UAE | General
Timeline: November 2007
Timeline: November 2007
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 17:44 December 31, 2007
THE NATION
16 Dubai breaks Guinness record for world's largest ribbon, measuring
29 metres and made up of 105,000 carnations.
19 His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai inaugurates the second term of the 14th Legislative Chapter of the Federal National Council.
20 The Cabinet approves a Dh34.9 billion federal budget, the biggest and highest increase rate in history.
25 Shaikh Mohammad donates Dh1.7 billion to Dubai Cares, doubling it to Dh3.48 billion at the closing ceremony.
- The Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi makes history as the first foreign leader to address the Federal National Council.
- $6 million in counterfeit dollar bills are seized by the Ras Al Khaimah Police.
THE REGION
3 Iraq begins a crackdown on Kurd rebels, shutting down offices of groups linked with the PKK. It aims to cut all possible logistical support for the PKK.
3 Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is elected chairman of Egypt's ruling party which strengthens his son's bid to succeed him as president.
10 At least 80 Somali civilians are killed in heavy fighting between the insurgents and the Ethiopian troops backing the government.
12 Six are killed and hundreds wounded in firing during the Fatah memorial rally for Yasser Arafat in the Gaza Strip.
17 A gas explosion kills five and injures eight at the historic site of Annaba in Algeria.
18 Twenty-eight people are killed and 12 are missing in a Saudi Arabian gas pipeline blaze.
23 After the failure to elect a new president, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud issues a decree giving the army sweeping powers.
- Jordan Prime Minister Nader Dahabi completes the formation of his new government, which includes four women.
THE WORLD
2 A Sri Lankan air strike kills the head of the Tamil Tiger political wing, S.P. Thamilselvan.
- Mexico floods inundate 850 towns. Rescuers save residents as 80 per cent of Tabasco is under water.
3 Pakistan President General Musharraf declares emergency rule and suspends the country's constitution.
5 Doctors operate on a young mother at a heart hospital in Britain with the first robotic heart surgery.
6 Six lawmakers and schoolchildren are among 50 killed in the worst suicide bombing in Afghanistan's history.
- Discussions focus on inter-faith dialogue and promotion of peace, justice and moral values between King Abdullah and the Pope.
8 Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili declares a state of emergency and shuts down independent media to quash six days of anti-government protests in Tbilisi.
- The Guinness Book of World Records rules that the church steeple in Germany, not the leaning tower Pisa, is the most tilted tower in the world.
10 Two-time Pulitzer winner and intellectual icon Norman Mailer dies at 84.
11 The chief legal officer of the Philippines Commission on Election (Comelec), Alioden Dalaig, is shot and killed. He was 64.
- A Russian oil tanker splits in two during a fierce storm spilling at least 2,000 metric tons of fuel into the strait leading to the Black Sea.
12 Ieng Sary, who served as foreign minister in Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge regime, and his wife are arrested and will face genocide charges in Cambodia.
- India and Russia sign agreements in the areas of space, defence, trade and narcotics control and expand cooperation in civilian nuclear energy.
13 Pakistan police issue a seven-day restraint order to stop Benazir Bhutto from leading a mass rally against the emergency rule.
14 The prime ministers of North and South Korea meet for the first time in 15 years. The talks are aimed at boosting economic ties and cooperation between the divided Koreas.
- A 7.7 magnitude quake kills at least two and injures more than 150 people in Chile.
- Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan is arrested and charged under anti-terrorism laws.
15 Pakistan's Senate chairman Mohammad Mian Soomro is named caretaker prime minister.
- Cyclone Sidr hits the southwestern coast of Bangladesh, wiping out homes and killing more than 3,000 people; 2,000 are still missing.
18 Former guerrilla leader Hashim Thaci wins the Kosovo election.
19 Ex-Khmer Rouge president Khieu Samphan is arrested and faces genocide charges in Cambodia.
- The British royal family gathers at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the diamond anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
20 As part of its anti-terrorism policy Japan starts fingerprinting foreigners entering the country.
- The Pakistan Election Commission announces January 8 as the date for parliamentary elections.
21 Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologises and announces the investigation into the missing bank records of some 25 million people in the United Kingdom.
- Former French president Jaques Chirac is placed under judicial investigation as part of the probe into improper use of city funds when he was the mayor of Paris.
- Leaders of the Asean+6 meeting in Singapore agree to a common climate change position to cut off carbon emission.
