Wikinews' overview of the year 2007
{{date|December 31, 2007}}
[[Image:Wikinews year overview 2007 animated.gif|right|border|400px]]
What would you tell your grandchildren about 2007 if they asked you about it in, let's say, 20 year's time? If the answer to a quiz question was 2007, what would the question be? The year that you first signed on to [[w:Facebook|Facebook]]? The year [[w:Britney Spears|Britney Spears]] and [[w:Amy Winehouse|Amy Winehouse]] fell apart? The year '''[[Author Kurt Vonnegut dead at 84|author Kurt Vonnegut]]''' or '''[[Mime Marcel Marceau dies at age 84|mime Marcel Marceau]]''' died, both at 84?

Let's take a look at some of the international stories of 2007. Links to the original Wikinews articles are in bold.

==2007: the stories==
__TOC__
===[[Image:Flag of Portugal.svg|border|40px]] Portugal: Madeleine McCann goes missing===
[[w:Madeleine McCann|Madeleine McCann]] (3) disappeared on May 3 in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Initially, a local man called Robert Murat was mentioned as a suspect, although on August 7,  Kate and Gerry McCann '''[[Reports: Parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann are suspects in her disappearance|became suspects]] [[Forensic results forthcoming in Madeleine McCann case|based on forensic evidence]]'''.

[[Image:Wildfire California Santa Clarita.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Wildfire photographed overnight in [[w:Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, California|Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, California]].{{Image source|[http://www.flickr.com/people/40518938@N00 Jeff Turner]}}]]
===[[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|border|40px]] United States: Virginia Tech shooting, California wildfires===
On April 16, '''[[33 dead, 15 injured in Virginia Tech shootings]]''': A single gunman entered the campus and opened fire on students and faculty in two separate incidents, first in the West Ambler Johnston Hall dormitory, then again two hours later at the Norris Hall classroom building, killing 33 people, including himself. It became the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. The shooter was identified as [[w:Cho Seung-Hui|Cho Seung-Hui]], a 23-year old South Korean national. He was studying English and lived on the university campus. Between the two shootings, '''[[Virginia Tech gunman sent package to NBC|Cho sent a mail package to NBC News]]''' with his manifesto, pictures and videos.

In early September, '''[[Adventurer Steve Fossett missing|adventurer Steve Fossett went missing]]'''. Fossett reportedly took off in a single engine plane to look for a suitable site in the Nevada playas for his planned land speed record attempt. His former crewmate and rival, Sir Richard Branson remained confident he would be found: "Steve is a tough old boot. I suspect he is waiting by his plane right now for someone to pick him up."

On October 12, The 2007 '''[[Al Gore and Climate Panel awarded Nobel Peace prize 2007|Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former U.S. Vice President Al Gore]]''' and the [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]] (IPCC). The [[Nobel Prize|Nobel committee]] cited "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change" as the reasons for awarding the prize.

In late October, '''[[1,000,000 flee homes in California due to wildfires; over 500,000 ordered to evacuate|1,000,000 fled their homes in California due to wildfires]]''' strengthened by the Santa Ana Winds. A state of emergency was declared by President Bush and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. At a last-minute FEMA press conference with regards to the wildfires, '''[[FEMA employees pose as fake reporters during press conference|FEMA employees posed as reporters]]''' asking what were regarded as overly friendly questions.

===[[Image:Bills and coins.svg|75px]]Economy: Subprime mortgage crisis===
Many banks in the [[USA]] saw their '''[[Markets dragged down by credit crisis|share prices falling]]''' after people were found to be unable to pay back many of their mortgages. The mortgages lent to people who may not be able to afford to pay back their loans are known as [[w:subprime mortgage|subprime mortgages]].

This spread across the stock markets internationally and UK bank Northern Rock had thousands of people '''[[Queues form outside struggling UK bank; calm urged|queuing outside their bank]]''' after they '''[[UK bank gets emergency support|borrowed money from the Bank of England]]''', which is known as "the lender of last resort."

