2006 New Zealand bravery awards
The 2006 New Zealand bravery awards were announced via a special honours list on 14 October 2006, and recognised 15 people for acts of bravery between 2000 and 2005.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On 7 May 2005 at about 7.15 a.m., Constable Bennett was off duty and driving past 36 Cooper Street, in Dunedin, when he noticed that the house was on fire. He was advised by local residents that two children were still in the house and was shown their bedroom window. The room was thick with smoke and he could not see inside. Constable Bennett broke the glass, reached inside and could feel a child's body.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
He and a neighbour then broke the glass of a larger window and Constable Bennett put his upper body through the opening and dragged a boy to the window, where he handed him to two neighbours waiting outside. He then went back into the room, using a ground sheet to cover his mouth and nose, and had to feel his way around inside, as there was no visibility. Hearing a child moan, he moved towards the noise and located a girl wedged between a bed and the wall.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
He wrapped the child in the ground sheet, carried her to the window and handed her to a neighbour waiting outside. He was then told that the children's mother was also still inside. He left the house and went to a rear window and looked into another room full of smoke. Upon smashing the window, moaning could be heard from inside. Constable Bennett reached in and managed to drag a woman to the edge of the room before he was overcome by smoke.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Feeling sick and dizzy, and with the woman still inside the room, he returned to his vehicle where he got a mask so he could go inside to rescue her. At this point the Fire Brigade arrived, and Constable Bennett took a fireman to the window. The fireman entered, while Constable Bennett reached in from outside, and together they were able to lift the woman out through the window. By his exceptional bravery, Constable Bennett was able to effect the rescue of three people from the blazing building.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On 17 and 18 January 2005, there were riots at Yandina in the Solomon Islands during an industrial dispute. At the time of the riots, Sergeant Bertrand was a police constable with the acting rank of Senior Sergeant. On the first day (17 January), a group of protesters attempted to storm the police boat tying up at the wharf. Constable Bertrand led a small number of Royal Solomon Islands police officers to deal with this attack.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
She and her small group were heavily outnumbered but, despite being assaulted by a number of protesters, she was able to stand her ground and make an arrest while waiting for back-up. After the prisoner had been moved to the police station, the crowd attempted to storm the building to release the man and a two-hour struggle ensued before the mob was forced away. During the struggle, a number of women and children were pushed to the front of the crowd to prevent the police using pepper spray or baton charges to disperse them.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
With the young children in the front line, some of the men at the rear began using slingshots to fire stones at the police, some of which were large and thrown with such force they travelled more than 100 metres. Constable Bertrand took the risk of placing herself at the front to protect the children and calling upon those slinging stones to cease their activities. Her positive action and the respect the local population had for her encouraged the rock throwers to stop. The police present at this incident did not have protective equipment available to them.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
The next day (18 January), some 50 people attacked police lines in front of a ship that had arrived to load the local copra crop. Some of the crowd retreated leaving the ground open again for rocks to be thrown by slingshot at the police. Despite being struck on the leg by a rock, and receiving a significant injury, Constable Bertrand took a team of Royal Solomon Island police officers to the rear of the crowd in an attempt to deter the stone throwers and arrest those who continued to assault the police lines.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Her actions played a major part in temporarily restoring order. A little later, another group of about 50 strikers moved to the rear of the copra company's yard, destroyed the boundary fence and began stoning the workers inside. The police reserve group went to confront them and Constable Bertrand took the police vehicle from the police station and acted as a collection point for prisoners and the injured. The vehicle immediately came under attack, with the entire crowd turning against the police. Over 400 people were now attacking the police positions.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Constable Bertrand retreated to the police station and despite the risk, exposed herself to a hail of rocks in order to move to safety a group of children who had been sitting nearby. She then managed to get some protective equipment and led a Royal Solomon Island police team out to disperse the attackers. After 90 minutes of sustained action, the attackers were dispersed and order was restored. In a subsequent clean-up, more than 200 rocks were removed from the back lawn of the police station. Constable Bertrand distinguished herself with a number of acts of bravery during this very dangerous period.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On the afternoon of 28 November 2005, Pes Sia'atoutai Fa'aui, an environmental officer employed by the Waitakere City Council, was on duty in Railside Avenue, Henderson. Nearby, a man with a knife had stabbed and injured a sport shop owner, who had to flee his shop after receiving stab injuries to his back, stomach, arm and hand. The offender then crossed the road and fatally stabbed a 65-year-old man who was getting into his car. A police officer arrived on the scene and the offender advanced on him with the knife.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
The police officer repeatedly called on the man to stop but he continued to advance even after being shot three times from five shots fired at him by the officer. Witnesses describe the man increasing the determination of his advance on the police officer, who was retreating backwards. As the police officer was turning to evade his attacker, Mr Fa'aui tackled the offender from behind, hitting him with his right shoulder into his back, while bringing his right arm around his front.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
In doing so, he received deep cuts to a number of his fingers, which had come into contact with the knife. The tackle succeeded in knocking the offender to the ground, after which two other police officers who had just arrived on the scene were able to subdue and handcuff him. Mr Fa'aui's action prevented any further possibility of injury or death to others in the vicinity, including the police officer who had originally confronted the offender as well as the offender himself. Mr Fa'aui's act of exceptional bravery led to the arrest of a dangerous offender and possibly saved a police officer from serious injury.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On 21 January 2003, following a bizarre mutilation of two women in the Thames area, the offender fled to South Auckland. Once there, he shot and killed a man outside a cinema and restaurant complex, then left the scene in a motor vehicle. Sergeant Templeton, then Senior Constable, was on duty with his police dog nearby and came across the offender fleeing the scene. He reported the car and the circumstances to the Police Communications Centre, advising that he was pursuing the offender's car.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
When the offender realised that he was being pursued, he fired a number of shots from a semi-automatic weapon directly at Senior Constable Templeton and his vehicle, and several bullets hit the vehicle. Initially Senior Constable Templeton did not realise that he was being shot at, but once he did, he withdrew to what he considered to be a safe distance, while still reporting the offender's movements. Shortly afterwards, the offender slowed down and focused the laser telescopic sights of his firearm at Senior Constable Templeton's head and face and again fired shots at him.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Fortunately none of the shots hit the officer. By this time, other police were involved in the pursuit of the offender, who then fled a short distance before breaking into a house nearby and taking two adults hostage for a number of hours before surrendering to the Armed Offenders Squad and Hostage Negotiation Team. An investigation of the incident has since determined that Senior Constable Templeton was shot at on four separate occasions and that one of the bullets had hit his vehicle on the sill below the driver's door, very close to where he had been sitting. Senior Constable Templeton has also displayed bravery on other occasions.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On 17 and 18 January 2005, there was a riot at Yandina in the Solomon Islands during an industrial dispute. On 17 January, Constable Ngakina Jane Bertrand had been assaulted during an incident and Sergeant White, then an acting inspector, together with another officer went to her assistance, using pepper spray to force a number of strikers to withdraw. They were punched and kicked while doing so. An arrested person was placed in the police cells after which some 300 angry strikers attempted to storm the police station.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
After several hours of skirmishing with the strikers, the latter were pushed back to the market area and talked into staying there to allow the police to process the prisoner, who was bailed once calm had been restored. The following day (18 January) at about 10.30 a.m., large rocks were propelled at police lines, which were preventing access to the wharf area where copra was being loaded. Peace was restored temporarily but a riot developed at about 11.30 a.m. police lines were attacked, as was the police station.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Every police officer present received injuries from rocks and one Royal Solomon Island police member received a large rock though his shield and helmet visor, which knocked him out, broke his nose and cut his forehead. Tear gas and pepper spray were both deployed at this stage, with some 500 rioters being present. By 3.30 p.m., the rioters had been pushed back from the police station and the ship had departed, however the police by now had no more tear gas and were low on pepper spray.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On 19 January, a list of identifiable offenders was compiled and arrests were made, resulting in some 150 strikers coming back to confront the police station. After a long stand-off and some negotiations, a number of people gave themselves up to police and by early afternoon the number of arrests had risen to 57.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
These prisoners were successfully removed from Yandina, after which the police spent the rest of the day out in the community talking to people, trying to settle the situation down to ensure their own safety, the safety of the local Royal Solomon Island police members and those workers who had tried to load the ship. Throughout these incidents, Sergeant White displayed exceptional bravery and leadership in the face of an overwhelming number of rioters armed with slingshots and rocks.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
He co-ordinated defensive positions as well as leading repeated forays made up of untrained Royal Solomon Island police personnel against the rioters, in efforts to disperse them. His leadership, determination and resolve over the two days of rioting led to the successful quelling of the riots and the arrest of over 50 offenders. The police response was undertaken with very limited manpower and resources, without respite for rest or replenishment and in circumstances which had the potential for the loss of life.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On the evening of 3 June 2004, Sergeant Blakeman was the winchperson in the crew of an Iroquois helicopter that had been tasked to assist with the evacuation of a Royal Australian Navy seaman who had suffered serious spinal injuries after falling down a ravine on the Florida Islands, part of the Solomon Islands group. The crew had been flying for over three hours, in low cloud and torrential rain, by the time they finally positioned over the rescue site in the evening to rescue the seaman.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
As Sergeant Blakeman was lowered on the winch wire, visibility reduced markedly when the helicopter rotors sucked down the thin layer of cloud from above, such that the winch operator in the helicopter could see neither the ground nor Sergeant Blakeman on the wire, only the treetops. The winch operation was continued with Sergeant Blakeman passing through a gap in the 65 metre high treetops, amidst broken branches, until he reached the ground some 75 metres below the helicopter. This was almost at the full extent of the winch cable.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Sergeant Blakeman first supervised the winch recovery of the doctor, an activity which was made difficult by the lack of direct communication with the helicopter. Through relaying radio directions through HMAS Tarakan, which was anchored nearby, Sergeant Blakeman was able to effect the doctor’s recovery and then directed his attention to the injured seaman, who he assisted into a stokes litter. He then accompanied the injured seaman as they were winched up to the helicopter.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
