2006
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| Years: | 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 |
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
| 2006 by topic |
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2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It is also the current year.
It has been designated:
- The International Year of Deserts and Desertification
- The Rembrandt Year, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, Netherlands' greatest 17th-century painter.
- The Tricentennial or 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin, Scientist and Statesman.
- The Mozart Year, celebrating the 250th birthday of the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Also the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dmitri Shostakovich.
- The Tesla Year, celebrating the 150th birthday of the electrotechnician Nikola Tesla.
- The International Asperger's Year, marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Hans Asperger, discoverer of Asperger's Syndrome.
- The Year of city of Patras as European Capital of Culture.
- The year of the Dog in Chinese Astrology (beginning on January 29).
- The Year of Study abroad (by resolution of the United States Senate)this year.
- The year of Aquarius, the Water Bearer in traditional astrology.
Events
January
- January 1 - Russia cuts natural gas to Ukraine over a price dispute.
- January 2 - Fifteen are killed when the Bad Reichenhall ice rink roof collapse in Germany collapses after heavy snowfall in the Bavarian Alps.
- January 3 - Twelve coal miners are discovered dead in the Sago Mine Disaster near Buckhannon, West Virginia in the United States. A single survivor was rescued early the following morning in critical condition.
- January 4 - Powers are transferred from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to his deputy, Vice Premier Ehud Olmert, after Sharon suffers a massive hemorrhagic stroke.
- January 5 - A hotel in Makkah, Saudi Arabia collapses killing 76 pilgrims visiting to perform hajj.
- January 6 - The record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season officially draws to a close as Tropical Storm Zeta, which formed on December 30, dissipates.
- January 7 - Embroiled in multiple scandals, former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay announced he would not seek to reassume his former post.
- January 7 - U.K. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy resigns after revelations that he has a drinking problem.
- January 11 - Augustine Volcano in Alaska erupts twice, marking its first major eruption since 1986.
- January 12 - A stampede during the Stoning of the devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, kills 362 Muslim pilgrims.
- January 14 - A natural gas explosion in a coal mine kills eight in Romania.
- January 15 - NASA's Stardust mission successfully ends with the return of the first comet samples.
- January 15 - Socialist Michelle Bachelet is elected the first female President of Chile.
- January 16 - Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is inaugurated as the first female President of Liberia.
- January 19 - the New Horizons spacecraft is launched, beginning the first ever mission to Pluto.
- January 19 - Suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, killing only himself, but injuring 20 people, one of them seriously.
- January 22 - Portuguese elections are won by Anibal Cavaco Silva. He is the first right wing winner since the Carnation Revolution in 1974
- January 23 - A train crashed near Bioče, a village nine miles northeast of Podgorica in Serbia and Montenegro killing 44 and injuring 184 people after the train's brakes failed. See also Bioče train disaster.
- January 23 - In the Canadian federal election, the Conservatives win a plurality of seats in the House of Commons to form a minority government.
- January 24 - The Parliament of Kuwait vote Kuwaiti Emir Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah out of power moments before his official abdication.
- January 24 - The Walt Disney Company aquires Pixar Animation Studios for $7.4 billion.
- January 25 - Hamas wins the Palestinian legislative election, gaining 76 of 132 legislative seats.
- January 25 - Pope Benedict XVI issues his first papal encyclical, Deus Caritas Est.
- January 27 - Worldwide celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Mozart.
- January 28 - Arrests in Tehran of many bus workers' union activists, hours before a strike calling for the release of their leader Mansour Osanlou.
- January 28 - The roof of a trade hall collapses near the southern Polish city of Katowice, killing 65 people.
- January 29 - Tarja Halonen wins a second term in office in the Finnish presidential election.
- January 29 - ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff is injured when his vehicle is blown up while reporting in Iraq.
- January 29 - Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is sworn in as the 15th Emir of Kuwait.
- January 31 - Samuel Alito is confirmed to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the US Supreme Court.
