World Report: December 15, 2006 Vol. 12 Iss. 13
Pictures of 2006
So much happens in a year. Every moment of joy or sorrow can
change our view of the world. This year we witnessed
political firsts and a population milestone. We were saddened
by global struggles and war. Still, we reached for the stars.
We sent astronauts into space, marveled at a solar eclipse
and puzzled over Pluto. Here are some moments from 2006 that
we won't soon forget.
January
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as president of Liberia.
Johnson-Sirleaf fled during the nation's civil war and worked for the
United Nations. She is the first woman ever elected president of an
African country.
February
The 2006 Winter Olympics kicked off in Turin, Italy, on February 10.
Team USA won 25 medals, including gold for Ted Ligety in this race.
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl
XL. Hines Ward savors his team's fifth super win.
March
Millions of people around the world gazed at the sky to see a rare solar
eclipse, as the Moon passed in front of the Sun. It started in Brazil
and ended in Mongolia.
Kidnappers in Iraq released Jill Carroll, an American journalist, on
March 30. Carroll appeared in three videotapes, pleading for her life,
during the nearly three months she was a hostage.
April
Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the United States. for the first
time. He met with President George W. Bush to discuss fair trade and how
to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
May
On May 24, Taylor Hicks was named the new American Idol. Fans loved the
singer's wild dance moves.
June
Disney/Pixar's animated film Cars zoomed into theaters on June 9.
Lightning McQueen and the gang have made more than $240 million in the
U.S.
June
On July 12, fighters belonging to Hizballah, an armed group in Lebanon,
crossed into Israel and attacked Israeli soldiers. For 34 days, Israelis
and Lebanese were caught in the clash. Here, Israeli bombs hit Beirut.
July
On July 9, Italy beat France to win soccer's World Cup. More
than 1.2 billion fans tuned into the final game, which went into 30
minutes of overtime.
August
About 2,500 astronomers met in Prague, Czech Republic, and made changes
to the definition of the term planet.
The bottom line: Tiny Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet.
September
Animal lovers said good-bye to Steve Irwin at a memorial service. Irwin,
who was known as the Crocodile Hunter, died from a stingray's barb while
filming near the Great Barrier Reef. His daughter, Bindi, spoke about
her dad's love of wildlife.
The space shuttle Atlantis blasted off September 9. NASA astronauts
completed three space walks to continue construction of the
International Space Station, a giant space lab in the sky. The mission
doubled the power and communication capabilities of the space base.
October
Americans and Iraqis suffered greatly in October. With the deaths of 106
Americans, October became one of the deadliest months since the Iraq warbegan in March 2003. In the U.S., the violence prompted calls for a new
plan for Iraq.
America's population hit a major milestone on October 17. According to
the U.S. Census Bureau, that's when the number of people in the country
reached 300 million. There is a new American every 11 seconds. At such a
fast growth rate, the U.S. population will likely hit 400 million in
2043.
November
After the November 7 elections, Democrats gained control of both houses
of Congress. Nancy Pelosi, the new Speaker of the House and the first
woman to hold that important job, met with President Bush. They promised
to work together.
On November 5, a court in Iraq found former leader Saddam Hussein guilty
of crimes against humanity. Hussein remains on trial for other crimes.
December
Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on December 5, U.S.
Secretary of Defense nominee Robert Gates answered tough questions. He
promised a new strategy for Iraq. After the committee unanimously
approved his nomination, the Senate voted to give Gates the job.