[[Image:Army.mil-2007-02-22-083216.jpg|thumb|right|An Iraqi and American soldier conducting a raid in Baghdad. The graffiti on the wall reads "Allah is great".]]
===[[Image:Flag of Iraq.svg|border|40px]] Iraq: US troop surge===
On January 10, '''[[Bush unveils America's new Iraq plan|21,500 more troops]]''' to bring [[w:Operation Law and Order|Operation Law and Order]] to Baghdad was made public. The U.S. forces began to collaborate more intensely with Iraqi troops.

On February 21, the '''[[UK and Denmark announce troop withdrawals from Iraq|UK and Denmark announced troop withdrawals from Iraq]]'''. "The next chapter in Basra’s history can be written by Iraqis," said [[Tony Blair]]. Following a reduction in violence and troop deaths in the second half of 2007, the '''[[US to reduce troops in Iraq by 5,000 in December|U.S. announced troop reductions]]''' in November. Meanwhile, [[Turkey]] said it would use military action against PKK rebels attacking the country from neighboring Iraq, which the '''[[Bush pledges support for Turkey after meeting with PM|U.S. pledged support for and "hoped to avoid"]]'''.

{{missing image|File:Kasparov arrested.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Garry Kasparov gets arrested on May 17, 2007 at the Moscow Airport.{{Image source|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasone2007/459589557 2007.urtea]}}]]}}
===[[Image:Flag of Russia.svg|border|40px]] Russia: Vladimir Putin and Boris Yeltsin===
Vladimir Putin was named "man of the year" by Time Magazine. He would finish his 2nd and last term as President in 2008, although he said he '''[[Putin will accept prime minister position if Medvedev wins|would accept to subsequently become Prime Minister]]'''. Under Putin, Russia strove to increase its position as a geopolitical superpower, for example by '''[[Russia claims North Pole by planting flag on seabed|claiming the North Pole]]'''. During 2007 former chess grandmaster '''[[Chess grand master Kasparov arrested after protest|Gary Kasparov, now a political activist]]''', drew the attention of the international media.

'''[[Boris Yeltsin, former president of Russia, dies at 76|Boris Yeltsin, former president of Russia, died at 76]]''' on April 23. Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin (Russian: Бори́с Никола́евич Е́льцин) was the first President of the [[Russia|Russian Federation]] from 1991 to 1999. The Yeltsin era was a traumatic period in Russian history— marked by widespread corruption, economic collapse, and enormous political and social problems. Yeltsin maintained a low profile since his resignation, making almost no public statements or appearances. However, on February 1, 2006, Yeltsin celebrated his 75th birthday. He used this occasion as an opportunity to criticize a "monopolistic" [[United States]] foreign policy, and to state that [[Vladimir Putin]] was the right choice for Russia.

===[[Image:Flag of Afghanistan.svg|border|40px]] Afghanistan: opium production, David Hicks===
More British troops were sent into Afghanistan, where the war that started after the 9/11 attacks continued with a large number of news events. In late August, it was reported that '''[[opium production in Afghanistan reaches record highs|opium production in Afghanistan reached record highs]]'''. Australian [[David Hicks]] would become the '''[[first Guantánamo Bay prisoner sentenced|first Guantánamo Bay prisoner to be sentenced]]''', after which he '''[[David Hicks transferred from Guantanamo Bay to Australian prison|returned to an Australian prison]]''' to serve out his time and was '''[[Australian David Hicks is released from Yatala Labour Prison|released on December 29]]'''.

===[[Image:Flag of France.svg|border|40px]] France: Sarko for President===
May 6: '''[[Sarkozy wins 2007 French Presidential election]]''', defeating [[Ségolène Royal]]. Both separated from their partners afterwards. Sarko's style and self proclaimed openness is proved different from his predecessor [[Jacques Chirac]]. His '''[[French transportation strike spreads to civil servants|confrontation with the unions]]''' came in the second half of November.

On October 30, the French NGO Zoe's Ark was accused of '''[[Nine French nationals face kidnapping charges in Chad|trying to kidnap hundreds of Chadian children]]''' they described as Darfur orphans -'''[[Chad releases seven Europeans held in alleged kidnap plan|Sarkozy travelled to Chad]]''' to hold talks with local officials.