During the ascent they were exposed to the hazards presented by darkness, bad weather, poor communications with the helicopter crew and the distance to the helicopter. The hazards were further compounded when Sergeant Blakeman and the stretcher-bound casualty began to spin rapidly for much of the ascent through the trees, until reaching the helicopter. Sergeant Blakeman was well aware of the significant risk that this rescue posed to him personally.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Had the helicopter crew lost visual reference or been unable to maintain a stable hover, the winch cable might have had to be cut and he would most likely have been killed. Despite the risk, he conducted his duties calmly and professionally, and his actions were central to the safe recovery of the injured seaman.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 25 September 2000, John Painting and his son Matthew were tramping in the Kaimanawa Ranges. At an altitude of almost 1,500 metres (5,000 feet), they were caught in what was later reported as a “50 year storm” with freezing temperatures, 70 knot winds and blizzard conditions. They were found by chance in a distressed condition and suffering from hypothermia by Brian Pickering, who was on the first day of a six-day journey into the Kaimanawa Forest Park.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Using his skill and experience, Mr Pickering positioned the two men below the track, placed them in their sleeping bags and gave them food. He tried to wrap them with a tent to shield them from the driving wind. He then dialled 111 on his cell phone and alerted the police to the situation. A Search and Rescue Team was activated but not able to be deployed until well after dark.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Access to the Kaimanawa Range begins from a road end at an altitude of 680 metres, and then climbs sharply for a distance of five kilometres to the tree line at an altitude of 1,330 metres. The “lost party” was a further 5.5 kilometres across the open tops of the range. These tops are rock and pumice with sparse tussock cover, and totally open to the elements.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The first team to reach the tree line spent some time attempting to cross the open tops of the range, but soon became so physically exhausted by the extreme weather conditions, that they were forced to turn back to shelter at the tree line. A second search team, consisting of Kerry Charles Palmer, the team leader, Shaun Bruce Campbell and Hugo Johannes Josephus Verhagen were deployed some time later. After three hours walking in the dark to the tree line, they ventured onto the open tops before daylight.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
There they struck extreme conditions, with the wind at a right angle to the ridge and blowing at approximately 70 knots. The wind was so strong that it made breathing very difficult. There was snow underfoot except for short distances where it had been blown off exposed parts of the track. Much of the snow was knee deep and progress required “plunging” foot holes. Mr Verhagen was blown over several times and on one occasion was blown into a small crevasse and had to be assisted out by the other two members of his team.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
At times the group had to hold each other in a huddle to avoid being blown over. After traversing approximately three kilometres along the open tops, the trio had to reconsider their position as they had doubts as to their ability to reach the stranded trampers in the extreme conditions. They decided to continue as they knew that there was a strong possibility one or more of the “lost party” might die without further assistance. On reaching the lost trampers, they found that Mr Painting was in poor condition, although his son and Mr Pickering were in somewhat better condition.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
They were in a shallow hollow out of the wind, but otherwise in the open. They were wrapped in plastic sheets and sleeping bags which was the only material available. The team immediately set about erecting shelter, provided hot food and drinks and then helped Mr Painting and his son into warm clothes. Some three hours later a third search team arrived on the scene and once the group was fit to move, the campsite was moved to a more sheltered spot.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
By mid-afternoon, the wind lessened and the three members of the second search team were able to walk out and return to their base. Other search and rescue personnel remained with the trampers as the latter were not in a fit state to move and the weather was still too bad for a helicopter rescue that day. They also knew that there may well be only a short window in the weather in which to make the helicopter pick-up and only those personnel that could fit into one helicopter lift could safely remain at the rescue site.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
These personnel spent another night out and were recovered by the helicopter the following morning. Although the actions of Mr Pickering had initially saved the lives of Mr Painting and his son, it is doubtful if his efforts, without adequate equipment, would have been enough to keep Mr Painting alive for the further 22 hours before rescue occurred. The efforts of the second search and rescue team probably saved the lives of Mr Painting and his son, and Mr Pickering. Note to citation: In January 2005, Mr Pickering was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration for his part in this rescue. The three members of the first search team were each awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal for their unsuccessful rescue attempt.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On the morning of 16 August 2004, Able Hydrographic Systems Operator (AHSO) Durrant and Able Chef Job were in a group of 22 members of the ship’s company of HMNZS Endeavour undertaking a routine lifeboat drill in Sydney Harbour. As the lifeboat was about to be lowered into the water, it suddenly released from the lifeboat launch system and plunged 10 metres into the water. On the way it struck the ship’s side, turned over and landed in the water upside down. During the course of this violent descent, AHSO Durrant suffered severe lacerations to his head and face.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Able Chef Job suffered a significant impact to his chest, a laceration to his face and bruising to his left leg. Both were shaken from being tossed around in the falling craft as well as suffering from their injuries. In the face of considerable danger and confusion, however, both men coolly and deliberately remained in the upturned lifeboat, ensured that all the occupants had made their escape and no-one had been left behind.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
They then made their own escape by which time the exit hatch of the lifeboat had become submerged, the glass window had broken, water was pouring into the boat and there was a danger of becoming trapped inside. Nevertheless, they remained calm throughout. Once clear of the boat, they made their way to safety. Afterwards, both men elected to re-enter the water to assist with the recovery of other members of the crew. By ensuring the safety of other crew members ahead of their own, AHSO Durrant and Able Chef Job displayed considerable bravery and may possibly have saved the lives of several of their ship-mates, who could have been trapped as the lifeboat filled with water.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 22 August 2005 sometime after 1.00 p.m., a young woman was working alone at the Shell Service Station in Atkinson Avenue, Otahuhu. A man who had recently formed a relationship with her arrived at the station and placed an LPG cylinder outside the front door. He then bought petrol for another person who had taken him to the service station. He walked away from the shop, returning shortly afterwards, collected the gas cylinder and walked inside.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
He placed the cylinder on the floor at the end of the counter where the woman was working and an argument then ensued between them, which developed into a struggle. The woman tried to run outside but the man, while holding a packet of matches in his hand, blocked her path. He then closed the front doors. A member of the public arrived and saw the doors closed, and witnessed the young woman screaming as she struggled with the offender.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
She was dragged to the location of the LPG cylinder and, after trying to get away several times, was finally overpowered and pulled back by the hair, at which time she fell backwards into the ice cream refrigerator. She was then forced back to the place where the LPG cylinder was located. At that point, she was engulfed in a ball of flame to the top half of her body, head and face, while the offender received some burns to his face and left hand, before he leapt over the counter to make his escape.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The young woman then crawled out of the shop and collapsed on the forecourt outside, with the flames still burning fiercely. Some passers-by, including Kali Peaua Fungavaka, saw what had occurred. Mr Fungavaka wet his jumper under a tap and tried to extinguish the flames that were burning the young woman. When this was unsuccessful, he entered the shop and got a fire extinguisher, which was beside the gas cylinder. This was burning and flames were coming from its nozzle.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Using the extinguisher, he was able to extinguish the flames burning the young woman after which he re-entered the shop and extinguished the fire inside, despite the fact that the shop was filling with smoke. The young women subsequently died of multiple burns. Mr Fungavaka displayed bravery in retrieving the fire extinguisher from the shop in order to attempt to save the life of the young woman. He also extinguished a fire which posed a danger to himself and to five other members of the public who were present by that time.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On the afternoon of 17 January 2004, Staff Sergeant Palmer and his family were visiting Himatangi Beach. At about 2.30 p.m., he heard calls for help and saw a young boy and an adult male in difficulties about 50 metres off-shore and about one kilometre south of the flagged area of the beach. Despite a strong undertow, and at considerable risk to himself, he swam about 150 metres before reaching the pair.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
As both the man and the boy, who was 7 years old, appeared calm, Staff Sergeant Palmer took hold of the boy and began swimming with him back to shore, assuming that the man would follow. Having safely reached the beach with the boy, he discovered that the man had disappeared among the large waves. At this stage, local lifeguards appeared on the scene. Although he was exhausted by his earlier swim in very difficult conditions, he assisted the lifeguards on their safety boat in an unsuccessful attempt to find the man. A police investigation into the tragedy states that, had it not been for Staff Sergeant Palmer’s prompt action and in putting his own life at risk, two people would have lost their lives.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On the evening of 3 June 2004, Squadron Leader Sexton was captain of an Iroquois helicopter tasked to assist with the rescue of a Royal Australian Navy seaman, who had suffered serious spinal injuries after falling down a ravine on the Florida Islands, part of the Solomon Islands group. Attempts by others to complete a rescue in daylight had been unsuccessful, but because of the critical nature of the seaman’s injuries and the inability to rescue him by land, Squadron Leader Sexton decided to make a further rescue attempt at night.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Despite having to negotiate darkness, low cloud and torrential rain, which forced him to turn back a number of times, he managed to reach the rescue party on the ground at a site beneath 65 metre trees on a plateau 200 metres above the coast. After the crew had commenced winching a crewman down through a small clearing in the forest canopy, visibility reduced markedly when the aircraft rotors sucked down the thin layer of cloud from above. This meant that the crew could see neither the ground, nor the crewman on the wire; only the treetops.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Despite only being able to determine the situation on the ground through radio transmissions, which were relayed by the co-pilot through HMAS Tarakan anchored nearby, Squadron Leader Sexton calmly directed the crew during the recovery. While undertaking the recovery, he maintained the helicopter in a steady hover 75 metres above the rescue site, despite having very poor visual references, low cloud and rain, and while using night vision equipment. During the course of this hazardous rescue, Squadron Leader Sexton also capably handled the loss of communications with the winch operator on two occasions.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
In the face of the most trying conditions, and having acknowledged the risk that was required to effect the rescue, Squadron Leader Sexton then managed that risk most professionally. His cool demeanour throughout the operation, despite the risk to himself and his crew, was pivotal to the success of his crew in recovering the injured seaman to the aircraft and subsequently to a medical facility. Throughout this rescue mission, Squadron Leader Sexton demonstrated bravery as well as flying skills and leadership of the highest order.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On Saturday 12 November 2005 at 9.40 p.m., an 18-year-old woman was walking along a Nelson street when she was dragged into a nearby vehicle by an offender. Her screams alerted Joan Diane Taylor, aged 62, and her husband, who were inside their house nearby. Mrs Taylor approached the car and demanded that the offender let the women go. She was not put off by an explanation that the woman was injured and told the offender that the police and ambulance had been called. She then repeated her demand that the offender let the woman go.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
This distracted the offender and his victim was able to run from the car into the Taylor’s house, followed by Mr Taylor. As Mrs Taylor turned to follow them she was attacked by the offender, who heard her telling her husband the licence plate number of his car, so as to pass it on to the police. Mrs Taylor was struck on the back of the head, the blow causing her to collapse onto her driveway. As she did so, she hit her head against the ground, splitting her head open.


