, while leaving one miner in critical condition.
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| 2006-10-28
Funeral service takes place for those executed at Bykivnia forest, outside Kiev, Ukraine. 817 Ukrainian civilians (out of some 100,000) executed by Bolsheviks at Bykivnia in 1930s – early 1940s are reburied.
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| 2006-09-29
US Representative Mark Foley resigns after allegations of inappropriate emails to house pages are revealed.
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| 2006-08-14
Chencholai bombing in which 61 Tamil girls are killed in Sri Lankan Airforce bombing.
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| 2006-09-22
The F-14 Tomcat is retired from the United States Navy.
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| 2006-12-06
NASA reveals photographs taken by Mars Global Surveyor suggesting the presence of liquid water on Mars.
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| 2006-12-30
Deposed President of Iraq Saddam Hussein, convicted of the executions of 148 Iraqi Shiites, is executed by hanging.
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| 2006-03-20
Over 150 Chadian soldiers are killed in eastern Chad by members of the rebel UFDC. The rebel movement sought to overthrow Chadian president Idriss Deby.
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| 2006-07-27
The Federal Republic of Germany is deemed guilty in the loss of Bashkirian 2937 and DHL Flight 611, because it is illegal to outsource flight surveillance.
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| 2006-04-08
Shedden massacre: The bodies of eight men, all shot to death, are found in a field in Ontario, Canada. The murders are soon linked to the Bandidos motorcycle gang.
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| 2006-07-10
Pakistan International Flight PK-688 crashes in Multan, Pakistan, shortly after takeoff, killing all 45 people on board.
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| 2006-03-21
Immigrant workers constructing the Burj Khalifa and a new terminal of Dubai International Airport riot causing $1M in damage.
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| 2006-03-12
In a One Day International cricket match between Australia and South Africa, the Australians set a world record with 434 runs, only to see South Africa successfully chase down their total with 438.
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| 2006-10-17
The United States population reaches 300 million.
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| 2006-06-19
Prime ministers of several northern European nations participate in a ceremonial "laying of the first stone" at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Spitsbergen, Norway.
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| 2006-05-26
The May 2006 Java earthquake kills over 5,700 people, leaves 200,000 homeless.
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| 2006-03-30
The United Kingdom Terrorism Act 2006 becomes a law.
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| 2006-07-30
World's longest running music show Top of the Pops is broadcast for the last time on BBC Two. The show had aired for 42 years.
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| 2006-06-21
Pluto's newly discovered moons are officially named Nix & Hydra.
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| 2006-12-12
Peugeot produces its last car at the Ryton Plant signalling the end of mass car production in Coventry, formerly a major centre of the British motor industry.
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| 2006-07-01
The first operation of Qinghai-Tibet Railway in the People's Republic of China.
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| 2006-11-12
The region of South Ossetia holds a referendum on independence from Georgia.
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| 2006-01-12
The French warship Clemenceau reaches Egypt and is barred access to the Suez Canal. Greenpeace activists board the ship.
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| 2006-06-29
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that President George W. Bush's plan to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in military tribunals violates U.S. and international law.
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| 2006-03-22
BC Ferries' M/V Queen of the North runs aground on Gil Island British Columbia and sinks; 101 on board, 2 presumed deaths.
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| 2006-01-27
Western Union discontinues its Telegram and Commercial Messaging services.
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| 2006-11-11
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveils the New Zealand War Memorial in London, United Kingdom, commemorating the loss of soldiers from the New Zealand Army and the British Army.
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| 2006-05-21
The Republic of Montenegro holds a referendum proposing independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The Montenegrin people choose independence with a majority of 55%.
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| 2006-10-24
Justice Rutherford of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice struck down the "motive clause", an important part of the Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act.
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| 2006-07-04
North Korea tests four short-range missiles, one medium-range missile, and a long-range Taepodong-2. The long-range Taepodong-2 reportedly fails in mid-air over the Sea of Japan.
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| 2006-12-26
The 2006 Hengchun earthquake with 7.1 magnitude hit Taiwan.
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| 2006-07-12
The Hezbollah initiate Operation True Promise.
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| 2006-02-23
Dubai Ports World agrees to postpone its plans to take over management of six U.S. ports after the proposal ignited harsh bipartisan criticism.
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| 2006-07-06
The Nathula Pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years.
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| 2006-07-30
Lebanon War: At least 28 civilians, including 16 children are killed by the Israeli Air Force in what Lebanese call the Second Qana massacre.
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| 2006-04-01
The Serious Organised Crime Agency, dubbed the "British FBI", is created in the United Kingdom.
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| 2006-07-31
Fidel Castro hands over power temporarily to brother Raúl Castro.
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| 2006-06-18
The first Kazakh space satellite, KazSat is launched.