[[Image:Benazir Bhutto - cropped with border.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Benazir Bhutto.]]
===[[Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg|border|40px]] Pakistan: Bhutto assassinated===
After a '''[['Large-scale attack' against ex-Prime Minister Bhutto leaves more than 100 dead in Pakistan|previous attack in October]]''' and '''[[Pakistan lifts house arrest of former PM Benazir Bhutto|house arrest]]''', former Pakistan Prime Minister '''[[Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack|Benazir Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack]]''' on 27th December, when an attacker fired 2 gun shots at her then exploded a bomb. This assassination occurred just weeks after '''[[Musharraf lifts emergency rule in Pakistan|Musharraf lifted the state of emergency]]''' that he had '''[[Musharraf declares emergency rule in Pakistan|instated in November]]''' in his country. Her '''[[Bilawal Bhutto, son of Benazir, to assume leadership of PPP|son and husband assumed her place]]''' at the top of the Pakistan People's Party.

In March, '''[[Pakistan's military ruler sacks Chief Justice|Musharraf sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry]]''', but he was '''[[Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry reinstated as Chief Justice of Pakistan|reinstated in July]]'''.

[[Image:Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Columbia.jpg|thumb|right|Ahmadinejad addresses the University.{{image credit|1=[http://dan.iella.net Daniella Zalcman]}}]]

===[[Image:Flag of Iran.svg|border|40px]] Iran: President Ahmadinejad's controversial rule===
On March 23, Iran '''[[15 Royal Navy sailors captured at gunpoint by Iranian guards|captured 15 members of the British Navy]]''' and held them for alleged espionage. [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] pardoned them after 12 days, saying: {{Cquote|On the occasion of the birth anniversary of the great prophet of Islam, and on the occasion of Easter and Passover, I would like to announce that the great nation of Iran, while it is entitled to put the British military personnel on trial, has pardoned these 15 sailors and gives their release to the people of Britain as a gift.}}

While the President of Iran was in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly in September, he was invited to '''[[Iranian President Ahmadinejad speaks at Columbia University|a controversial debate at Columbia University]]'''. When challenged by the University President about Iran's treatment of [[w:LGBT|LGBT]]'s, Ahmadinejad stated that: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," drawing laughter from the audience. "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon, I don't know who has told you that we have it."

[[Image:Republic Protest second rally Petates 3.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The "Protect your Republic" protests.{{Image source|[http://www.flickr.com/people/28042428@N00 Miguel Carminati]}}]]
===[[Image:Flag of Turkey.svg|border|40px]] Turkey: Hrant Dink and Abdullah Gül===
On January 19, Turkish-Armenian journalist '''[[Turkish-Armenian journalist killed in Turkey|Hrant Dink was assassinated]]''' in front of the Agos newspaper office where he worked as the editor. Dink was known for writing about the controversial issue of Armenian genocide and the mass killings of Armenians by Turks under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. His '''[[Assassin of Turkish-Armenian journalist 'treated as national hero'|assassin was then treated by some Turkish security troops as a "national hero"]]'''.

In April and May, '''[[Protests in Turkey over Presidential candidate|several large protests]]''' were held across the country by pro-secular Turks, out of fear that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would run for President, then due to concerns about Presidential Candidate Abdullah Gül, whose wife wears the [[w:hijab|islamic headscarf]]. Gül was not appointed in the first parliamentary round, when opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote. The opposition also appealed to the Constitutional Court to declare the process unlawful. '''[[AKP secures mandate in Turkish general election|General elections followed]]''' and Gül became President on August 28.