2006 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The offender left the area on foot but was later apprehended when he returned to collect his car. He has since been sentenced to four years and five months’ imprisonment for abduction, assault with intent to commit sexual violation and injuring with intent. Found in his car at the time of the incident were a pair of handcuffs, a balaclava and a length of rope. Mrs Taylor’s bravery and persistence probably saved the young woman from serious injury and possibly death at the hands of her attacker.


2006 New Zealand budget
The New Zealand budget for fiscal year 2006–2007 was presented to the New Zealand House of Representatives by Finance Minister Dr Michael Cullen on 18 May 2006.


2006 New Zealand budget
This was the seventh budget Michael Cullen has presented as Minister of Finance.


2006 New Zealand budget
The budget allocated an operating spending of $6 billion and capital of $2.7 billion over the preceding four years.


2006 New Zealand budget, Reception
Cullen's guiding principle was, he stated, "The fool who spends on the upturn will find himself broke on the downturn".


2006 New Zealand budget, Reception
It has been labelled as the "Bondi Budget" by National party leader Dr Don Brash. Brash stated "Helen Clark and Michael Cullen believe there is a place for tax cuts – it's called Australia".


2006 New Zealand rugby league season
The 2006 New Zealand rugby league season was the 99th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the seventh season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Auckland Lions won the Cup by defeating the Canterbury Bulls 25–18 in the Grand Final.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
The New Zealand national rugby league team co-hosted the Tri-Nations with Australia. Three tests were played in New Zealand; with the Kiwis defeating Great Britain 18–14 in Christchurch and 34–4 in Wellington and losing to Australia 18–30 in Auckland. New Zealand lost the final, which was played in Sydney, 16–12 to Australia after Golden Point extra time. The first win against Great Britain was discounted after it was discovered that Nathan Fien was ineligible to play for New Zealand.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
Coached by Brian McClennan, for the Tri-Nations New Zealand included; Roy Asotasi, Adam Blair, Jason and Nathan Cayless, David Fa'alogo, Nathan Fien, Dene Halatau, Shontayne Hape, Stacey Jones, David Kidwell, Simon Mannering, Steve Matai, Frank Pritchard, Tony Puletua, Jerome Ropati, Iosia Soliola, Motu Tony, Tame Tupou, Nigel Vagana, Manu Vatuvei, Brent Webb and captain Ruben Wiki.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
Earlier in the year New Zealand had lost the ANZAC Test 12-50 to Australia and lost to Great Britain 14–46 in a June Test match. Jake Webster, Paul Whatuira, Thomas Leuluai, Sonny Bill Williams, Benji Marshall and David Faiumu all appeared in the ANZAC Test but did not make the Tri-Nations squad. Lesley Vainikolo, Willie Talau, Henry Fa'afili, Ben Roberts, Alex Chan, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Ali Lauiti'iti, David Solomona, Robbie Paul, Harrison Hansen and Monty Betham all appeared in the Great Britain Test but did not make the Tri-Nations squad. Clinton Toopi and Louis Anderson appeared in both mid-season Test matches but did not make the Tri-Nations squad.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
During the Tri-Nations the Kiwis played a New Zealand Residents side in Greymouth and defeated them 34–4. The Residents team included Corey Lawrie, Shane Beyers, David Fisi'iahi, Cliff Beverley, Julian O'Neill, Sala Fa'alogo, Cooper Vuna, George Tuakura and Wayne McDade. Earlier in the year the Residents had hosted a Trans Tasman Quadrangular Series, winning the final against Country 32–18. The Queensland Rangers, New South Wales Country and Jim Beam Cup side all came to New Zealand for the tournament. The Residents side for the tournament included Steve Buckingham, Sala Fa'alogo, Sonny Fai, Fabian Soutar and Miguel Start. The side was coached by David Lomax who was assisted by Sam Panapa.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
Auckland hosted the 2006 Pacific Cup, which was won by Tonga. New Zealand Māori finished third. The Māori had already defeated Fiji in a January test match. Later in the season the New Zealand Māori team toured the Cook Islands, losing a three match series 2–1. The New Zealand Māori side was coached by Dean Clark and included Paul Atkins, Jeremiah Pai and Steve Skinnon. Kevin Tamati coached the team in the January match, which included Luke Goodwin.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup
The 2006 Bartercard Cup was the seventh season of the Bartercard Cup competition run by the New Zealand Rugby League. This season saw substantial change for the Cup as the number of clubs was reduced for the 2006 season from 12 to 10. The New Zealand Rugby League also decided to move towards a franchise model. As a result, there was a large number of clubs affected and all Auckland franchises were reviewed.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup
The major changes were; the Harbour League replaced the Hibiscus Coast Raiders and the North Harbour Tigers, the Waitakere Rangers replaced the Glenora Bears to represent all of Waitakere City, the Auckland Lions replaced the Mt Albert Lions and the Marist Richmond Brothers, the Tamaki Leopards replaced the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards and the Eastern Tornadoes and the Northern Storm were formed, to represent Northland. In addition the Wellington Franchise adopted the nickname the Orcas in support of the Southern Orcas National Rugby League bid.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup
One game a week was shifted to a Monday night and played live on Māori Television.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup, The Playoffs
The playoff system used was the McIntyre Final Five System. This meant that:


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup, National First Division
Auckland won the National First Division championship. They were coached by Sam Panapa and defeated Wellington 32–14 in the final at Wise Park. Canterbury and Waikato also competed. The squads were limited to players that had played less than three Bartercard Cup matches that season.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, Australian competitions
The New Zealand Warriors competed in the National Rugby League competition. They finished 10th out of 15 teams and failed to make the playoffs.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Auckland
The Mount Albert Lions won the Fox Memorial trophy, the Rukutai Shield (minor premiership) and the Roope Rooster. The Lions defeated the Papakura Sea Eagles, 49–6, in the final. Mangere East Hawks won the Stormont Shield.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Auckland
The Manurewa Marlins won the Sharman Cup (Division Two) while Hibiscus Coast won the Phelan Shield (Division Three).


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Other Competitions
Turangawaewae defeated the Pikiao Warriors in the Waicoa Bay championship.