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| 2006-12-30
Madrid Barajas International Airport is bombed.
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| 2006-09-30
the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Constitutional Act that proclaimed the new Constitution of Serbia.
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| 2006-07-20
Ethiopian troops enter Somalian territory.
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| 2006-09-18
Right wing protesters riot the building of the Hungarian Television in Budapest, Hungary, one day after an audio tape is made public, in which Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány admitted he and his party lied during the 2006 general elections.
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| 2006-08-23
Natascha Kampusch, who is abducted at the age of 10, managed to escape from her captor Wolfgang Priklopil, after 8 years of captivity.
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| 2006-02-16
The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army.
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| 2006-03-06
South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds signs legislation banning most abortions in the state.
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| 2006-06-03
The union of Serbia and Montenegro comes to an end with Montenegro's formal declaration of independence.
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| 2006-05-09
Estonia ratifies the European Constitution.
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| 2006-12-09
Moscow suffers its worst fire since 1977, killing 45 women in a drug rehabilitation center.
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| 2006-05-13
2006 São Paulo violence: a major rebellion occurs in several prisons in Brazil.
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| 2006-11-10
Sri Lankan Tamil Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj is assassinated in Colombo.
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| 2006-08-10
Scotland Yard disrupts major terrorist plot to destroy aircraft traveling from the United Kingdom to the United States. All toiletries are banned from commercial airplanes.
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| 2006-03-11
Michelle Bachelet is inaugurated as first female president of Chile.
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| 2006-03-22
Three Christian Peacemaker Team hostages are freed by British forces in Baghdad after 118 days of captivity and the death of their colleague, American Tom Fox.
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| 2006-05-01
The Puerto Rican government closes the Department of Education and 42 other government agencies due to significant shortages in cash flow.
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| 2006-12-20
A judge rules against the death penalty in the case of Naveed Haq, a man convicted in the shooting death and injuries at the Jewish Federation in Seattle.
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| 2006-07-11
209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India.
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| 2006-05-12
Mass unrest by the Primeiro Comando da Capital begins in São Paulo (Brazil), leaving at least 150 dead.
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| 2006-04-27
Construction begins on the Freedom Tower for the new World Trade Center in New York City.
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| 2006-08-31
Stolen on August 22, 2004, Edvard Munch's famous painting The Scream is recovered in a raid by Norwegian police.
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| 2006-10-22
A Panama Canal expansion proposal is approved by 77.8% of voters in a National referendum held in Panama.
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| 2006-12-11
The International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust is opened in Tehran, Iran by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; Nations such as Israel and the United States express concern.
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| 2006-09-19
The Thai military stages a coup in Bangkok. The Constitution is revoked and martial law is declared.
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| 2006-01-12
Turkey releases Mehmet Ali Ağca from jail after he served 25 years for shooting Pope John Paul II.
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| 2006-11-21
Anti-Syrian Lebanese Minister and MP Pierre Gemayel is assassinated in suburban Beirut.
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| 2006-10-10
The Greek city of Volos floods in one of the prefecture's worst recorded floods.
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| 2006-07-09
At least 122 people are killed after a Sibir Airlines Airbus A310 passenger jet, carrying 200 passengers veers off the runway while landing in wet conditions at Irkutsk Airport in Siberia.
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| 2006-01-16
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is sworn in as Liberia's new president. She becomes Africa's first female elected head of state.
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| 2006-01-25
Three independent observing campaigns announce the discovery of OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb through gravitational microlensing, the first cool rocky/icy extrasolar planet around a main-sequence star.
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| 2006-12-13
The Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin, is announced as extinct.
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| 2006-03-20
Cyclone Larry makes landfall in eastern Australia, destroying most of the country's banana crop.
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| 2006-04-17
Sami Hammad, a Palestinian suicide bomber, detonates an explosive device in Tel Aviv, killing eleven people and injuring 70.
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| 2006-03-25
Protesters demanding a new election in Belarus, following the rigged Belarusian presidential election, 2006, clash with riot police. Opposition leader Aleksander Kozulin is among several protesters arrested.
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| 2006-06-28
The Republic of Montenegro is admitted as the 192nd Member of the United Nations by General Assembly.
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| 2006-11-27
The Canadian House of Commons endorses Prime Minister Stephen Harper's motion to declare Quebec a nation within a unified Canada.
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| 2006-01-12
A stampede during the Stoning the Devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, kills at least 362 Muslim pilgrims.
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| 2006-03-26
The military junta ruling Burma officially names Naypyidaw, a new city in Mandalay Division, as the new capital. Yangon had formerly been the nation's capital.
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| 2006-03-22
ETA, the armed Basque separatist group, declares a permanent ceasefire.
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