[[Image:2007 Myanmar protests 11.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Monks protesting in Myanmar.{{image source|[http://www.flickr.com/people/17158481@N00 racoles]}}]]
===[[Image:Flag of Myanmar.svg|border|40px]] Burma: protests===
In Myanmar (formerly Burma) government forces '''[[Hundreds of monks arrested in monastery raids; continue protests|arrested hundreds of monks]]''' in September after [[Myanmar protesters beaten by police|several days of peaceful demonstrations]], but despite the violent treatment from military personnel, the monks returned to the streets. Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, '''[[Australian government declares support for Burmese protests|Alexander Downer, had called]]''' "the continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and over one thousand political prisoners" unacceptable. '''[[Burma's military rulers arrest leaders of pro-democracy protests|Pro-democracy leaders were arrested]]''' and a '''[[Thousands of Monks in Burma to be imprisoned; Thousands more reported dead|death toll of more than 1000]]''' was reported. In late October, Myanmar opposition leader and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, '''[[Aung San Suu Kyi leaves house arrest to meet with government official|Aung San Suu Kyi left her house arrest to meet with government official]]'''.

===[[Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|border|40px]] United Kingdom: Gordon Brown succeeds Tony Blair, floods, and lost discs===
On June 24 this year '''[[Gordon Brown becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair]]''' as leader of the UK labour party and therefore Prime Minister after a long period of time where reporters were predicting the date of Blair's departure.

After this the UK was '''[[Politicians call for action after floods cause havoc in the UK|hit by its worst floods in 50 years]]'''. In late November, '''[[UK government loses personal information of 25 million people|two computer disks were lost]]''' containing the entire Child Benefit database, estimated to contain the names, addresses, dates of birth, child benefit and National Insurance numbers, and sometimes the bank or building society account details of 25 million individuals, in what has been described as "one of the world’s biggest ID protection failures".

===Northern Ireland: home rule, end of Troubles===
[[Ian Paisley|Ian "Dr. No" Paisley]] and former IRA commander [[w:Martin McGuinness|Martin McGuinness]] '''[[Northern Ireland has home rule returned|agreed to share power and have home rule return]]''' to Northern Ireland after four years of central rule from London. "I believe we're starting on a road which will bring us back to peace and to prosperity," said Paisley, who took the post of First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Just one day after a '''[[Car bomb defused in central London|car bomb was defused in central London]]''' on June 29, a '''[[Car driven into Glasgow International Airport|Jeep was driven into the Glasgow International Airport terminal]]''' and burst into flames in an unsuccessful terrorist attack. Several people aided the police in detaining the assailants, including [[w:John Smeaton (baggage handler)|baggage handler John Smeaton]] who received the Queen's Gallantry Medal for his actions.

[[Image:Australian-Election-2007.jpg|right|thumb]]
===[[Image:Flag of Australia.svg|border|40px]] Australia: Kevin Rudd===
On December 3, '''[[Kevin Rudd sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia|Kevin Rudd was sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia]]''' after John Howard and the Liberal Party and Coalition were defeated in the election. After the ceremony, Mr. Rudd signed documents to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change calling it the first official act of the new Australian government.

[[Image:G82007LeadersBigheads.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Oxfam protesters dressed as and wearing masks of the G8 leaders.{{image source|[http://flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/ Craig Owen]/Oxfam}}]]

===[[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|border|40px]] Germany: G8 summit in Heiligendamm===
A '''[[Post-Kyoto agreement is subject of G8 debate|post-Kyoto agreement on climate change]]''' and '''[[G8 reaches deal on African aid for health issues|combating poverty in Africa]]''' were the main topics at the summit of the 7 richest industrialised countries and Russia in Heiligendamm in June.

While France and Germany were calling for quantifiable greenhouse gas emission cuts, the U.S. and Japan believed that growing economies such as India and China would need to join in on such efforts. Advocacy groups were critical about the aid promised to Africa: "Do they think we can’t read or count?" asked musician/activist Bono. "We are looking for accountable language and accountable numbers: we didn’t get them today."

The G8 Summit was preceded by mass demonstrations, such as the one in Rostock, where several hundred protesters were arrested.

===[[Image:Flag of Finland.svg|border|40px]] Finland: Jokela highschool shootings===
Eight people were killed in a '''[[Deadly shooting at high school in Finland|school shooting in Jokela, Finland]]'''. The shooter, an 18-year-old male student named as Pekka-Eric Auvinen, was arrested after a siege situation, but died due to a gunshot wound from an apparent suicide attempt. The killer had uploaded a home-made movie to YouTube announcing the "massacre" one day prior to the shooting. His profile featured several movies regarding an ongoing depression and unsuccessful treatment with SSRIs. Additionally, some movies of him shooting his new gun had been uploaded weeks prior to the shooting. Auvinen also had a personal website which featured images, music and documents, including a manifesto.

