2006–07 York City F.C. season
York entered the 2006–07 FA Cup in the fourth qualifying round, beating Newcastle Benfield (Bay Plastics) away before losing at home to Bristol City in the first round. They were knocked out in the first round of the 2006–07 FA Trophy, being beaten by their eventual play-off opponents Morecambe.


2006–07 York City F.C. season
28 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 12 different goalscorers. Striker Craig Farrell played in all 51 first-team matches over the season. Clayton Donaldson finished as leading goalscorer with 26 goals, of which 24 came in league competition, one came in the FA Cup one came in the FA Trophy. The winner of the Clubman of the Year award was Neal Bishop.


2006–07 York City F.C. season, Background and pre-season
New home and away kits were brought in for the first time in two years. The home kit included red shirts with a white collar, bar a section under the neck which was red, and white trims on the sleeves, white shorts and red socks. The away kit comprised yellow shirts with a green collar, bar a section under the neck which was yellow, and white trims on the sleeves, blue shorts and blue socks. CLP Industries continued as shirt sponsors for the second successive season.


2006–07 York City F.C. season, Match details
Dates and attendances are sourced by Batters. League positions are sourced by Statto. The remaining information is referenced individually.


2006–07 Ystalyfera RFC season
The start of season 2006-07 in Division Four South West was in contrast with the somewhat traditional – “good start – poor Christmas/New year – with a good end to the season”. Up to the end of November six league games had been lost with a single victory at home to Trebanos. The only other win was a Swansea Valley 1st Round home game versus Alltwen.


2006–07 Ystalyfera RFC season
In December to February team confidence did rally and five wins, two draws and only two defeats saw the side lift itself up, finishing the season with three wins in the last four games and a respectable 7th place out of 12. Welsh Cup progress was a dismal 1st Round defeat at home to district side Trefil and the West Wales Shield Merit Table finish 21st out of 31. The Swansea Valley Cup effort was a final versus Vardre up at Cwmtwrch, which we lost 13-8. Ystalyfera were completely outplayed by their much classier opponents.


2006–07 Ystalyfera RFC season
Captain this season was the reliable Alun Guerrier, and top points scorer was Andrew Spratt with an accumulative 142 points. Top try scorer was the young Mathew Scott with 12. Jonathan Evans won both the Players Player and Supporters Player of the year awards.


2006–07 curling season
The 2006-07 curling season began in September 2006 and ended in April 2007.


2006–07 film awards season
The 2006–07 film awards season began in November 2006 and ended in February 2007.


2006–07 in Argentine football
2006–07 season of Argentine football was the 116th season of competitive football in Argentina.


2006–07 in Argentine football, Torneo Apertura ("Opening" Tournament), "Championship" playoff
Boca Juniors and Estudiantes de La Plata ended up tied in points at the end of the 19 weeks of regular season. Tournament rules establish that, unlike any other position on the table, if two or more teams are equal in points at the end of play, goal difference does not count and a playoff game is required. Estudiantes won that match and was crowned as champion.


2006–07 in Argentine football, Torneo Clausura ("Closing" Tournament)
By matchday 8th, seven coaches were already fired by their respective teams


2006–07 in Argentine football, Torneo Clausura ("Closing" Tournament), Relegation, "Promoción" playoff
Teams and schedules will be decided based on average after the end of the Closing tournament.


2006–07 in Argentine football, Torneo Clausura ("Closing" Tournament), Relegation, "Promoción" playoff
Tigre wins 3-1 and is promoted to Argentine First Division. While Nueva Chicago is relegated to the Argentine Nacional B.


2006–07 in Argentine football, Torneo Clausura ("Closing" Tournament), Relegation, "Promoción" playoff
Huracán wins 5-2 and is promoted to Argentine First Division. While Godoy Cruz is relegated to the Argentine Nacional B.


2006–07 in Argentine football, National team
This section covers Argentina's matches from the end of the 2006 FIFA World Cup until the end of the 2007 Copa América.


2006–07 in Australian soccer
The following article is a summary of the 2006–07 football season in Australia, which was the 2nd season following the formation of the A-League.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, A-League
The 2006–07 A-League season began on 25 August 2006 and ended on 18 February 2007.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
The 2006 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup began on 15 July 2006 and ended on 19 August 2006


2006–07 in Australian soccer, Asian Champions League
The 2006 AFC Champions League began on 7 March 2007 and ended on 14 November 2007. Adelaide United and Sydney FC represented Australia in the competition, 2005–06 A-League Premiers and Champions, respectively.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, National teams, Men's senior, Friendlies
The following is a list of friendlies played by the men's senior national team in 2006–07.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, National teams, Men's under-23, Friendlies
The following is a list of friendlies played by the men's senior national team in 2006–07.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, National teams, Men's under-20, Friendlies
The following is a list of friendlies played by the men's senior national team in 2006–07.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, National teams, Women's senior, Friendlies
The following is a list of friendlies played by the women's senior national team in 2006–07.