- January 31 - Ben Bernanke is confirmed to replace Alan Greenspan who had been the Chairman of the Federal Reserve in the United States since 1987.
February
- February 1 - Several European newspapers reprint controversial pictures depicting the Prophet Muhammad, sparking outrage and rioting in the following three weeks.
- February 3 - The Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 sinks in the Red Sea with heavy casualties.
- February 4 - A stampede occurs outside ULTRA Stadium in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, killing 79 and injuring hundreds before the taping of the show Wowowee (see Pasig City stampede).
- February 5 - The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL, played at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
- February 10 - The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin, Italy.
- February 11 - President of Italy Carlo Azeglio Ciampi dissolves the national parliament.
- February 11 - United States Vice President Dick Cheney shoots and injures Harry Whittington while hunting in rural Texas, becoming the first sitting vice president since Aaron Burr to shoot another person.
- February 16 - Kobe Airport, a controversial offshore airport in Kobe, Japan, opens for airline service.
- February 17 - As many as eighteen hundred people die when a mudslide occurs on the island of Leyte in the Philippines.
- February 19 - Sixty-five miners become trapped underground after an explosion in Nueva Rosita, Mexico during the Pasta de Conchos mine disaster. There were no survivors.
- February 22 - A blast heavily damages the Al Askari Mosque, a Shiite holy site in Samarra, Iraq, causing a wave of protests and counterattacks across Iraq.
- February 22 - Over £53.1 million is stolen during the Securitas depot robbery in Tonbridge, the largest ever cash robbery in the United Kingdom.
- February 22 - The one billionth song is purchased from Apple iTunes.
- February 23 - A roof collapses on a Moscow Market, killing 56 people.
- February 24 - A state of emergency is declared in the Philippines after an alleged coup d'etat against President Gloria Arroyo is foiled.
- February 25 - Six police officers, seven protesters, and a journalist receive head wounds when a protest prior to the Love Ulster parade turns into a major riot.
- February 25 - Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni wins 2nd re-election, sparking riots in Kampala by opposition supporters.
- February 26 - The world population reaches 6.5 billion at 0016 UTC according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- February 26 - The Olympic flag is passed to the mayor of Vancouver, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, during the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
March
- March 2 - The U.S. Federal Reserve releases the redesigned $10 bill into circulation.
- March 3 - The first World Baseball Classic, scheduled to end on March 20 in San Diego, California, opens in Tokyo, Japan.
Predicted and scheduled events
- March 5 - 78th Academy Awards, hosted by Jon Stewart.
- March 7 - Census in New Zealand
- March 7 - Local government elections in the Netherlands.
- March 9 - Microsoft is expected to unveil the Origami Project.
- March 10 - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter begins to enter Mars orbit.
- March 11 - Michelle Bachelet will be sworn in as the first female President of Chile.
- March 15 - The 2006 Commonwealth Games open in Melbourne, Australia.
- March 16 - New Kitakyushu Airport in Japan will be in operation from this day on
- March 18 - Worldwide demonstrations against the occupation of Iraq
- March 18 - South Australia to hold legislative elections.
- March 20 - Iranian Oil Bourse begins, causing nations to sell off their dollar assets.
- March 22 - The Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown will deliver his budget
- March 23 - The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System will cease publication of the M3 monetary aggregate.
- March 26 - The ban on smoking in public places such as bars and restaurants comes into effect in Scotland.
- March 26 - Ukrainian Parliamentary elections.
- March 26 - Closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
- March 28 - Israeli Parliamentary elections.
- March 29 - Total solar eclipse (Brazil, Mid Atlantic ocean, Sahara, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia).
- March 29 - Attack Submarines USS Groton to start to be deactivated. Los Angeles class submarines USS Indianapolis, USS-Birmingham, USS-New York City and USS-Atlanta also begin to be deactivated.
- March 30 - The launch of Channel 6, Ireland's newest television service.