After the incident, '''[[Finland considers tougher gun laws|Finland considered toughening gun legislation]]'''. Until then, Finland had actively resisted plans for all European Union member states to limit gun ownership to persons aged 18 and over. The law stipulated that Finns could apply for a gun permit at the age of 15.

[[Image:Cristina Fernandez at 2007 Presidential elections.jpg|right|thumb|Cristina de Kirchner next to Néstor Kirchner celebrating her electoral victory.{{image source|[http://www.presidencia.gov.ar/ Presidencia de la Nación Argentina]}}]]

===[[Image:Flag of Argentina.svg|border|40px]] Argentina: Kirchner and Kirchner===
Cristina Kirchner was the '''[[Cristina Kirchner set to win Argentinian presidential elections|favourite candidate to succeed her husband as President]]'''. Néstor Kirchner decided not to run for a second four-year term, without giving an explanation. Mrs Kirchner consistently used her first name during her electoral campaign, which is a similarity to United States presidential candidate [[w:Hilary Clinton|Hilary Clinton]]. However Cristina told the media: "I don't want to be compared with Hillary Clinton or with Evita Perón, or with anybody... There's nothing better than being yourself."

===[[Image:Flag of Indonesia.svg|border|40px]] Bali: Climate conference===
The two-week long '''[[:Category:2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference|U.N. climate conference in Bali]]''' '''[[Climate Conference in Bali concluded; opinions on outcome differ|ended with an agreement on the so-called Bali roadmap]]''', which was welcomed with cautious optimism. The roadmap details the process for a post-2012 climate change agreement. European Union Commission President José Manuel Barroso stated: "We have worked hard to achieve this result. It is a very important step forward." The European Commissioner for Environment made it clear that Bali had only been the start of things: "Now the real hard work must begin. It is essential that the agreement to be worked out over the next two years is ambitious enough to prevent global warming from reaching dangerous levels.”

===[[Image:Flag of Belgium.svg|border|40px]] Belgium: long government formation===
More than half of the year in Belgium focused on politics, as the '''[[Belgian voters decide fate of socialist-liberal coalition tomorrow|general elections on June 10]]''' promised some difficult coalition talks. PM Verhofstadt recognised his defeat by Christian-Democrat Yves Leterme of Flanders, while the liberals broke the socialist hegemony in Wallonia. Orange-blue coalition talks failed to produce a government for 192 days, when it was Verhofstadt who gathered consensus for '''[[Belgian Chamber of Representatives backs interim government|an interim government]]'''.

Earlier in the year, Belgium's first black city registrar organised '''[[Mass wedding held against racism in Belgium|a mass wedding against racism]]''' that caught international media attention.

===[[Image:Flag of Canada.svg|border|40px]] Canada: RCMP under scrutiny===
The [[w:Royal Canadian Mounted Police|RCMP]], received a negative spotlight in 2007, particularly for their handling of a '''[[Video of man tasered at Vancouver airport released|distraught passenger]]''' at Vancouver International Airport in November. 

Robert Dziekanski, 40, was immigrating from Pieszyce, Poland to live with his mother, Zofia Cisowski, in Kamloops, British Columbia. Since Dziekanski did not speak English airport security guards were unable to properly communicate with him. He started yelling at the airport staff because of this. He used chairs to prop open a door between a customs clearing area and a public lounge, he then threw a computer and threw a small table at a luggage section window. The police tasered him twice and he died.

Following the '''[[Police officer shot dead in Canadian Arctic community|shooting deaths]]''', in separate incidents, of two mounties stationed in northern communities, there were calls for policy changes related to how and when individual officers should call for back-up.   


