Timeline: December 2007

NATION

2 A record breaking UAE flag, measuring 50,000 square feet, is displayed in Abu Dhabi to mark the 36th National Day of the United Arab Emirates.

5 Abu Dhabi Police mark 50th anniversary.

6 The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) opens an office Dubai to deal with smuggled or endangered species.

7 A human chain of 300 people is formed in Al Safa Park in support of the global campaign against climate change.

REGION

3 Israel releases 429 Palestinian prisoners.

4 The 28th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit ends in Doha with an agreement to launch a common market which will expand the rights and opportunities of citizens of all six Gulf states.

7 Lebanon fails to elect a president for the seventh time.

- A female suicide bomber kills 16 people and a suicide car bomb kills 10 in northern Baghdad.

11 Twin bombs explod in Algeria killing at least 67 people and devastating a UN office.

15 Thousands rally in central Gaza to mark the 20th anniversary of Hamas.

16 The Iraqi authorities take control of the security of Basra province from British troops.

WORLD

2 Russian President Vladimir Putin's party wins more than 60 per cent of the parliamentary election vote.

3 Thirty-six people are charged with rebellion following a failed coup in the Philippines.

4 Brazil's Senate President Renan Calheiros resigns amid corruption charges.

5 New Delhi signs a $1.2 billion deal for 347 Russian tanks.

- The Pakistan government retires 37 judges including Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the former chief justice, who refused to approve President Pervez Musharraf's emergency power.

6 A blast kills 70 miners and 26 more are missing in Hongguang, northern China.

7 The largest spitting cobra, about 2.6 metres long and with enough venom to kill 20 people in one bite, is discovered in Kenya.

8 A new strain of Ebola, a highly contagious disease, kills 22 people in Uganda.

10 France requests the return to French soil of the remains of its last emperor and first president, Napoleon III, after lying in an English abbey for 120 years.

- Former President Alberto Fujimori goes on trial for ordering death squads to kill suspected leftists in Peru's civil war.

- Canadian-born Conrad Black is sentenced in Chicago to six and a half years in prison for his role in the misappropriation of millions of dollars from the newspaper empire he once headed.

11 Christina Fernandez de Kirchner is sworn in as president of Argentina.

- North and South Korea begin a regular train service across their border for the first time in 50 years.

- Pakistan successfully tests a nuclear-capable cruise missile Babur (Hatf 7).

- A schoolboy shoots and kills a classmate at Euro International School in Gurgaon, Haryana.

12 Tropical storm Olga, a rare December cyclone kills 14 people in Dominican Republic.

15 A historic agreement for a landmark treaty to fight global warming convens at the UN Summit at Bali, Indonesia.

- Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf lifts the 41 day emergency rule after making amendments to six articles.

- Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi begins a state visit to France, the first in 34 years, as part of a European tour.

BUSINESS

2 Kuwaiti logistic firm Agility makes a $10 billion bid for a Saudi railway project.

3 The reclamation of Oqyana, part of the man-made cluster of islands in The World, is now complete.

- Samsung Engineering and Construction is awarded $430 million to build an Aramco refinery unit in Saudi Arabia.

4 Nakheel sells $750 million of Islamic bonds, part of which is convertible to conventional bonds.

7 The Dubai International Financial Exchange lists its first non-dollar security in the form of Jebel Ali Free Zone's Dh7.5 billion local currency sukuk.

8 Iran completely stops selling crude oil for US dollars.

10 Muscat developers start the construction of the $15-$20 billion Blue City in Oman.

11 The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) issues its Hedge Fund Code of Practice, the first of its kind in a financial market regulator.

14 Bahrain based investment bank Gulf Finance House (GFH) signs a deal with India's Maharashtra to develop a $10 billion zone near Mumbai.

16 Abu Dhabi Ports Company and National Bank of Abu Dhabi sign a Dh1.1 billion financing agreement to construct Khalifa Port.

SPORTS

1 Victory 77 wins the 2007 WPPA Class One World Powerboat Championship in Dubai.

- Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah wins the Dubai International Rally to retain the FIA Middle East title in Dubai.

- New Zealand walks away with the Dubai Rugby Sevens 2007 title, beating Fiji with 31-21 in the final in Dubai.

2 France's Sebastien Loeb, in a Citroen C4, wins the World Rally Championships in the closing Rally of Great Britain.

3 Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan creates a new world record by taking 709 wickets in test cricket.

9 Al Ahli clinches the volleyball FA cup after defeating Al Wasl 3-1 in the final at the Al Shabab Club.

11 Australia trashes New Zealand by 54 runs in a Twenty20 international at the WACA ground in Australia.

13 The Football Association appoints Fabio Capello as England's new soccer coach.

- Finland's Sami Selio is crowned the new F1 Powerboat World Champion in Sharjah.

ENETERTAINMENT

1 Zhang Zilin of China wins the 2007 Miss World title in China.

2 Dave Chappelle breaks his previous endurance record by telling jokes for six hours and 12 minutes in California.

6 Justin Timberlake performs at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

9 Hollywood actors George Clooney and Sharon Stone attend the opening of the fourth Dubai International Film Festival.