- Al Jazeera will launch its new satellite service, Al Jazeera International, in Europe, Asia, and North America.
April
- April 1 - Apple Computer celebrates its 30th anniversary.
- April 1 - New Firs Capital Connect Railway Franchise starts in the UK.
- April 1 - New Greater Western Railway franchise starts in the UK.
- April 2 - Daylight saving time ends in Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and South Australia, one week later than usual due to the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
- April 7 - EU citizens are now able to register .eu domain names, which replaced the old eu.int TLD on December 7 2005.
- April 9 - Peruvians will elect the successor of Alejandro Toledo in the Peruvian national election, 2006
- April 9 - Italians will vote for new Parliament and elect the successor of Silvio Berlusconi in the Italian general elections, 2006
- April 9 - Election in Hungary; first turn
- April 10 - The St. Louis Cardinals will play their inagural game at the new Busch Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers.
- April 10 - ESA's Venus Express spaceprobe begins to enter Venus orbit.
- April 13 - Punjabi New Year
- April 14 - Tamil New Year
- April 23 - Election in Hungary; second turn
- April 23 - Census in Ireland.
May
- May 4 - UK local elections, 2006 - Local elections to be held across England.
- May 8 - Stadium Arcadium, the Red Hot Chili Peppers ninth studio album, is released
- May 10 - Unofficial launch date for Space Shuttle STS-121 Discovery (ISS-18) Pad B, (ISS-18-ULF1.1: Return-To-Flight Test, MPLM, Logistics)
- May 20 - The Eurovision Song Contest 2006 grand final takes place in Athens, Greece.
- May 21 - Referendum in Montenegro on whether to remain with Serbia in the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or become independent.
- May 25-May 28 - Pope Benedict XVI's pilgrimage to Poland
- Parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic
June
- June 6 - 62nd Anniversary of D-Day, the Invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Overlord
- June 9 - Football World Cup 2006 in Germany starts with the first game (Germany v Costa Rica) held at Munich World Cup Stadium (aka Allianz Arena).
- June 17 - Local government elections in Slovakia.
- June 23 - 15th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog.
- June 30 - Microsoft to end support for Windows 98 (and Windows 98SE) and Windows ME.
July-August
- July - Magic the Gathering Dissension set will release.
- July 1 - Electronic equipment imported to or sold in the European Union will have to be lead free soldered, to comply with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive.
- July 2 - Presidential election in Mexico.
- July 9 - FIFA World Cup 2006 Final Game at the Olympic Stadium, Berlin.
- July 23 - Microsoft is scheduled to release the Windows Vista Operating System
- July 28 - Alejandro Toledo concludes his term as President of Peru.
- July 29 to August 5 - World Congress of Esperanto in Florence, Italy.
- August 8 - Census in Australia.
- August 13 to August 18 - The XVI International AIDS Conference will be held in Toronto, Canada.
- August 14 to August 25 - The 26th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Prague, Czech Republic.
- August 19 to September 3 - FIBA Basketball World Championship 2006 scheduled to be held in Japan. Qualifying matches scheduled to be held in Sapporo, Sendai, Hamamatsu, and Hiroshima, followed by the final tournament at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City.
September-October
- September 4 - The CW Television Network will launch, combining the American networks UPN and The WB.
- September 8 - The 40th anniversary of Star Trek's premiere episode, "The Man Trap".
- September 11 - The 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
- September 16 - Oktoberfest begins.
- September 17 - Sweden general election, 2006: Sweden holds elections for the Riksdag.
- September 19-20 - 2006 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, Singapore
- September 22 - Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, Vernal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
- September 26 - Scheduled reopening date of the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, LA after repairs to the Superdome from damages sustained during Hurricane Katrina.
- October 2 - Brazilian General Elections, 2006: Presidential election, Legislative: full renewal of the Chamber of Deputies and renewal of one third of the Federal Senate (one of each state's three seats); State sphere: Gubernatorial elections, renewal of the State Legislative body (State Assembly) in all states.