22 The reconstituted Supreme Court dismisses the last challenge to Pervez Musharraf's re-election in uniform, paving the way for him to be sworn in for a second term as the president of Pakistan.
23 At least 13 people are killed and 45 injured in a series of blasts targeting court complexes in Lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi in India.
- A Norwegian cruise ship sinks after slamming into an iceberg in Antarctica. The 100 passengers and 54 crew are all saved.
24 Labour leader Kevin Rudd is elected the new Prime Minister of Australia.
25 Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after seven years exile in Saudi Arabia.
- Thousands of ethic Indians protest against discriminatory policies in Malaysia.
27 Officials from 44 nations assemble in Annapolis for the Middle East peace talks.
29 Pervez Musharraf takes the oath as civilian president, one day after he quit the post of army chief and handed it to General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani.
- Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes is arrested after calling for a revolt against the government.
30 Wellington Police and FBI question an 18-year-old teenager heading an international cyber crime network infiltrating 1.3 million computers.
BUSINESS
4 The Department of Civil Aviation is replaced by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and the Jebel Ali International Airport renamed Al Maktoum International Airport.
4 DP World's initial public offer to date is set to raise Dh13.8 billion to Dh15 billion.
5 Gold prices hit a 28-year high of $800 per ounce.
7 MGM Mirage will develop a $3 billion project in Abu Dhabi in association with Mubadala Development Company.
8 Emirates receives its 100th passenger aircraft, a long range Boeing 777-300ER, bringing its fleet to 111 aircraft.
11 Dubai Airshow begins, with Emirates making civil aviation history with the largest aircraft order worth $34 billion (Dh128 billion).
12 Dubai Aerospace Enterprise signs a purchase agreement with Boeing to order 100 aircraft worth $13.7 billion.
17 Ecuador rejoins Opec's ranks after a gap of 15 years and becomes the 13th member of the group.
22 The UAE Central Bank announces interest rate cuts on certificates of deposit (CD) as an indicator of the cost of bank borrowings.
28 The Dirham surges to a 17-year high against the dollar.
29 RAK Airways marks its first commercial flight to Dhaka, Bangladesh.
SPORTS
1 Martina Hingis announces her second retirement from tennis after testing positive for cocaine at this year's Wimbledon.
4 David Nalbandian, after defeating world No 1 Roger Federer en route to finals, crushes Rafael Nadal, world No 2 player, to clinch the Paris Master Series tournament.
- British world record holder Paula Radcliffe makes a triumphant return by winning the New York City Marathon 10 months after giving birth to her daughter.
11 World No 1 Justine Henin Hardin beats Maria Sharapova, 5-7 7-5 6-2, and retains her WTA Championship in Madrid Arena.
15 India beat Pakistan by six wickets to win the fourth One-Day International and clinch the series by 3-1 in Gwalior.
17 UAE sailors Adil Kahlid and Sayed Al Zaydi of Radial and Optimist classes win two gold medals at the Pan Arab Games in Egypt.
18 Citroen drivers Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena win the Ireland Rally and head to the Wales Rally, the last stop to the 2007 World Rally Championship.
- World No 1 Roger Federer claims his fourth Masters Cup title against Spain's David Ferrer, winning by 6-2 6-3 6-2.
- Pakistan defeats India by 31 runs in the fifth and final One-Day match.
19 Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum leads the UAE riders to two golds, one silver and a bronze medal at the Pan Arab Games.
- Shama Al Muhairi wins the gold in the 25 metres pistol at the Pan Arab Games.
20 South Africa defeat New Zealand by 59 runs on the third day of the second and the final Test in New Zealand.
22 Shaikh Maitha Bint Mohammad Al Maktoum clinches gold in the over 65kg Karate category at the Pan Arab Games.
23 Mohammad Shebab becomes the first Arab player to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Snookers Championship in Thailand.
25 The UAE hauls a record of seven gold, nine silver and nine bronze at the closing of the 11th Pan Arab Games.
- Sprinter Tyson Gay and long distance runner Meseret Defar are named the Top Athletes of 2007 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in Monaco
28 Saudi footballer Yasser Al Qah'tani is named the Asian Player of the Year in Sydney.
ENTERTAINMENT
9 Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra wins five awards for his most romantic album La Llave De Mi Corazon (The Key to my Heart) at Latin Grammy.
18 The 35th American Music Awards for the first time chooses its winners by public votes cast online.
19 Britain sweeps the 35th annual international Emmy Awards in New York.
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