===[[Image:Flag of Italy.svg|border|40px]]Italy: Pavarotti dies===
One of the world's best-regarded tenor singers, [[w:Luciano Pavarotti|Luciano Pavarotti]], '''[[Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti dies at age 71|died 6th September]]'''. '''[[Pavarotti receives standing ovation at funeral|His funeral drew thousands]]''' including [[w:Bono|Bono]] of U2, and fellow tenors [[w:Plácido Domingo|Plácido Domingo]] and [[w:José Carreras|José Carreras]]. Pavarotti succumbed to pancreatic cancer which was '''[[Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti hospitalized|diagnosed in July 2006]]'''.

===[[Image:Bills and coins.svg|75px]]Economy: Apple's iPhone===
In January, '''[[Apple introduces iPhone and Apple TV|Apple announced its iPhone]]''', which '''[[IPhone hits US market, strong initial sales|hit U.S. markets on July]]''' and '''[[Queues start to form for UK iPhone launch tomorrow|made customers queue in the U.K.]]''' in November. Apple's decision to lock the phone to use one network exclusively was criticized as "anti-competitive", and '''[[Interview: cracked iPhone working in New Zealand|hackers started circumnavigating the restrictions]]''' imposed on the phone.

===[[Image:Flag of Europe.svg|border|40px]] European Union: Eastern-European expansion and Lisbon Treaty===
On January 1, 2007, '''[[Slovenia adopts euro|Slovenia adopted the euro currency]]''', and [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]] joined the [[European Union]]. In December, '''[[European leaders sign Lisbon Treaty|E.U. leaders signed the Treaty of Lisbon]]''', a landmark document which is to redefine foreign policy for the E.U. and creates an E.U. president. The treaty is a replacement for the [[w:Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe]] which was abandoned after suffering defeats in referendums in [[France]] and the [[Netherlands]]. [[United Kingdom]] Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] arrived late and added his signature later.

===[[Image:P sport.png|40px]] Sports: Formula One spying controversy===
Following alleged espionage, [[w:McLaren|McLaren ]] (the team of [[w:Fernando Alonso|Fernando Alonso]] and newcomer [[w:Lewis Hamilton|Lewis Hamilton]]) was '''[[FIA clears McLaren of allegations by Ferrari|initially cleared]]''' but then in September fined $100 million and excluded from the Constructor's championship. The highly controversial and enthralling 2007 season came to an when '''[[Kimi Räikkönen wins 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix and the 2007 Championship|Kimi Räikkönen won the 2007 Championship]]'''.

{{haveyoursay}}

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==Sources==
{{Original reporting}}
*{{source|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/
|title=Review of the Year
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|pub=Observer Magazine
|date=December 23, 2007}}

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[[Category:2007]]
[[Category:Wikinews overview|2007]]


[[de:Wikinews:Nachrichtenrückblick 2007]]
400px
What would you tell your grandchildren about 2007 if they asked you about it in, let's say, 20 year's time? If the answer to a quiz question was 2007, what would the question be? The year that you first signed on to Facebook? The year Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse fell apart? The year 'author Kurt Vonnegut' or 'mime Marcel Marceau' died, both at 84?

Let's take a look at some of the international stories of 2007. Links to the original Wikinews articles are in bold.

Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, California.
In early September, 'adventurer Steve Fossett went missing'. Fossett reportedly took off in a single engine plane to look for a suitable site in the Nevada playas for his planned land speed record attempt. His former crewmate and rival, Sir Richard Branson remained confident he would be found: "Steve is a tough old boot. I suspect he is waiting by his plane right now for someone to pick him up."

On October 12, The 2007 'Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former U.S. Vice President Al Gore' and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The Nobel committee cited "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change" as the reasons for awarding the prize.

In late October, '1,000,000 fled their homes in California due to wildfires' strengthened by the Santa Ana Winds. A state of emergency was declared by President Bush and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. At a last-minute FEMA press conference with regards to the wildfires, 'FEMA employees posed as reporters' asking what were regarded as overly friendly questions.

This spread across the stock markets internationally and UK bank Northern Rock had thousands of people 'queuing outside their bank' after they 'borrowed money from the Bank of England', which is known as "the lender of last resort."