- October 3 - Oktoberfest ends.
- October 15 - Chief Justice of Japan Akira Machida will be forced to retire upon reaching the age of 60.
- October 24 - NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft to Mercury makes the first of two Venus flybys.
November-December
- November 7 - Midterm elections will be held in the United States.
- November 8 - Transit of Mercury.
- November 22 - A General Election will take place for the House of Keys in the Isle of Man.
- November 30 - The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season and the 2006 Pacific hurricane season will officially end.
- December 1 - The 15th Asian Games will be held in Doha, Qatar until December 15.
- December 19 - The USA is expected to reach 300,000,000 in population on or around this date.
Major religious holidays
- January 6 - Feast of Epiphany or Dia de los Reyes Magos (Day of the Magi Kings).
- January 7 - Christmas in the Russian Orthodox church calendar.
- January 10
- Islamic festival of Eid ul-Adha begins (ends on January 12)
- Vaikunta Ekadasi is observed by Hindus. This is the day when the Gates of Heaven open and remain open for the next ten days.
- January 14 - Mahayana Buddhist New Year.
- January 14 - Pongal Harvest Festival in Tamilnadu.
- January 15 - Maatu Pongal, Festival of Cows in Tamilnadu.
- January 16 - Uzhavar Tirunaal, Farmer's Day in Tamilnadu.
- January 29 - Year of the Dog, 4704, begins. Chinese/Asian New Year.
- January 31 - Muslim New Year.
- February 9 - Day of Ashurah.
- February 13 - Tu Bishvat
- February 28 - Mardi Gras
- March 14 - Sikh New Year.
- March 21 - Bahai New Year.
- March 30 - Hindu New Year.
- April 12 - Pesach or Passover begins at sunset, continues for a week.
- April 13 - Theravada Buddhist New Year.
- April 14 - Good Friday in the Western Church Calendar.
- April 14 - Puththaandu Tamil New Year in the Tamil Calendar, observed by people in Tamilnadu.
- April 16 - Easter in the Western Church Calendar.
- April 21 - Good Friday in the Eastern Church Calendar.
- April 23 - Easter in the Eastern Church Calendar.
- September 22 - Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown. Continues until nightfall of the 24th.
- September 23 - First day of Ramadan.
- October 1 - Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur begins at sundown. Ends at nightfall of the 2nd.
- October 24 - Islamic festival of Eid ul-Fitr.
- October 26 - Hindu festival of Diwali.
- December 25 - Christmas in the Western Church Calendar.
- December 31 - Islamic festival of Eid ul-Adha begins (ends on January 2, 2007)
Unknown/undecided dates
- Nintendo will release its next home console, codenamed Revolution, as well as their upcoming game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
- NATO Summit 2006 will take place in Latvia.
- White House proposed Plebiscite to decide whether Puerto Rico will mantain its territorial status or change to another status (to be decided then in other referenda)
- Airbus plans to release into service Airbus A380, the biggest commercial airliner in the world.
- The European Space Agency plans to launch the KEO space time capsule
- Irish referendum on the European Constitution: The Republic of Ireland is expected to hold a referendum on the European Constitution.
- Manuel Noriega becomes eligible for parole.
- The new Wembley Stadium is expected to open.
- A bridge linking Savannakhet, Laos, over the Mekong, to Mukdahan, Thailand is expected to be completed late in the year.
- The Stardust Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada will officially close in late 2006 after 55 years of continuous operation to make way for the $4 billion dollar Echelon Place a new mega resort scheduled to officially open in 2010.
- Sony's Playstation 3 will be released.
- Sony's first hearing for the lawsuit of faulty PS2s will commence sometime in April or May.
- NASA plans to launch STS-115 using Space Shuttle Atlantis. It will be the nineteenth station flight. The launch is currently scheduled for July unless STS-121 is not launched on schedule.
