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The following is part two of three on events that took place in Kuwait in 2008.

HIS-KUWAIT-YEARENDER Major humanitarian, economic events in Kuwait during 2008 By Lubna Maarafi KUWAIT, Dec 24 (KUNA) -- Kuwait takes upon itself to assist countries in different fields, and the year 2008 was witnesses to the dispatch of humanitarian aid to people stricken by natural disasters, as well as approving loans to others seeking to finance development projects.
Moreover, the country saw many developments on the economic front, not forgetting the impact of oil prices and the fluctuation in the stock market.
The following are some of the major events that occurred locally this year: POWs ===.
-- Jan 22: The remains of Salem Amer Rashed Al-Douseri - a Saudi national born in 1965 and taken prisoner by Iraqi troops on December 21, 1990 - and Fayez Hussein Ali Nazer - a Kuwaiti born in 1967 and detained on October 20, 1990 - are identified through DNA testing and declared martyrs. Their bodies were found in a mass grave in Sabhan, Kuwait.
-- Oct 14: Iraq expresses desire to cooperate with Kuwait to close POWs' file.
-- Dec 10: The UN Security Council expresses concern over failure to disclose fate of Kuwaiti POWs.
Humanitarian aid ===============.
-- Jan 21: H.H. the Amir donates USD 10 million to Bangladesh after it is struck by a hurricane, -- Jan 24: Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) dispatches a team to the Egyptian side of the Rafah borders to assist Gazans suffering under the Israeli siege.
-- Feb 12: KRCS sends emergency assistance to Afghanistan after a snow wave hits the country.
-- March 23: KRCS sends emergency assistance to Sudan after it is flooded.
-- April 2: Kuwait makes a USD one million contribution to the UN Refugee Agency.
-- May 21: Kuwait donates USD five million to Myanmar after it is hit by a hurricane.
-- June 10: Kuwait donates USD 1.5 million to UNRWA.
-- Aug 17: KRCS presents food assistance to drought-stricken Djibouti.
-- Aug 28: Kuwait sends two planes carrying 15 tons assistance to Georgian people.
-- Sept 3: KRCS dispatches 10 tons of aid to Georgian people.
-- Sept 8: KRCS sends a further 20 tons of assistance to Georgian people.
-- Sept 11: KRCS dispatches 20 tons of aid to Georgia.
-- Oct 9: KRCS sends a final 30 ton assistance batch to Georgia.
-- Oct 28: KRCS sends first batch of flood victims in Yemen.
-- Oct 30: KRCS sends more assistance to Yemen.
-- Nov 13: KRCS sends 100 tons of food and medicine to Yemen.
-- Dec 3: Kuwait sends 10 tons of medicine to Baluchistan, Pakistan, after it is hit by an earthquake.
Defense and internal security ============================.
-- Jan 15: Special forces execute exercise with the Army and National Guard.
-- April 9: In a speech at the second extraordinary conference for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, Kuwait underscores importance that such weapons not fall in the hands of terrorist so as not to threaten global peace and security.
Economy ======.
-- Jan 23: The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) reduces the interest rate by 50 points, from 6.25 to 5.75 percent.
-- Jan 31: CBK cuts the Repo by half a point to 3.5 percent.
-- Feb 27: The Kuwaiti dinar value goes up to USD 1.5 (one dollar for 272.9 fils) after the dollar depreciates against the euro.
-- July 10: The dinar records its highest value when CBK raises its exchange rate against the dollar to 265.15 fils.
-- Oct 8: CBK cuts the interest rate by 125 points, from 5.75 to 4.5 percent.
-- Oct 30: CBK cuts the interest rate by 25 points, from 4.5 to 4.25 percent.
-- Dec 17: CBK cuts the interest rate by a further 50 points, from 4.25 to 3.75 percent.
Economic agreements ==================.
-- Feb 20: Kuwait and South Korea sign an MoU whereby Seoul provides expertise to the Gulf state in economic growth affairs.
-- Aug 9: Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) signs a cooperation agreement with its counterpart in Myanmar.
-- Aug 11: Kuwait signs an agreement with the World Bank for providing USD 80 million to a fund managed by the bank for the assistance of Palestinians.
-- Oct 28: Kuwait signs with Bosnia and Herzegovina an agreement for avoiding double taxation.