2006 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Other Competitions
The Paikea Whalers defeated EITSA 42-18 to win the Eastern Alliance championship.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour
The 2006 New Zealand rugby union tour of Argentina and Europe was a series of matches played in June 2006 in Argentina and in November in England France and Wales by New Zealand national rugby union team, that won all five match


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Argentina
One match played in June in Argentina: the All Blacks came from behind at half-time to defeat Argentina at José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires. The All Blacks had just completed a two to nil test series win over Ireland, and Argentina had were also coming off a two test series win, over Wales. 15 of New Zealand's 25 points came from Daniel Carter.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Argentina
Argentina moved to an early lead with Federico Todeschini kicking a penalty goal after five minutes of play. The scores were levelled by Daniel Carter in the 9th minute with a penalty goal for New Zealand. Full -back Leon MacDonald scored the first try of the match to put the All Blacks in front. A successful penalty goal by Todeschini in the 18th minute narrowed the All Blacks' lead. Argentina moved in front with a try to Martin Durand in the 20th minute, with Todeschini adding the conversion.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Argentina
Argentina's lead was extended with another successful penalty goal by Todeschini in the 29th minute. The All Blacks were able to fight back in the remaining ten minutes of the first half, with a try to Carter in the 30th minute, which he also converted. Argentina entered half-time, leading 16 to 15.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Argentina
The All Blacks picked up where they left off in the latter stages of the first half, with a try to Scott Hamilton eight minutes into the second half, which was converted by Carter. Todeschini was successful with penalty goal in the 52nd minute, as was Carter for the All Blacks five minutes later. Two yellow cards were given out during the last fifteen minutes of the game with Jose Nunez Piossek of Argentina getting the first, and All Blacks' try scorer McDonald getting one a few minutes later. The score remained 25 to 19 through to the end of the match to see the All Blacks hold onto the win.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Europe, First test: England
After the victory in the 2006 Tri Nations, the All Blacks unbeaten in 2006, came in Europe to play four test, with England, France (2 test) and Wales.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Europe, First test: England
In the first match against England, the All Blacks won easily. humbling the British with their heavy defeat in a match played at home.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Europe, First test: England
Man of the match was Dan Carter, that kick 21 points and managed very well the offensive play of All Blacks


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Europe, Second test: France
In the first of two test against France, New Zealand won easily with 6 tries to nil.


2006 New Zealand rugby union tour, In Europe, Third Test: France
The story was the same in the revenge match when France, obtain only the result to score a try and limit the score.


2006 Newark mayoral election
The 2006 election for Mayor of Newark took place in Newark, the most populous city in the state of New Jersey, on May 9, 2006. Newark is organized under the Faulkner Act. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark were held the same day. A runoff election, if necessary, would have taken place. Elections in the city are non-partisan and candidates are not listed by political party.


2006 Newark mayoral election
Incumbent Sharpe James did not run. Ronald L. Rice, State Senator since 1986  for 28th Legislative District, and Municipal Council member Cory Booker were the main candidates in the field of four. Booker won with 72% of the vote, thus precluding run-off. Rice, the runner-up, received 23%.


2006 Newark mayoral election, Candidates
On March 27, 2006, James announced that he would not seek a sixth term, preferring to focus on his seat in the New Jersey Senate.


2006 Newark mayoral election, Candidates
On March 6, 2006, Rice entered the mayoral race again, noting "that Mayor James had encouraged him to run but noted that if the mayor decided to join the race, his candidacy could change."


2006 Newark mayoral election, Candidates
Booker had become municipal council member in 1998. He run and lost in the 2002 mayoral election, his campaign for which is the subject of the 2005 documentary Street Fight. Booker was re-elected in the 2010 election. After winning the October 16 special election for U.S. Senator Booker resigned as mayor and was sworn in on October 31, 2013 as the junior U.S. Senator from New Jersey. In 2019, he mounted a campaign to participate in 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.


2006 Newcastle Knights season
The 2006 Newcastle Knights season was the 19th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2006 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 4th (out of 15), reaching the semi-finals only to be knocked out by eventual premiers, the Brisbane Broncos.


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
The 2006 season was dominated early by news that coaches Michael Hagan and Brian Smith, who were coaching the Knights and the Parramatta Eels respectively at the time, were to swap clubs from the 2007 season onwards. Coincidentally, this news also dominated prior to their round one meeting in Newcastle, which the Knights won 25-6 (exacting revenge following Parramatta's 50–0 win last year).


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
On the field, the season was a massive improvement from the 2005 season which netted just eight wins. The Knights were unbeaten after round three and were early-season joint competition leaders with North Queensland and Penrith. Following a hiccup in round four against the New Zealand Warriors, the Knights headed down to Wollongong and thrashed the St. George Illawarra Dragons 54–6; therefore exacting revenge following the Dragons' 48–2 win in 2004 (the first match for Newcastle since Andrew Johns suffered a season-ending knee injury that year).


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
Then came the much anticipated, top-of-the-ladder showdown against the Cowboys pitting Johns against 2005 Dally M Medallist Johnathan Thurston. Unfortuately, Newcastle lost by just 18–16, and Johns was injured yet again. His absence was evident in Newcastle's 52-6 hammering in Melbourne the following week, but wins followed over the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Brisbane Broncos, putting Newcastle's season back on track. The win over the Broncos was achieved two days after Lockyer and Johns played as Australia's halves pairing for the final time.


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
During the State of Origin period Newcastle suffered a form slump; losing seven of eight matches with a bye sandwiched in between. However, unlike previous years when Michael Hagan was unavailable due to his Queensland Origin commitments, he was fully in charge of the Newcastle team during this period.


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
Andrew Johns broke the NRL all-time pointscoring record (since broken again by Hazem El Masri) previously held by Jason Taylor, against the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium in round 18. Coincidentally, Taylor was the Eels relieving coach at the time; but at the conclusion of the match Johns ignored Taylor and the match ball as a commemoration; the possibility being the nature of Newcastle's 46–12 defeat.


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
Newcastle finished fourth at the end of the regular season, an 11-place improvement from the previous season. They were drawn a home final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles whom the Knights defeated in the famous 1997 ARL Grand Final nine years earlier.


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
Despite trailing 18–6 at halftime, the Knights won its first final since their 2001 Grand Final victory by winning 25–18, but the win came at a cost with hooker Danny Buderus suspended for a spear tackle on Manly winger Michael Robertson, ruling him out of Newcastle's following final against the Brisbane Broncos in what was the last ever Johns vs. Lockyer showdown. The Knights lost 50–6, ending Newcastle's season of improvement.


2006 Newcastle Knights season, Season summary
Overall, Newcastle defeated every team in the top eight except for the first-placed Melbourne Storm.


2006 Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council election
Elections to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council were held on 4 May 2006. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring
Two separate but interlocking child pornography and prostitution rings operating out of fast food restaurants in Newfoundland said by police investigators to have abused "dozens" of girls were broken up in 2006. The investigation, named "Operation Rescue", was carried out jointly by the  Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and the Newfoundland Child, Youth and Family Services Department.


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring, Newman case
Shawn James Newman (32) of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison. Newman was charged with having "made, printed, published or possessed child pornography for the purpose of publishing."


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring, Newman case
After a series of appeals, Newman was ordered to report to Her Majesty's Penitentiary on June 20th, 2009. That same day, he was found dead at his home of undisclosed causes.


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring, Shabak case
In a separate case, Mehnad Mahmoud Shablak (32), of St. John's, Newfoundland, a Kuwaiti-Canadian, was charged with making and owning child pornography. Shabak met his victims at the Big Bite Pizza shop.


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring, Shabak case
At a trial, Shablak pled guilty to eight counts involving making and owning child pornography, six charges of making child pornography and two counts of owning it. Shablak admitted to paying six girls— who were all between 13 and 16 at the time— with money or drugs. On one occasion, he gave a girl some pizza and soda.


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring, Shabak case
Shablak was released following his trial with the judge ruling that the 11 months served in custody while awaiting trial was sufficient. The judge counselled him to pursue an occupation at sea, and he has not been heard from since.


2006 Newfoundland child pornography ring, Aftermath
Following the trial, a survivor of Shablak's abuse known as "Sarah" - whose identity had been concealed under the Criminal Code as she was a minor when the abuse took place — has begun a campaign to allow her identity to be revealed in public. The woman making her claims on CBC Radio show The Current claims she has nothing to be ashamed of and has the "right to be named". A feature story published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation explored the impact of Shabak's abuse of very young girls on his victims.


2006 Newham London Borough Council election
Elections to Newham London Borough Council in London, England were held on 4 May 2006. The whole council, including the directly elected mayor, was up for election for the first time since the 2002 election. The Labour Party maintained control of the council.


2006 Newham London Borough Council election, Background
A total of 237 candidates stood in the election for the 60 seats being contested across 20 wards. Candidates included a full slate from the Labour party (as had been the case at every election since the borough council had been formed in 1964), whilst the Conservative party also ran a full slate and the Liberal Democrats ran 10 candidates. Respect, running for the first time, also ran a full slate. Other candidates running were 12 Greens, 29 Christian Peoples Alliance, and 6 Independents.


2006 Newham London Borough Council election, By-elections between 2006 and 2010, Royal Docks
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr Simon P. Tucker.


2006 Next Generation Adelaide International
The 2006 Next Generation Adelaide International was an ATP tournament held in Adelaide, Australia. The tournament was held 2 – 8 January 2006.


