Unix Timestamp: 1137542400
Wednesday, January 18. 2006, 12:00:00 AM UTC

A new Neptune-sized exoplanet is discovered by an amateur astronomer in Peterborough, England. //www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16612181 (BBC)

Hamas agrees to a one-week ceasefire, but fires at least two rockets into Israel afterward. //edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/18/israel.gaza/index.html (CNN)

Alleged racist treatment of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother 2007 draws widespread attention. It has attracted a record 33,000 complaints, death threats and has resulted in cancellation of multi-million pound Big Brother sponsorships and participants' modelling contracts. Prime Minister Tony Blair's likely successor, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown commented on the subject during his India visit and has been mentioned in the House of Commons. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6269953.stm?ls (BBC News)

Interstate 10 in Texas and Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles, California, remain closed due to snow and ice. //www.cnn.com/2007/WEATHER/01/18/winter.blast.ap/index.html (CNN)

Two people are killed in the Jumeirah Lake Towers fire in Dubai. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6274981.stm (BBC)

Al Arabiya reports that a fire at Kuwait's Shuaiba Port has stopped oil exports and refining in that country. //www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070118%5cACQDJON200701181225DOWJONESDJONLINE000916.htm (Dow Jones via NASDAQ)

The Swiss yacht "Allinghi", captained by New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts, defeated "Oracle", a San Francisco, California-based yacht, to win the challenger final of the America's Cup. "Allinghi" will now face the New Zealand defender, yet to be determined.

The Canberra Bushfires in Canberra, Australia, kill 4 people.

The Tagish Lake meteorite impacts the Earth.

In northwest Rwanda, Hutu militia members kill 6 Spanish aid workers, 3 soldiers, and seriously wound another.

In Nairobi, Kenya, more than 100,000 attend protests demanding an end to one-party rule by the Kenya African National Union.

Eastern Air Lines shuts down after 62 years, citing financial problems.

The Party of the Alliance of Youth, Workers and Farmers of Angola is founded in Luanda, Angola.

A SCUD attack on Tel Aviv injures 15 people.

The Mitsui Miike coal mine explosion at Ōmuta, Fukuoka, Japan kills 83.

The European Court of Human Rights finds the British government guilty of mistreating prisoners in Northern Ireland, but not guilty of torture.

Work is abandoned on the British end of the Channel Tunnel.

In Hanoi, North Vietnam, the Politburo approves the final military offensive against South Vietnam.

Earthquake strikesHimachal Pradesh, India

Michael Ovitz founds the Creative Artists Agency.

The United States Energy Research and Development Administration is founded, in response to the 1973 oil crisis.

Atomic Energy Commission divided between ERDA and Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Eleven Labour Party councillors in Clay Cross, Derbyshire, England, are ordered to pay £6,985 for not enforcing the Housing Finance Act.

Strikes in Poland demand the resignation of Interior Minister Kazimierz Switala. He resigns January 23 and is replaced by Franciszek Szlachcic.

In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian displays the art of Winslow Homer for 6 weeks.

Richard Milhous Nixon succeeds Lyndon Baines Johnson as the 37th President of the United States of America. thumb|37th President Richard M. Nixon

After 147 years, the last issue of "The Saturday Evening Post" is published.

Plans to build the New YorkWorld Trade Center are announced.

Netherlands Due to severe winter conditions the twelfth elfstedentocht almost turns into a total disaster. Of the 9294 participants only 69 manage to finish, making this the heaviest elfstedentocht ever held.

January 20 ndash Battle of Yijiangshan Islands: The Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army seizes the islands from the Republic of China (Taiwan).

January 20 ndash Battle of Yijiangshan Islands: The Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army seizes the islands from the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul: Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time.

"Undated" ndash Hyperinflation in Germany means that 17,000 marks are now needed to buy an American dollar - well over double the amount needed at the end of the previous year.

Elon College's cus in North Carolina is destroyed by a fire.

Constituent Assembly meet in Russia.

German zeppelins bomb the cities of Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn in the United Kingdom for the first time, killing more than 20.

Georges Claude patents the neon discharge tube for use in advertising.

Twenty-One Demands from Japan to China are made.

German zeppelins bomb the cities of Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn in the United Kingdom for the first time, killing more than 20.

Eugene B. Ely lands on the deck of the USS ''Pennsylvania'' stationed in San Francisco harbor, marking the first time an aircraft lands on a ship.

Eugene B. Ely lands on the deck of the USS "Pennsylvania" stationed in San Francisco harbor, marking the first time an aircraft lands on a ship.

The Herero Rebellion in German South-West Africa begins.

Henry Ford sets a new automobileland speed record of 91.37 mph.

The X-ray machine is exhibited for the first time.

Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England.

Dr William Price attempts to cremate the body of his infant son, Iesu Grist (Jesus Christ) Price, setting a legal precedent for cremation in the U.K.

The member-states of the North German Federation and the south German states unite into a single nation-state known as the German Empire. The King of Prussia is declared the first German Emperor as Wilhelm I of Germany.

Wesley College, Melbourne was established.

British foreign secretary Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, sends ships to blockade the port of Piraeus, ostensibly as a result of the Don Pacifico affair.

Dade County, Florida, is formed.

The leading ship in Captain Arthur Phillip's First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay to colonise Australia.noinclude

The third Pacific expedition of Capt.James Cook, with ships HMS \\\'\\\'Resolution\\\'\\\' and HMS \\'\\'Discovery\\'\\', first view O\'ahu then Kaua'i in the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands".

The third Pacific expedition of Capt. James Cook, with ships HMS "Resolution" and HMS "Discovery", first view O'ahu then Kaua'i in the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands".

The first opera performance in the Swedish language, "Thetis and Phelée", performed by Carl Stenborg and Elisabeth Olin in Bollhuset, marks the establishment of the Royal Swedish Opera.

The electorate of Brandenburg-Prussia becomes the Kingdom of Prussia as Elector Frederick III is proclaimed King Frederick I. Prussia remains part of the Holy Roman Empire. It consists of Brandenburg, Pomerania and East Prussia. Berlin is the capital.

Pau Claris proclaims the Catalan Republic.

François, Duke of Anjou, attacks Antwerp.

Lima, Peru, is founded by Francisco Pizarro.

King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York are married, uniting the House of Lancaster and the House of York after the Wars of the Roses.

Ferdinand I becomes King of Portugal after the death of his father, Peter I.

July ndash The Knights Hospitaller begin their conquest of Rhodes.

German King Albrecht I makes his son Rudolf King of Bohemia.

Emperor Leo I dies of dysentery at Constantinople after a 17-year reign. He is succeeded by his grandson Leo II who becomes briefly ruler of the Byzantine Empire.

January ndash Constans I flees to Spain, where he is subsequently assassinated at "Castrum Helenae". Magnentius rules the Western Roman Empire and is far more tolerant towards Christians and Pagans.

Emperor Constans I makes himself extremely unpopular, Magnus Magnentius is proclaimed emperor at Autun (Gaul) with support of the army on the Rhine frontier.

Pope Mark succeeds Pope Sylvester I as the 34th pope.

Arius, Alexandrian priest, collapses in the street at Constantinople (approximate date).

Pope Mark dies at Rome after an 11-month reign. No successor is immediately found.

Pope Mark begins to build the basilica of San Marco, the church is devoted to St. Mark.