-- Nov 20: Kuwait and Germany sign a cooperation agreement in the commercial and industrial fields.
-- Dec 12: Kuwait and Hong Kong sign an agreement for avoiding double taxation, and another for encouraging trade exchange.

Impact of global economic crisis ===============================.
-- July 4: The Kuwaiti oil barrel reaches an all-time high of USD 136, before beginning its downward trend.
-- Nov 13: The price index of Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) plummets 160.6 points to 8,681. The Court of Cassations orders suspension of dealing on KSE in a step to minimize losses.
-- Nov 16: KSE files a motion for review of the court order halting market transactions.
-- Nov 17: Trading resumes on KSE.
-- Nov 17: Measures taken to raise capital of Gulf Bank to overcome KD 375 million losses.
-- Dec 3: Kuwaiti crude reaches USD 38.63 per barrel, on ground of the global economic crisis.
Kuwait Stock Exchange ====================.
-- Feb 21: KSE price index breaks 15,000-point barrier to register a new record and closing at 15,004.4 points.
-- June 19: KSE price index makes a new record high after coming to 15,552 points.
-- July 7: KSE price index drops sharply by 218.2 points to 15,048.9 points.
-- Sept 7: KSE suffers its greatest loss in 10 minutes during which the price index plummets 518.8 points, and closes for the day at an overall loss of 419.9 points.
-- Oct 6: KSE price index sheds 427.3 points and comes to 11,951.7 points.
-- Nov 13: KSE price index drops 127.2 points to rest at 8,724.4 points.
KFAED loans ==========.
-- Jan 11: Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) presents KD four million loan to Vietnam for financing highway construction.
-- Jan 17: KFAED signs to agreement with Egypt worth KD 30 million to construct an electricity plant.
-- Feb 13: KFAED presents a KD five million loan to Honduras for road rehabilitation.
-- Feb 15: KFAED presents a loan to Saint Lucia worth KD 2.5 million to finance road-laying in rural areas.
-- Feb 18: KFAED signs a loan agreement with Jamaica worth KD three million for read revamp.
-- Feb 18: KFAED presents a KD 16 million loan for Sudan to build a dam in the northern region of the African country.
-- March 5: KFAED presents a loan worth KD 10 million to China for environmental rehabilitation.
-- March 17: KFAED signs a loan agreement with Mauritania worth KD 10 million to finance a drinking water project.
-- March 26: KFAED signs a KD 10 million loan agreement with Senegal for the revamp of the capital's road network.
-- March 31: KFAED signs a loan agreement with Albania worth KD six million.
-- June 26: KFAED signs a loan agreement with Syria worth KD six million for roadworks.
-- July 3: KFAED signs a loan agreement with Djibouti worth KD 3.6 million for a road project.
-- July 17: KFAED signs a KD 20 million loan agreement with Egypt to finance the development of the natural gas network.
-- July 21: KFAED signs a KD 31.5 million agreement with Uzbekistan to finance a cardio-surgery center.
-- Aug 3: KFAED presents a KD 1.05 million loan to Niger to provide water to rural areas.
-- Aug 25: KFAED presents a KD 15 million loan to Sudan for a dam project.
-- Oct 28L KFAED signs a loan agreement with Ethiopia worth KD seven million.
-- Nov 7: KFAED signs a KD 21 million loan agreement with Lebanon for the rehabilitation of Beirut's eastern district.
-- Nov 19: KFAED signs a KD 6.2 million agreement with North Korea for a sewage system project.
Energy and mineral resources ===========================.
-- Jan 5: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) signs a KD 334 million agreement with an American company for consultative services.
-- Feb 19: Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) and KOC signs agreements with two Indian companies worth KD 120.13 million.
-- April 7: Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8) signs a partnership agreement with two Japanese companies for a joint petrochemical venture in Vietnam.
-- April 8: Kuwait and Vietnam signs an agreement for constructing a refinery in Vietnam worth KD six billion.
-- June 4: KOC begins production of liberated gas.
-- Oct 15: KOC raises daily production of oil to 439,000 barrels to bring the total to 2.377 million this fiscal year.
-- Dec 2: Kuwait and Japan sign an MoU for a feasibility study for the introduction of solar energy harnessing to the Gulf state. (end) lm.ema