2006 Next Generation Adelaide International, Finals, Doubles
Jonathan Erlich /  Andy Ram defeated  Paul Hanley /  Kevin Ullyett, 7–6, 7–6


2006 Next Generation Adelaide International – Doubles
Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram defeated Paul Hanley and Kevin Ullyett 7–6(7–4), 7–6(12–10) to secure the title.


2006 Next Generation Adelaide International – Singles
Florent Serra defeated Xavier Malisse, 6–3, 6–4 to win the 2006 Next Generation Adelaide International men's singles competition. Joachim Johansson was the defending champion.


2006 Nicaraguan general election
General elections were held in Nicaragua on November 5, 2006. The country's voters went to the polls to elect a new President of the Republic and 90 members of the National Assembly, all of whom will serve five-year terms. Daniel Ortega (FSLN) won the race with 37.99% of the vote, Eduardo Montealegre (ALN) trailing with 28.30%, José Rizo (PLC) with 27.1%, Edmundo Jarquín (MRS) with 6.29%, and Edén Pastora (AC) with just 0.29%.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background
Right-wing political parties have dominated Nicaraguan politics since independence in 1838. From the times of the antagonical Democratic and Legitimist parties, the Liberals and Conservatives have succeeded each other in the government with the exception of the Sandinista rule from 1979 to 1990.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background
This two-party system, with two dominant political parties, has survived until our days with the difference that the two rival forces today are the FSLN and the self-appointed Democratic Forces (anti-Sandinistas).


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background
In the last 16 years, the National Opposition Union (UNO) in 1990, the Liberal Alliance (AL) in 1996 and the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) in 2001 have all defeated the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) candidate Daniel Ortega in three consecutive presidential elections.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background
The current electoral scene could be the end of the bipartite scheme as the anti-Sandinista forces split into two major political alliances: the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (ALN) and the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC). The Sandinista forces are also running divided, as the dissident Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) is pulling a significant number of the moderated Sandinista and independent votes.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background, Electoral reforms in 2000
The electoral reforms introduced in January 2000, as a result of the pact between the PLC and the FSLN, established new rules for the contending parties in the elections.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background, Electoral reforms in 2000
The required percentages to win the Presidential Election was reduced from 45 to 40 percent. The electoral law states that a participating candidate must obtain a relative majority of at least 40 percent of the vote to win a presidential election. However, a candidate may win by obtaining at least 35 percent of the vote, with at least a five percent margin over the second-place finisher. The law also established a second-round runoff election if none of the candidates won in the first round.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Background, Electoral reforms in 2000
In addition, a party could also lose its legal status if it obtains less than 4 percent of the votes in the general elections.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Alternative for Change
Edén Pastora, the former Sandinista Deputy Defense Minister (1979–1981), was the presidential candidate for the Nicaraguan Democratic Action Party (PAD) in 1996. The Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) barred him from running for the presidency on the grounds that he had Costa Rican nationality. In the 2004 municipal elections, Pastora was running for mayor of Managua on the Independent Liberal Party's ticket. Pastora got less than 5% of the votes.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Alternative for Change
Mercedes Tenorio, a Nicaraguan nurse, is Pastora's running mate. Tenorio was an active member of the Sandinista Health Workers' Federation (FETSALUD).


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Constitutionalist Liberal Party
José Rizo, co-founder of the PLC, and his running mate José Antonio Alvarado, who were also citizens of Chile and the United States, respectively, were prohibited from participating in the 1996 elections by the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE). In 1997, under the government of Arnoldo Alemán, Rizo was appointed president of the Nicaraguan Institute for Municipal Development (INIFOM). After the reforms to the Electoral Law in year 2000, part of the pact between the PLC and the FSLN, Rizo was able to contest the 2001 elections where he was elected vice-president, running on the PLC ticket.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Constitutionalist Liberal Party
José Antonio Alvarado, one of the founders of the PLC, and later expelled from it for his dissidence to Alemán, held various ministerial portfolios during both the Alemán and Bolaños administration. Like his running mate, the CSE excluded him from participating in the 2001 elections as the vice-presidential candidate of the Conservative Party. In late August 2005, Eduardo Montealegre, the ALN's presidential candidate, invited Alvarado to join him as his vice-president. Alvarado was elected the presidential candidate of the Alliance for the Republic (APRE) in the primaries held in May 2006 with about 82% of the votes. Shortly after APRE joined the ALN alliance and Alvarado went back to the PLC.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance
Eduardo Montealegre, a former banker and economist, is the youngest and wealthiest of the five candidates. Like Alvarado, he held various ministerial portfolios during both the Alemán and Bolaños administration, including Foreign Minister with Alemán and Treasury Minister under Bolaños government. After his expulsion from the PLC he founded the ALN together with other dissidents. Montealgre's adversaries have criticized him for his involvement in the CENI bond operation – now a substantial part of the domestic debt – after several banks got into financial problems due to fraudulent practices over the course of 1999-2001.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance
Fabricio Cajina, an agricultural producer, was the Conservative mayor of San José de los Remates (2000–2004) in the department of Boaco.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Sandinista National Liberation Front
Daniel Ortega, coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction (1979–1985), ascended to the presidency after the 1984 elections. Ortega, general secretary of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, was President of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990 and presidential candidate of the FSLN in 1990, 1996, 2001 and 2006. Prominent Sandinista leaders have left the party or have been expelled for dissenting to Ortega's power. Despite all, Ortega is pulling in first place in the polls.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Sandinista National Liberation Front
Jaime Morales Carazo, the civilian chief of the Contras in the 1980s and Alemán's right-hand man for many years, was one of the founders of the PLC and liberal legislator in the National Assembly until 2006. Morales Carazo began to distance himself politically from Alemán and the PLC once Bolaños came to office and launched his “war on corruption.”


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Sandinista Renovation Movement
Edmundo Jarquín was the MRS vice-presidential candidate. He took over as presidential candidate after the initial nominee, Herty Lewites, died suddenly of a heart attack on 3 July 2006. Jarquín founded in 1974, together with Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, editor of newspaper La Prensa, the Democratic Liberation Union (UDEL) in the struggle against the Somoza regime. Jarquín was head of the Ministry of Foreign Cooperation between 1981–84 and ambassador to Mexico (1984–88) and to Spain (1988–1990). In the 1990 elections he gained a seat in the National Assembly. Jarquín worked as an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) official from 1992 to 2005 when he resigned and joined the MRS electoral alliance.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Presidential candidates, Sandinista Renovation Movement
Carlos Mejía Godoy is an internationally known and popular Nicaraguan singer-songwriter who  stepped in as the vice-presidential candidate after Lewites died. Mejía Godoy is the father of Camilo Mejía, one of the most famous conscientious objectors to the US war in Iraq.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Contending parties and electoral alliances, Alternative for Change
The Alternative for Change (Spanish: Alternativa por el Cambio - AC) was part of the MRS Alliance for a few months, but decided to go alone to the elections with presidential candidate Edén Pastora. Alternative for Change was founded by dissidents from the Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path (CCN) and a few stray Sandinistas, which first went under the name Christian Alternative led by former Sandinista legislator Orlando Tardencilla.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Contending parties and electoral alliances, Constitutionalist Liberal Party
The Constitutionalist Liberal Party (Spanish: Partido Liberal Constitucionalista - PLC) is in alliance with the Worker's Permanent Congress (CPT), a civil organisation formed around several smaller parties, labor unions and political movements.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Contending parties and electoral alliances, Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance
The Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (Spanish: Alianza Liberal Nicaragüense - ALN) is formed by dissidents of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party and the Conservative Party (PC), Alliance for the Republic (APRE), Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN) and the Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path (CCN).


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Contending parties and electoral alliances, Sandinista National Liberation Front
After the break-up of the FSLN-Convergence alliance in 2005, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (Spanish: Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional - FSLN) formed the United Nicaragua Triumphs alliance. The allied political forces of the FSLN are; Yapti Tasba Masraka Nanih Aslatakanka (YATAMA), the indigenous party from Nicaragua's Caribbean coast, Christian Democratic Union (UDC), Christian Unity Movement (MUC), Popular Conservative Alliance (APC) and a few smaller organisations of dissidents from the Liberal and Conservative Party and a fraction of members from the Nicaraguan Resistance Party, including members of the PLN, Somoza's Liberal Party.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Contending parties and electoral alliances, Sandinista Renovation Movement
The Sandinista Renovation Movement (Spanish: Movimiento de Renovación Sandinista - MRS), also known as the Herty 2006 Alliance in allusion to Herty Lewites, the alliance original presidential candidate, runs in this election together with the Social Christian Party (PSC), Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN), Ecologist Green Party of Nicaragua (PVEN), Party for Citizen Action (PAC), the Movement for the Rescue of the Sandinismo and the Change-Reflection-Ethic-Action Movement (CREA). Various social groups are also part of the alliance, the most organized and belligerent of which is the Autonomous Women’s Movement.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Sandinistas
The Sandinista Assembly -FSLN's highest decision-making body- was held on 26 February in Managua. Lewites had announced that he planned a march to the site of the event with his followers in support of his running against Daniel Ortega for the candidacy. Some 200 meters from the gates of the “Olofito” convention center where the Sandinista Assembly was meeting, they were stopped by a larger pro-Ortega demonstration. For several minutes both bands literally went at each other with fists, stones and even clubs. The police had to intervene, placing themselves between the rival bands. In the Assembly, the official leadership responded by expelling Herty Lewites and his campaign chief Víctor Hugo Tinoco from the party.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Sandinistas
A few days later, on 6 March, an extraordinary FSLN congress was held in Matagalpa. The outcome of this congress was the annulment of primary elections and the proclamation of Daniel Ortega as the presidential candidate, successfully blocking Lewites' presidential aspirations. The Sandinista grass roots would no longer be consulted on their choice for presidential candidate through primary elections. As Ortega himself pointed out; "The truth is that primary elections cause a lot of problems due to the enormous erosion and friction they cause among Sandinistas."