- New albums are set to be released by many female artists - many of whom are making a comeback. Comebacks are expected from Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Whitney Houston and albums are set to be released by Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Pink and LaToya Jackson.
- New albums are set to be released by many rock artists as well - many of whom are also making a comeback. Comebacks are expected from The Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Flaming Lips, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, Incubus and Dinosaur Jr.
- The new Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand opens, replacing Don Muang as Bangkok's primary airport.
Births
January 11 - Mason Walter Wilkerson, son of actress Melissa Joan Hart and musician Mark Wilkerson
February 2 - True Harlow Fisher-Duddy, daughter of actress Joely Fisher and Chris Duddy
February 4 - Maggie Rose Stewart, daughter of Jon Stewart and wife Tracy
February 14 - Arthur Elwen Cameron, son of British Consecutive leader David Cameron
Deaths
Main article: Deaths in 2006
January
- January 1 - Henry Magdoff, American political commentator (b. 1913)
- January 2 - Steve Rogers, Australian rugby player (b. 1954)
- January 3 - Bill Skate, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (b. 1954)
- January 4 - Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (b. 1946)
- January 4 - Irving Layton, Canadian poet (b. 1912)
- January 6 - Lou Rawls, American singer (b. 1933)
- January 7 - Heinrich Harrer, Austrian mountaineer and explorer (b. 1912)
- January 8 - Tony Banks, British politician (b. 1943)
- January 9 - Mikk Mikiver, Estonian actor, director (b. 1937)
- January 14 - Shelley Winters, American actress (b. 1920)
- January 15 - Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait (b. 1926)
- January 16 - Stanley Biber, American physician (b. 1923)
- January 19 - Wilson Pickett, American singer (b. 1941)
- January 21 - Ibrahim Rugova, first President of Kosovo (b. 1944)
- January 24 - Chris Penn, American actor (b. 1965)
- January 27 - Johannes Rau, President of Germany (b. 1931)
- January 28 - Yitzchak Kaduri, Iraqi-born rabbi (b. 1894?)
- January 30 - Coretta Scott King, American civil rights activist and wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. (b. 1927)
February
- February 4 - Betty Friedan, American feminist (b. 1921)
- February 4 - Al Lewis, American actor (b. 1910?)
- February 9 - Ron Greenwood, English footballer and manager (b. 1921)
- February 11 - Peter Benchley, American author (b. 1940)
- February 11 - Jockey Shabalala, South African singer Ladysmith Black Mambazo (b. 1943)
- February 15 - Sun Yun-suan, Premier of China (b. 1913)
- February 16 - Betty Heathfield, British mining community activist (b. 1927)
- February 16 - Ernie Stautner, German-born American football player (b. 1925)
- February 20 - Curt Gowdy, American sports broadcaster (b. 1919)
- February 24 - Don Knotts, American actor (b. 1924)
- February 24 - Dennis Weaver, American actor (b. 1924)
- February 25 - Darren McGavin, American actor (b. 1922)
- February 27 - Ferenc Bene, Hungarian football player (b. 1944)
March
Fictional references
- March 28 to March 29 - The events of the Doctor Who episodes Aliens of London and World War Three take place.
- September - The events of Doctor Who episode Boom Town take place.
- December 24 to December 25 - The events of Doctor Who episode The Christmas Invasion take place.
- The events of the third season of the Transformers cartoon take place.
- In 2001, an actor portraying a future version of Stan Marsh tells his younger counterpart that he'll be sent to juvenile hall sometime during the course of the year on South Park.
- The central character in the BBC series Life on Mars came from 2006 before he travelled through time to 1973.
- The N64 video game, BattleTanx: Global Assault took place during this year.
- According to Penny Galactica's robot UNI in Disney Adventures' Kid Gravity comic, this will be the first year we build cities on Mars.
- In Seven Ancient Wonders, a book by Matthew Reilly March 20th will be the day of the coming of Tartarus.