2006–07 in Australian soccer, National teams, Women's under-17, Friendlies
The following is a list of friendlies played by the women's under-17 national team in 2006–07.


2006–07 in Belgian football
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by BHGbot (talk | contribs) at 23:22, 19 June 2020 (WP:BHGbot 6 (List 5): eponymous category first, per MOS:CATORDER; WP:GENFIXES). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


2006–07 in Belgian football
The 2006–07 season is the 104th competitive season in Belgian football.


2006–07 in Belgian football, Overview
Following promotion from the Belgian Second Division, Mons have returned to the Belgian First Division immediately after dropping to the second division during the 2004–2005 season. La Louvière has dropped from the first division after finishing last, they were also refused a licence which caused them to drop two levels and so they now play in the Belgian Third Division.


2006–07 in Belgian football, National team
After failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Belgium will attempt to qualify for UEFA Euro 2008.


2006–07 in Cape Verdean football
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by BHGbot (talk | contribs) at 23:23, 19 June 2020 (WP:BHGbot 6 (List 5): eponymous category first, per MOS:CATORDER; WP:GENFIXES). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


2006–07 in Cape Verdean football
In the 2006–07 season of competitive football (soccer) in Cape Verde  It was the first season that the national cup competition took place, its first winner was Académica da Praia.


2006–07 in Cape Verdean football, Final standings, Cape Verdean Football Championships
Académica do Mindelo and Académico do Aeroporto were first in each group along with two Praia based teams Sporting and Académica, second of each group. Académica Mindelo had the most points numbering 13, second was Académico do Aeroporto with 11, two Praia based teams Sporting and Académica had ten each which was third. Académica Mindelo scored the most with 16 goals followed by Sporting Praia with 11 and Académico do Aeroporto with 10.


2006–07 in Cape Verdean football, Final standings, Cape Verdean Football Championships
In the semis, Sporting Praia advanced with 6 goals scored each they defeated Académico do Aeroporto with three goals and Académica do Mindelo who defeated Académica Praia with a 1-0 result each leg, both of the clubs are Académica de Coimbra affiliates. In the finals, the first match ended in a scoreless draw, the final leg ended in a goal draw, Sporting Praia scored a goal at the last minute of stoppage time, being an away goal, Sporting Praia won their sixth championship match


2006–07 in Cape Verdean football, Final standings, Cape Verdean Cup
The second ever Cape Verdean Cup took place (their last was in 1982). It became one of the most recent nations to hold their own  Académica Praia won their first cup title after defeating Académica do Sal 3–1 in the final.


2006–07 in Cape Verdean football, Final standings, Island or regional competitions, Regional Super Cups
The 2006 champion winner played with a 2006 cup winner (when a club won both, a second place club competed).


2006–07 in Croatian football
The following article presents a summary of the 2006–07 football (soccer) season in Croatia, which was the 16th season of competitive football in the country.


2006–07 in Danish football
The 2006–07 season in Danish football, began in July 2006 and ended in June 2007.


2006–07 in Danish football, Overview
From the 2006–07 season, B 1909, B 1913 and Dalum IF merged into FC FYN. All three clubs played in the 2005–06 season in 2nd Division West. FC FYN will also play in the 2nd Division.


2006–07 in Danish football, Overview
From this season, the Cup will take a make-over. The current eight rounds will be shorted to seven. The teams from 1st Division placed 1 to 4 in 2005–06 and the teams from Superligaen placed 5–12 in 2005–06 will start in the 2nd round. The teams from Superligaen placed 1–4 in 2005–06 will start in the 3rd round.


2006–07 in Danish football, Overview
Parken Stadium will be expanded in the autumn 2006 from 42,100 seats to 42,765. The Coca-Cola stand will be demolished, and a new one will come up. The current Coca-Cola stand is from the 1950s and is the only memory from the old Idrætsparken.


2006–07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive association football in England.