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Sandinistas
Pro -Ortega legislators are running for reelection together with cadres from the party structures and a few political figures from what is left of the FSLN's Convergence alliance, such as Social Christian Agustín Jarquín, Conservative Miriam Argüello and Liberal Julia Mena, all former opponents of Ortega.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Sandinistas
Lewites went on to form the Movement for the Rescue of the Sandinismo who joined the MRS Alliance to support Lewites as the presidential candidate for the Nicaraguan general election, 2006. The MRS Alliance chose their legislative candidates based on surveys and bilateral contacts with their partners in the MRS Alliance.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Liberals
In the light of PLC’s victory in the Atlantic coast elections of March 2006, the PLC announced it would not hold primary elections to select its presidential candidate, arguing lack of finances. Instead the 750 party delegates from all over the country would do the selecting at the PLC National Convention on 2 April. On 22 March, Alemán suddenly announces a form of primary election with 32 simultaneous conventions in the country’s 16 departments on 31 March, and the winner would be ratified two days later during the National Convention.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Liberals
PLC leaders also invited all dissident Liberals outside the PLC to participate in these primaries, voting for the candidate they consider best able to defeat the FSLN, then rejoining the fold come what may. José Rizo won the PLC primary elections.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Primaries, Liberals
The ALN held also primary elections, but gave preference to unelected candidates, among them some of their allies in APRE, PC and the PRN. Montealegre attempted also -up to the last minute- to bring some pro-Alemán leaders over to his side. He was only successful with Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios, son of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro and former PLC candidate for Mayor of Managua.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Pre-campaign
The Atlantic coast elections of March 2006 were an opportunity for the parties and candidates competing in the general election to show their strength. The results gave the PLC a significant victory with 40 seats out of 90 in the Regional Councils. The FSLN and its ally YATAMA got 45 seats between them both and the ALN got the remaining five. The MRS Alliance didn't pull enough votes to win a seat in the Regional Council.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Issues
One of the most important issues of the 2006 elections is the economy. The high external debt and internal debt have inhibited growth. Around 75% of the population lives on less than US$2 a day, unemployment and underemployment are close to 50%, and income inequality is very pronounced. However, there have been some recent improvements. Real economic growth declined from 7.4% in 1999 to 1% in 2002, then turned around to grow back to 2.3% in 2003, and about 4% in 2004.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Issues
Another important issue is the pact established by the PLC and the FSLN in 2000 in order to maintain control over key institutions such as the Supreme Court (CSJ) and the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), causing a profound institutional crisis in the Nicaraguan society. Both the two major anti-pact forces (ALN and MRS), and more recently, the PLC candidate, Rizo, made public their intentions to dismantle the pact. Truth is that a "qualified majority" of 2/3 in the National Assembly is needed to revert the 2000 reforms and this is not likely to happen according to the latest polls.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Issues, Abortion becomes a Campaign Issue
In late August, the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) candidate Edmundo Jarquín stated that he supported therapeutic abortion when the life of the mother is at risk. Abortion under these circumstances had been legal in Nicaragua since 1891. Abortion other than therapeutic is punishable by imprisonment from one to three years.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Issues, Abortion becomes a Campaign Issue
The religious sector condemned Jarquín's statement, prompting the other four of the five presidential candidates to declare themselves against abortion. The FSLN, which has an important relationship with former Managua Archbishop Miguel Obando, stated in general that they opposed abortion and were pro-life. This was a reversal of traditional Sandinista policy.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Issues, Abortion becomes a Campaign Issue
The Catholic Church organised a march on the National Assembly on 6 October to demand that therapeutic abortion be criminalized in the penal code. A march took place a few days later, organized by the Autonomous Women's Movement, a pro-choice organization that is part of the MRS Alliance.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Issues, Abortion becomes a Campaign Issue
On 15 October, President Bolaños sent to the National Assembly a draft on a proposed reform of the penal code in order to penalize therapeutic abortion. The National Assembly passed the law banning therapeutic abortions on 26 October 2006. It is widely expected that the president will sign it. A section of the law raising prison sentences for women undergoing abortions or doctors performing them from up to six years to up to 30 years was not passed.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, The U.S. and the Nicaraguan elections
U.S. officials have openly opposed Daniel Ortega's and José Rizo's candidacies and supported Eduardo Montealegre and Sandinista dissident Edmundo Jarquín. U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Ambassador Paul Trivelli have all stated that an Ortega victory could scare off foreign investors and threaten Nicaragua's relations with the United States.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, The U.S. and the Nicaraguan elections
The Organization of American States (OAS) mission in Nicaragua told the U.S. government not to meddle in Nicaragua's presidential election in October.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Finances
According to the Nicaraguan Electoral Law, the parties are forced to report most donations, but only those received from the date of the official opening of the campaign (19 August) to the day of the elections (5 November). Minor individual donations do not need to be disclosed. The parties will be refunded after the elections in proportion to the number of votes each of them obtain.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Finances
A pre-campaign study carried out by the independent Ethic and Transparency Civic Group between 1 July and 15 August, showed that the FSLN was the party that spent more money during that period; C$ 7,858,120. ALN came in second with C$ 3,153,571 followed by the PLC with C$ 2,622,635. The MRS spent C$ 824,718 and the AC had the smallest budget with C$ 535,624.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Finances
According to the ALN official, Eliseo Núñez, the party estimates its budget for the whole campaign in US$6 to 8 million. José Rizo's budget is also estimated in about $6 million. Edén Pastora and his AC will have an austere campaign with a $500,000 budget.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Finances
Both the left and the right have made allegations that their political opponents have received funding from the United States and Venezuela respectively.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Finances
The United States is investing between $10 and 13 million in the Nicaraguan elections providing support to the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), the Organisation of American States (OAS) election observer mission and in the training of ALN and MRS election officials.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Finances
On the other hand, the Sandinista Mayor of Managua, Dionisio Marenco, negotiated an agreement with the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA that allows Venezuelan oil to be imported directly to Nicaragua with preferential payment conditions. The first shipment of a total of 10 million barrels of oil (equivalent to the total annual demand in Nicaragua) arrived to the country on October 2005. Nicaragua is in the middle of an energy crisis with increasing oil prices and a strict energy rationalization policy that leaves hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguan without power supply for several hours a day.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Campaign, Forum
Early in September, CNN organized a television encounter between the presidential candidates, inviting all five to participate. Daniel Ortega refused to take part leaving the "debate" to the remaining four; Eduardo Montealegre, José Rizo, Edmundo Jarquín and Edén Pastora.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, President
Borge & Asociados - Polls Conducted October 15–222, October 5–121, September 13, and August 5, 2006


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, President
October poll sample size is 1,800. The margin of error is 3.2%.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, President
CID-Gallup - Poll Conducted October, 2006 and August 16 to 19, 2006


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, President
The October poll sample size is 5,090. The margin of error is 2%. August poll sample size is 1,258. Methodology: Telephone interviews. Margin of error is 2.8%.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, Parliamentary election
The elections of 90 representatives to the National Assembly will also be held on November 5. According to the September poll by M & R Consultores no party will gain enough seats to form a majority.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, Parliamentary election
According to M & R, the FSLN polls first on 7 of the country's 17 departments, mostly on northern and western Nicaragua. ALN-PC is number one on 6 departments in southern and eastern Nicaragua, including the Southern Autonomous Region (R.A.A.S.). The MRS party leads the polls on 3 departments including the nation's capital, Managua, and the PLC polls first in the department of Boaco.


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, Parliamentary election
UCA - Sponsored by END, Canal 10, CNC - October, 2006


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Opinion polls, Parliamentary election
According to this poll, the FSLN wins in nine departments, four of them with an absolute majority (over 50% of the intended votes). The ALN-PC comes in second place winning in four departments, the PLC third with three departments and in last place, the MRS being number one only in one department (Carazo).


2006 Nicaraguan general election, Conduct
The results of the election were recognized by the international community. The Carter Center, an independent observer sent a 62-member delegation and found "the election administration to be adequate, with improvements over past electoral processes."


