2007 soon over !! what will I remember of it ??

January

Almost one year ago, Bulgaria & Romania joined the European Union. Now I'll be able to visit one more friend without Visa (but wiz my credit card)

Kodi Annan was replaced by South Korea's Ban Ki-moon and became the new United Nations Secretary General.

Russian oil supplies to Poland, Germany & Ukraine are cut as the Russia-Belarus energy dispute escalates; restored 3 days later.

February

Smoking in public and work places is banned in France (high school,colleges, compagnies); in one week (2008) it will banned in restaurant, pubs & discos.

March

Sydney (31) turns off its lights for 1 hour between 7:30pm and 8:30pm as a political statement for Global Climate Change.

April

The TGV (French for "high-speed train") holds a series of world speed records achieved in the context of an active research and development program. The high speed trials are intended to expand the limits of high speed rail technology, increasing speed and comfort without compromising safety. The speed record for the TGV is currently 574.8 km/h on the EST European line.

Retired chess champion Garry Kasparov is detained in Moscow for participating in a banned march.

The first round of the French presidential election of 2007 takes place. Russians riot in Tallinn (Estonia), about moving the Bronze Soldier ( a Soviet WW II war memorial). Two nights of rioting leave one dead.

May

Nicolas Sarkozy is elected President of my Country (France), defeating Ségolène Royal with 53% of the vote in the French Presidential Election. His speech was interesting, let's tell future if he does what he said.

June

Tony Blair resigns as Prime Minister of UK; New Labour Party leader Gordon Brown is
appointed Prime Minister by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the aftermath of Greece's worst heatwave in a century, at least 11 people are reported dead from heatstroke, approximately 200 wildfires break out nationwide, and the country's electricity grid nearly collapses due to record breaking demand.

July

Portugal takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from Germany.

Smoking in public and work places is banned in England and in pubs and clubs in New South Wales & Victoria (Australia)

August

I visited my Friend Mika in Narbonne and François in Montpellier and discovered some places in Languedoc Roussillon (see past posts)

September

The Rugby World Cup 2007 starts in France.

First confirmed deaths resulting from the Myanma military's crackdown on weeks long anti-government protest. Buddhist monks are arrested and Internet access is cut from the public

October

Track and field star Marion Jones surrenders her five Olympic medals she won in the 2000 Sydney Games after admitting to doping. What a shame !! I admired her !!

South Africa defeats England at the Rugby World Cup 2007 final in Stade de France. Too bad that Oz team lost again the Rosbeefs. In the final, the best team won.

November

Australian Labour Party wins the federal election in Australia ; Labour leader Kevin Rudd is elected to succeed John Howard as Prime Minister of Australia.

December

European leaders sign the Treaty of Lisbon in Lisbon. Hope it will change the Institutions working.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, is announced as Time magazine's 2007 Person of the Year. What a crazy world!!

The Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia join the Schengen border-free zone. Nice be able to visit more friends without visa.

Death:

Abbé Pierre, French priest. He founded in 1949 the Emmaus movement, which has the goal of helping poor and homeless people and refugees.
A great loss for humanity (especially in France) "mais, c'est pa pottible, malheureusement SI"



Anna Nicole Smith, American model and television personality.She first gained popularity in Playboy, becoming the 1993 Playmate of the Year. She modeled for clothing companies (one of the hottest pieces of ass on the planet when she modeled for Guess jeans) . She starred in her own reality TV show. In the months before her death, she was the focus of renewed press coverage surrounding the death of her son. She died at the age of 39.
Rest in piece, Anna. You will be missed.


Boris Yeltsin, first President of the Russian Federation serving from 1991 to 1999.
I will remembe 4ver, one of the best laugh on TV:



On 31 December 1999, in a surprise announcement made live on Russian television, Yeltsin said Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would take over as acting president.
Yeltsin asked for forgiveness for what he acknowledged were errors of his rule, and said Russia needed to enter the new century with new political leaders.
Yeltsin said: "I want to beg forgiveness for your dreams that never came true. And also I would like to beg forgiveness not to have justified your hopes."


Grégory Lemarchal was a French singer and winner of the fourth series of the reality TV programme Star Academy. A new French duet version of the British singer Lucie Silvas' ' hit single "What You're Made Of" went to number two in the singles chart. Too young to die, I really enjoyed that song. Rest In Peace.



Grégory's family founded Association Grégory Lemarchal, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people and the families of people with cystic fibrosis, on June 7, a week after Grégory's death : http://www.association-gregorylemarchal.com/accueil.html





Raymond Barre was professor of economics at Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris
(Sciences Po).

In 1967, President De Gaulle chose him as vice-president of the European Commission for Economic & Financial Affairs. He stayed in Brussels until January 1973. Having come back to France, he joined the cabinet as minister of the External Trade in January 1976.

Barre's 1st Government , 1976 -30 March 1977. Second government from 30 March 1977 to 5 April 1978. Third government from 5 April 1978 to 22 May 1981.

Barre retired from active politics in June, 2002. He was being treated at a hospital for a heart condition since April, 2007 when he died on August 25, 2007

Luciano Pavarotti was one the most famous tenor in opera music, who crossed into popular music and became one of the most beloved vocal performers. He was one of The 3 Tenors and was well known for his televised concerts and media appearances
One of his famous song: Nessun Dorma.
Rest in Peace Luciano and thank you !!!




Colin McRae, was a Scottish world rally driver champion.
He was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion and, in 1995, became the first of only two Britons to date to have won the World Rally Championship Driver's title.
McRae helped lead Subary to the constructors' title three times in succession in 1995,1996, 1997. After a three year spell with Ford, which saw McRae win nine events, he moved to Citroen in 2003, where, despite not winning an event, he helped them win the first of their three consecutive manufacturers' titles. He became more famous with his video game in 1998.

Movies:

- My Blueberry Nights directed by Wong Kar Wai
- The Fountain directed by Darren Aronofsky