2006 - Hosts Egypt won the African Nations Cup for a record fifth time when they beat Ivory Coast 4-2 on penalties in the final in Cairo. Ivorian captain Didier Drogba missed the Elephants’ first penalty kick when his effort was saved by Essam Al Hadari as Egypt won the shootout following a goalless draw after extra time. Al Hadari was the hero of the night for the Egyptians when he also saved Ivory Coast’s third penalty by Bakary Kone. Drogba ended the match in tears, having missed a golden chance to win the game in the 79th minute when he fired over from close range before having his shootout penalty saved. Egypt triumphed after having a ‘goal’ disallowed for offside and missing a penalty — the award of which was described as scandalous by Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel.
Other important events
1720 - Sir Edmund Halley is appointed Great Britain’s second Astronomer Royal.
1763 - France cedes Canada and India to England as Treaty of Paris is signed, ending French and Indian War.
1811 - Russians capture Belgrade and Turkish army.
1817 - Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia agree to first reduction of occupation forces in France.
1840 - Britain’s Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg-Gotha.
1846 - British forces under Hugh Gough defeat Sikhs at Sobrahan, India.
1879 - Bulgaria’s first parliament opens in the town of Veliko Turnovo.
1933 - The first singing telegram is sung in the United States.
1981 - American journalist Cynthia Dwyer is released after nine months in an Iranian jail.
1991 - Lithuania votes for independence from USSR.
2000 - Ariana Airlines hijack ends in London after four days.
2002 - Israeli warplanes and helicopter gunships attack a Palestinian National Authority security compound and other targets in Gaza City, wounding more than 30 people.
2004 - A Kish Airlines plane crashes on the side of the road just three kilometres short of the Sharjah International Airport runway.
2009 - A container ship and a gas tanker collide off the coast of Dubai.
2013 - Nigeria wins the 2013 African Cup of Nations held in Johannesburg.
2014 - Nepal elects veteran politician Sushil Koirala as the new prime minister.
2015 - The Aam Aadmi Party wins an absolute majority by bagging 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly.