2006 Nicholls State Colonels football team
The 2006 Nicholls State Colonels football team represented Nicholls State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Colonels were led by third-year head coach Jay Thomas. They played their home games at John L. Guidry Stadium and were a member of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 4–7, 2–4 in Southland play to finish tied for fifth place.


2006 Nicky Rackard Cup
The 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup was the 2006 campaign of the Nicky Rackard Cup and began on Saturday June 10, 2006. 2006 was the second time this new element of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was introduced. It was devised by the Hurling Development Committee to encourage some of the weaker hurling counties and to give them the chance of playing more games. The final will be played on Sunday, August 13 in Croke Park, Dublin City.


2006 Nicky Rackard Cup
Donegal, Armagh, Longford and Derry played in the semi-finals. Longford qualified by defeating the other two group runners-up. After winning their semi-finals, Donegal and Derry contested the final in Croke Park on August 12. Derry won easily and were promoted to the 2007 Christy Ring Cup.


2006 Nicky Rackard Cup, Format
Twelve teams participate in the 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup. The teams were divided into three groups of four roughly based on geographical criteria. The groups are identical to the Nicky Rackard Cup 2005 except that in 3C Derry replace London, who have been promoted.


2006 Nicky Rackard Cup Final
The 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup final was a hurling match played at Croke Park on 12 August 2006 to determine the winners of the 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup, the 2nd season of the Nicky Rackard Cup, a tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association for the third tier hurling teams. The final was contested by Derry of Ulster and Donegal of Ulster, with Derry winning by 5-15 to 1-11.


2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season
In 2006 the Nippon Professional Baseball season ended with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Pacific League defeating the Chunichi Dragons of the Central League in the Japan Series.


2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season, Standings, Pacific League, Playoff 2nd Stage
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (3) vs. Fukuoka Softbank Hawks (0) The Fighters have a one-game advantage.


2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season, Japan Series
In the 2006 Japan Series, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters defeated the Chunichi Dragons 4 games to 1 in five games.


2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season, Japan Series
After the Japan Series, the Fighters moved on to the Asian Series, a series which determines the champion of the four major Asian baseball leagues.


2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season, Awards
The Eiji Sawamura Award, the award given to the top pitcher in Japan, was given to pitcher Kazumi Saito of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. He had a win-loss record of 18-5, 205 strikeouts, and an ERA of 1.75 in 201.0 innings, winning the Pacific League's pitching triple crown.


2006 Noida serial murders
The Noida serial murders (also Nithari serial murders or Nithari Kand) occurred in the house of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher in Sector-31, Noida near Nithari village, Uttar Pradesh, India in 2005 and 2006. Moninder Singh was convicted in two out of the five cases against him and his servant who aided him was convicted in 10 out of the 16 cases against him. Both were sentenced to death.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
In December 2006, two Nithari village residents reported they knew the location of the remains of children who had gone missing in the previous two years:the municipal water tank behind house D5, Sector-31, Noida. Both had daughters who were missing, and they suspected Surinder Koli, the domestic help at D5, was involved in the disappearances. The residents claimed they had been repeatedly ignored by local authorities; therefore, they sought the help of former Resident Welfare Association (RWA) President S C Mishra. That morning, Mishra and the two residents searched the tank drain. One of the residents claimed to have found a decomposed hand, after which they contacted the police.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
Anxious parents of children missing in the last two years rushed to Nithari with photographs. Koli, under the alias Satish, later confessed to killing six children and a 20-year-old woman referred to as "Payal" after sexually assaulting them.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
The families of the missing children accused the police of negligence. Initially, some police officers, including Noida SP city, denied any criminal angle and asserted that the families had provided false information about the ages of the missing; that they weren't minors but instead were adults who left home after fighting with their parents. The residents also alleged that the police were corrupt and were paid to conceal information. Demands were made for an independent investigation. One of the residents asserted that the police were claiming credit for discovering the bodies when it was the residents who dug them up.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
The police denied having found fifteen bodies, reiterating that they had discovered skulls, bones and other body parts, and said they were unable to give a figure for the number of victims. The victims' identities and number could only be established with DNA tests. The police then sealed the house and did not allow news media near the site.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
The Central government tried to ascertain the facts behind the discovery of the skeletal remains and whether it had "inter-state ramifications". Law and order are state matters, but the Home Ministry asked for details about the magnitude of the crime.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
On 26 and 27 December respectively, Koli's employer, Moninder Singh Pandher, and Koli were taken into custody by the police in connection with the disappearance of "Payal". After Koli's confession, the police started digging up the nearby land area and discovered the children's bodies.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
Two policemen were suspended on 31 December for failing to take action despite being informed about a number of children missing, as angry residents charged the house of the alleged mastermind, demanding the removal of the Mulayam Singh government.


2006 Noida serial murders, Events leading to primary investigation
The situation at Nithari was aggravated as an angry mob of villagers fought with police, both pelting stones at each other, just outside the residence of the accused. The police also detained Pandher's maid Maya under suspicion that she lured women to the house. As more body parts were dug up near the premises, hundreds of local residents descended on the spot and alleged that there was an organ trade connection to the grisly killings of young children. A doctor living close to the Pandher residence, Navin Choudhary, had been under police suspicion a few years prior in connection with an alleged kidney racket at his hospital. Searches were conducted throughout his properties, and the investigators found no evidence to support the claim.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation
On 1 January 2007, the remand magistrate granted the police custody of Pandher and Koli until 10 January 2007, as the investigators said that further interrogation was required to complete the recovery of victims' remains. The court also granted permission for Narco Analysis. On the same evening, police conducted a raid on Pandher's Chandigarh residence. His wife and son were interrogated about Pandher's habits. Police sources disclosed that their relationship with him was "strained", which was later found untrue. His behaviour was described as normal. A senior police inspector revealed that there would be a series of searches conducted at Pandher's Ludhiana farmhouse and nearby places. The recent child kidnapping cases in Chandigarh - Pandher's hometown - were re-opened, but nothing was found.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation
The next day, 15 of the 17 skeletons discovered in the village were identified. Ten of them were identified by Koli when he was confronted with the photographs of the missing children. Five others were identified by family members after being shown belongings recovered from the scene. The torsos of the bodies were missing and the investigating team was looking into possibilities that the killings were motivated by illicit trade in human organs. The police said that there were at least 31 child victims.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation
Security was increased as police expected more disturbance, following two days of violence near Pandher's residence. In a press statement, Chief Justice of India Y. K. Sabharwal asserted that the investigation was at a preliminary level, and neither the courts nor the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were involved at that point.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
The Central Government, however, constituted a high-level inquiry committee to go into the police lapses, during the period of reporting and investigation. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav said that he would await the report of the committee looking into the issue before making the decision whether there should be a CBI probe into the matter. The committee was headed by the Joint Secretary, Women and Child Development Ministry, Manjula Krishnan. Under the terms of the reference,


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
The panel met the parents of the victims to record their statements even as the police determined that out of the 17 confirmed people killed, 10 were girls. Parents of eight of the sexually abused children were given compensation of Rs. 12 lakhs. The DNA samples from the human remains were sent to a forensic laboratory in Hyderabad for the identification of the victims while forensic samples were sent to the laboratory in Agra for determining the age, cause of death and other details.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
It was determined that "Payal" was the only adult victim identified, with all other 11 victims below the age of 10. Seven of the eight families that had been provided compensation of Rs. 200,000 on 3 January 2007 returned their cheques in protest. However, the cheques were soon returned to them. They demanded houses and jobs in compensation as well.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
After pressure and public outcry, the Uttar Pradesh Government suspended two superintendents of police and dismissed six policemen for dereliction of duty. This action followed the report by the four-member committee. On 17 January 2007 the inquiry committee submitted its reports indicting the Uttar Pradesh Police for "gross negligence" in handling the cases of missing persons. The committee said that the local administration was negligent and irresponsible while dealing with the missing persons reports and did not rule out organ trade as a possible motive behind the killings.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
The two accused in the case were already in police custody while the skeletal remains of the young children were being unearthed from behind and in front of Pandher's residence. An FIR had been filed on 7 October 2006. Investigations revealed that Payal's cellphone was being used although the SIM card she owned remained inactive. Through digital surveillance, the investigators were able to track down a number of people and could finally reach the man who sold the phone. The rickshaw cart puller affirmed that the phone belonged to someone from the Pandher residence.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
After the affirmation of the facts by the witness, Moninder Singh was called for interrogation, which subsequently revealed nothing. His aide and servant, Surinder Koli was picked up the next day and he confessed killing the woman and dumping her body behind the house. The police started digging and henceforth recovered the skeletal remains of the missing children instead of Payal.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Inquiry committee report
Nand Lal, the father of the girl – Deepika alias Payal, alleged that the police had threatened and harassed him. He stated that it was because of the court intervention that the police officers registered the FIR.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Suspicions of child pornography racket
The investigating teams seized erotic literature along with a laptop computer connected to a webcam, which immediately raised apprehensions of the presence of an international child pornography racket. The police also recovered photographs of Pandher with nude children and foreigners during his four international visits. It was alleged that Pandher supplied such pictures abroad and could link him to pedophilia, which was later discovered to be untrue. Later during the investigation it was found that the nude children in the pictures were Pandher's grandchildren. There was no link found to child pornography. The laptop and the webcam were later returned to the family, and the story was classified as a media-created rumour.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Suspicions of organ trade and cannibalism
The police initially suspected an organ trade angle as to the motive behind the murders and raided the house of a doctor who lived in the neighbourhood of the primary accused. A team of officials, accompanied by a team of forensic experts, went to pick up possible evidence for tests. The police revealed that the doctor had been accused of a similar crime in 1998, although the court had absolved him the same year. There was a second raid a few days later.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Suspicions of organ trade and cannibalism
The police were, however, cautious with the news reports suggesting the accused committed cannibalism even before the polygraph tests had barely begun. They were "aghast" when they learned of media reports that one of the accused had confessed to the consumption of the victims' livers and other body parts. Such a possibility was not ruled out by the investigating team, considering the amount of brutality the duo had allegedly committed on the victims.