An Iraqi and American soldier conducting a raid in Baghdad. The graffiti on the wall reads "Allah is great".
On February 21, the 'UK and Denmark announced troop withdrawals from Iraq'. "The next chapter in Basra’s history can be written by Iraqis," said Tony Blair. Following a reduction in violence and troop deaths in the second half of 2007, the 'U.S. announced troop reductions' in November. Meanwhile, Turkey said it would use military action against PKK rebels attacking the country from neighboring Iraq, which the 'U.S. pledged support for and "hoped to avoid"'.


'Boris Yeltsin, former president of Russia, died at 76' on April 23. Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin (Russian: Бори́с Никола́евич Е́льцин) was the first President of the Russian Federation from 1991 to 1999. The Yeltsin era was a traumatic period in Russian history— marked by widespread corruption, economic collapse, and enormous political and social problems. Yeltsin maintained a low profile since his resignation, making almost no public statements or appearances. However, on February 1, 2006, Yeltsin celebrated his 75th birthday. He used this occasion as an opportunity to criticize a "monopolistic" United States foreign policy, and to state that Vladimir Putin was the right choice for Russia.

On October 30, the French NGO Zoe's Ark was accused of 'trying to kidnap hundreds of Chadian children' they described as Darfur orphans -'Sarkozy travelled to Chad' to hold talks with local officials.

Benazir Bhutto.
In March, 'Musharraf sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry', but he was 'reinstated in July'.

Ahmadinejad addresses the University.

While the President of Iran was in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly in September, he was invited to 'a controversial debate at Columbia University'. When challenged by the University President about Iran's treatment of LGBT's, Ahmadinejad stated that: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," drawing laughter from the audience. "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon, I don't know who has told you that we have it."

The "Protect your Republic" protests.
In April and May, 'several large protests' were held across the country by pro-secular Turks, out of fear that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would run for President, then due to concerns about Presidential Candidate Abdullah Gül, whose wife wears the islamic headscarf. Gül was not appointed in the first parliamentary round, when opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote. The opposition also appealed to the Constitutional Court to declare the process unlawful. 'General elections followed' and Gül became President on August 28.

Monks protesting in Myanmar.
After this the UK was 'hit by its worst floods in 50 years'. In late November, 'two computer disks were lost' containing the entire Child Benefit database, estimated to contain the names, addresses, dates of birth, child benefit and National Insurance numbers, and sometimes the bank or building society account details of 25 million individuals, in what has been described as "one of the world’s biggest ID protection failures".

Just one day after a 'car bomb was defused in central London' on June 29, a 'Jeep was driven into the Glasgow International Airport terminal' and burst into flames in an unsuccessful terrorist attack. Several people aided the police in detaining the assailants, including baggage handler John Smeaton who received the Queen's Gallantry Medal for his actions.

thumb
Oxfam protesters dressed as and wearing masks of the G8 leaders.

While France and Germany were calling for quantifiable greenhouse gas emission cuts, the U.S. and Japan believed that growing economies such as India and China would need to join in on such efforts. Advocacy groups were critical about the aid promised to Africa: "Do they think we can’t read or count?" asked musician/activist Bono. "We are looking for accountable language and accountable numbers: we didn’t get them today."

The G8 Summit was preceded by mass demonstrations, such as the one in Rostock, where several hundred protesters were arrested.

After the incident, 'Finland considered toughening gun legislation'. Until then, Finland had actively resisted plans for all European Union member states to limit gun ownership to persons aged 18 and over. The law stipulated that Finns could apply for a gun permit at the age of 15.

Cristina de Kirchner next to Néstor Kirchner celebrating her electoral victory.

Earlier in the year, Belgium's first black city registrar organised 'a mass wedding against racism' that caught international media attention.

Robert Dziekanski, 40, was immigrating from Pieszyce, Poland to live with his mother, Zofia Cisowski, in Kamloops, British Columbia. Since Dziekanski did not speak English airport security guards were unable to properly communicate with him. He started yelling at the airport staff because of this. He used chairs to prop open a door between a customs clearing area and a public lounge, he then threw a computer and threw a small table at a luggage section window. The police tasered him twice and he died.

Following the 'shooting deaths', in separate incidents, of two mounties stationed in northern communities, there were calls for policy changes related to how and when individual officers should call for back-up.   


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