2006 news events

Here are some of the major news events from 2006:

Politics and Government

• The Iraq War continues, with the US and its allies facing increasing resistance from insurgents.
• The Democratic Party wins control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections.
• The Palestinian Authority holds elections, with Hamas winning a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council.
• The European Union expands to include Bulgaria and Romania.
• The United Nations General Assembly votes to establish the Human Rights Council.

International Relations

• The North Korean nuclear crisis escalates, with the country conducting a nuclear test in October.
• The Iran nuclear program becomes a major international concern, with the US and EU imposing sanctions on Iran.
• The Darfur conflict in Sudan continues, with the UN and African Union deploying peacekeepers to the region.
• The Israeli-Lebanon conflict erupts in July, with Hezbollah launching a cross-border raid that sparks a 34-day war.

Economy

• The global economy experiences a slowdown, with the US and European economies growing at a slower pace.
• The housing market in the US begins to decline, leading to a financial crisis in 2007-2008.
• The price of oil reaches a record high of over $78 per barrel in July.
• The European Central Bank raises interest rates to combat inflation.

Disasters and Natural Events

• A powerful earthquake strikes Java, Indonesia, killing over 5,000 people.
• Hurricane Katrina makes landfall in Louisiana, causing widespread devastation and flooding in New Orleans.
• A heat wave in Europe kills over 70,000 people.
• A massive wildfire in Greece kills over 60 people.

Science and Technology

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is launched to explore Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.
• The Large Hadron Collider is completed at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
• The first human trial of a new HIV vaccine begins.
• The iPhone is released by Apple, revolutionizing the smartphone industry.

Entertainment and Culture

• The TV show "Desperate Housewives" becomes a huge hit, winning several Emmy Awards.
• The movie "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" becomes a surprise hit.
• The music industry is disrupted by the rise of file-sharing and streaming services like iTunes and YouTube.
• The video game "Wii Sports" becomes a best-seller for the Nintendo Wii console.

Sports

• The New York Yankees win the World Series, defeating the Detroit Tigers in five games.
• The St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series, defeating the Detroit Tigers in five games.
• The Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLI, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17.
• The Miami Heat win the NBA championship, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

These are just a few of the many news events that took place in 2006. It was a significant year for international relations, politics, and technology, among other areas.