2006 Noida serial murders, Primary investigation, Brain mapping and narco analysis
The accused duo were brought to the Directorate of Forensic Sciences in Gandhinagar city in order to undergo brain mapping and polygraph tests on 4 January 2007 and narco analysis five days later. The police director told the scribes that both the accused had been cooperative during the tests and examinations. A senior director of the institute announced the conclusion of the extensive tests and declared that a conclusion had been drawn. Surinder Koli had confessed to the crimes and had given his employer a clean chit saying that he was unaware of Koli's actions. Surinder Koli also revealed that all deaths had taken place through strangulation. He would then rape them before taking the bodies to his personal washroom and dismembering them. Pandher was declared to be a womaniser and depressed.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
After four days of discourse and mounting pressure from the Government of India, the Uttar Pradesh Government decided to hand over the inquiry to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The notification came after the Department of Personnel and Training, which governs the CBI, sent a letter to the state government making a proper request for a probe by the agency in line with the prescribed norms.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
The two accused were taken to the CBI headquarters in Mumbai Jail on the night of 11 January 2007, a day before the investigation was to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI continued its investigation and discovered three more skulls and human remains at the site of the serial killings. The investigators searched the drains outside the house and found three skulls, believed to be of the children, and several body parts, including parts of legs, bones, and torso. Several objects were found that are believed to belong to the victims. The exhibits were sealed and forwarded to forensic labs.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
The Central inquiry committee that investigated the serial killings discovered serious lapses on the part of the police in handling the cases of missing persons. The reports were incriminating and proclaimed that the local police failed in their duty to respond to complaints over the past two years.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
The discovery of several polythene bags containing parts of human torsos led the investigators to conclude that it was unlikely that the accused had links to illegal organ trade. The CBI team discovered the bags in the drains outside the Pandher residence. After interrogating Surinder Koli, they came to a prima facie conclusion that "he is a psychopath used to carry out the killings". Interrogators also said that it was possible that Pandher had no role to play in the murders. The seized materials were sent to laboratory for post-mortem, individualisation, and DNA extraction.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
The materials received from the Uttar Pradesh police were also forwarded for forensic examination. Some liquor bottles, a double-barreled gun, cartridges, mobile phones, photographs, photo albums and a blood-stained grill were handed over to the CBI for extensive examination. Preliminary investigations revealed that the bones were not more than two years old. The CBI also revealed that only fifteen skulls had been found thus far, and not seventeen as claimed by the state police.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
A three-member CBI team questioned the kin of Surinder Koli in the Almora district.


2006 Noida serial murders, CBI investigation
In November 2007, the Supreme Court notified the CBI concerning the case about the allegation by a relative of a victim that the investigating agency was trying to shield Moninder Singh Pandher, one of the key accused in the case.


2006 Noida serial murders, Victims
Payal was the only adult victim in the string of serial murders. Young girls constituted the majority of victims. Post-mortem reports of the 17 sets of skulls and bones recovered showed that 11 of the killed were girls. Doctors at Noida Government Hospital revealed that there was a "butcher-like precision" in the chopping of the bodies. The post mortem reports revealed that there had been a pattern in the killings. A gory revelation was made by the AIIMS on 6 February 2007. It was also concluded that there were 19 skulls in all; 16 complete and 3 damaged.


2006 Noida serial murders, Victims
The bodies had been cut into three pieces before being disposed of by the servant. The CBI sources said that the manservant, after strangling the victims, severed their heads and threw them in the drain behind the house of his employer. Sources also revealed that he used to keep the viscera in a polythene bag before disposing of it in a drain, so as to prevent detection. The skulls and the other remains were forwarded to the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad for further profiling. The crime scene examination, recovery and collection of human remains and exhibits and their detailed examination was carried out by experts from AIIMS and CFSL under the chairmanship and guidance of professor T D Dogra.


2006 Noida serial murders, Convictions
On 12 February 2009, both the accused—Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic servant Surinder Koli—were found guilty of the 8 February 2005 murder of Rimpa Haldar, 14, by a special sessions court in Ghaziabad. This verdict left the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) red faced, as the CBI had earlier given a clean chit to Moninder Singh Pandher in all its chargesheets. Both the accused Moninder Singh Pandher and Surinder Koli were given the death sentence on 13 February 2009, as the case was classified as "rarest of rare".


2006 Noida serial murders, Convictions
In February 2011, the Supreme Court of India upheld their death sentence. In July 2014, the President of India rejected the mercy petitions filed by Koli. On 3 September 2014, the Court issued a death warrant against Koli in Nithari case. On the evening of 4 September 2014 Surinder Koli was transferred to Meerut Jail because of the absence of hanging facilities at Dasna Jail, Ghaziabad. He was to be hanged on 12 September 2014.


2006 Noida serial murders, Convictions
The Supreme Court of India stayed the death sentence for one week after a petition was filed for same. On 29 October 2014, the Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India H. L. Dattu rejected the death sentence review petition stating that the court had not committed any error in judgement. On 28 January 2015, the High Court bench headed by Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and Justice P. K. S. Baghel commuted the death sentence of Surinder Koli to life imprisonment on the ground of "inordinate delay" in deciding his mercy petition.


2006 Noida serial murders, Convictions
The Allahabad HC will hear a petition by Surinder Koli, seeking commutation of death sentence. In one of the first six cases, the HC had reduced his punishment to life. In 2014, the SC had stopped his hanging at a midnight hearing, saying inordinate delay in execution was valid grounds for commutation. In 2019, he was given a death sentence in 10th conviction.


2006 Noida serial murders, Acquittal
On 10 September 2009, the Allahabad high court acquitted Moninder Singh Pandher and overturned his death sentence. He was not named a main suspect by investigators initially, but was summoned as co-accused during the trial. Pandher faces trial in five cases out of the remaining 12, and could be re-sentenced to death if found guilty in any of those killings. The same day Pandher was acquitted, the Allahabad high court upheld the death sentence for Surinder Koli, the former domestic servant of Pandher. On 24 July 2017, both Koli and Pandher have been awarded the death sentence (case #8 out of 16) in the latest hearing by the CBI Court at Ghaziabad.


2006 Noida serial murders, In popular culture
A BBC documentary on the case titled Slumdog Cannibal was released in 2012. In 2017, another documentary titled The Karma Killings was released on Netflix, directed by Ram Devineni. The case was also covered in an episode of the true crime podcast titled Khooni: The Crimes of India.


2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open
The 2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open was a women's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the 4th edition of the Nordic Light Open, and was part of the Tier IV Series of the 2006 WTA Tour. It was the fifth edition of the tournament and took place at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium in Stockholm, Sweden, from 7 August until 13 August 2006. Third-seeded Zheng Jie won the singles title and earned $22,900 first-prize money.


2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open, Finals, Doubles
Eva Birnerová /  Jarmila Gajdošová defeated  Yan Zi /  Zheng Jie, 0–6, 6–4, 6–2


2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open – Doubles
Émilie Loit and Katarina Srebotnik were the defending champions, but none competed this year.


2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open – Doubles
Eva Birnerová and Jarmila Gajdošová won the title by defeating Yan Zi and Zheng Jie 0–6, 6–4, 6–2 in the final.


2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open – Singles
Katarina Srebotnik was the defending champion, but could not compete this year after entering the US Open Series.


2006 Nordea Nordic Light Open – Singles
Zheng Jie won the title by defeating Anastasia Myskina 6–4, 6–1 in the final.


2006 Nordic Figure Skating Championships
The 2006 Nordic Figure Skating Championships were held from February 9 through 12, 2006 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The competition was open to elite figure skaters from Nordic countries. Skaters competed in four disciplines, men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing, across three levels: senior (Olympic-level), junior, and novice. Not every event was held at every level. This was the inaugural year of the novice-level competition.


2006 Nordic Junior World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic Junior and U23 World Ski Championships 2006 took place in Kranj, Slovenia from 30 January to 5 February 2006. It was the 29th Junior World Championships and the 1st Under-23 World Championships in nordic skiing.


2006 Nordic Junior World Ski Championships
This was the first championship where women competed in ski jumping. Juliane Seyfarth of Germany became the first female junior world champion by winning the normal hill event on 2 February 2006.