2006–07 in English football, National team
England began their qualifying campaign for Euro 2008 in September, beating Andorra 5–0. Steve McClaren began his reign as head coach against Greece.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, FA Premier League
After 3 seasons of missing out, Manchester United fought off the challenge of Chelsea and regained the Premier League title for the 9th time in 15 years. Despite finishing second, the Blues claimed a League Cup and FA Cup double, and Didier Drogba was the top flight's leading goalscorer with 20 in the league. The final two Champions League places went to Liverpool (who nearly won the competition for the 2nd time in 3 seasons only to lose out to A.C. Milan, the same opponents from the final 2 years previous) and Arsenal.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, FA Premier League
Tottenham and Everton qualified for the UEFA Cup, as did Bolton, despite the departure of long-serving manager Sam Allardyce shortly before the end of the season. Blackburn qualified for the Intertoto Cup thanks to the 18 goals of striker Benni McCarthy as well as the impressive efforts of manager Mark Hughes.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, FA Premier League
Newly promoted Reading, tipped by many critics for relegation, defied the odds by finishing 8th on their first ever season in the top flight. Portsmouth put last season's managerial debacle behind them to finish 9th, finishing just 2 points short of European qualification. Aston Villa's campaign, their first under former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill, marked an improvement on the previous campaign which saw them go undefeated in their first nine and last nine matches, although a staggering 17 draws prevented a top-half finish.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, FA Premier League
Watford finished bottom, managing only 5 wins all season as they made a swift return to the Championship. The loss of Alan Curbishley and 3 managerial changes in Iain Dowie, Les Reed and then Alan Pardew ended Charlton's 7-year stay in the top flight. Ironically, Curbishley took charge at West Ham, another London club who looked certain for the drop after a poor season.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, FA Premier League
However, a run of seven wins from their final nine matches was enough to secure their Premiership status, with a goal from Carlos Tevez giving the Hammers victory over champions Manchester United at Old Trafford, while sending Sheffield United down and beginning speculation from the Yorkshire club over whether Tevez was eligible to play. The matter was eventually settled out of court, with West Ham fined £5.5 million by the Premier League and ordered to pay the Blades compensation over five years. Wigan Athletic, in their second year in the top flight, narrowly avoided relegation on goal difference.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
After losing their first four games, Sunderland looked ominous for a second relegation. The surprise appointment of Roy Keane by rookie chairman Niall Quinn paid off and they surged up the table, losing just one of their final 20 games to clinch promotion as champions. Keane's former Manchester United colleague, Steve Bruce also took Birmingham City back into the Premier League, ensuring that they only remained in the Championship for one season.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
Derby County spent half the season in the top 2, but fell away in the final weeks to slip into the play-off places. Nonetheless, they won promotion by beating West Bromwich Albion 1–0 in the final at the recently opened new Wembley Stadium. This denied the Baggies an immediate return to the Premier League, which would have meant all 3 relegated clubs from the previous season were promoted.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
Preston were perhaps the biggest chokers as they lost 5 of their final 7 games to slump out of the play-off places they had occupied through the bulk of the season, missing out on a third successive play-off finish. Cardiff City had been the early pace-setters, leading the table up until the midway point before their form tailed off badly in the second half.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
After a play-off final appearance the previous year, Leeds finished bottom amidst yet more financial worries and acrimony, falling into the relegation zone in early October and, despite a late improvement, never leaving it. Their placing at the foot of the table was due to a 10-point deduction they suffered after going into voluntary administration after their relegation was all but confirmed on the penultimate weekend.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
The club came close to being expelled from the Football League during the summer after being unable to agree a deal with their creditors, but they were allowed to remain for the following season, albeit with a 15-point deduction. Regardless, it meant they would spend next season competing outside of the top two divisions for the first time in their history.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
Luton, who would have finished bottom but for Leeds's deduction, were relegated after being forced to sell many of their top players due to mounting financial problems. They had spent the first half of the season safely in mid-table, but a disastrous run of form after the turn of the year saw them relegated back to League One after just two seasons.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Championship
Southend lasted only a single season in the Championship after their two successive promotions; their season was essentially the opposite of Luton's, winning just three games until the turn of the year before an improvement in form gave them some hope. Colchester fared best of the newly promoted clubs, comfortably finishing in 10th, largely on the back of their strong home form at the division's smallest stadium, Layer Road.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League One
With club physiotherapist Nigel Adkins promoted to the manager's role, Scunthorpe United topped the league as champions, having been in the bottom two divisions since the early 1960s. Prolific striker Billy Sharp was the also the division's leading marksman with 30 goals. Gary Johnson helped Bristol City achieve automatic-promotion after nearly a decade of near-misses and 2 play-off defeats, ending their eight-year exile from the Championship. Blackpool won the play-offs, ending nearly three decades in the bottom two divisions.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League One
Brentford, who lost their manager Martin Allen just before the start of the season, finished bottom, having a dismal run of 21 games without a win. Rotherham won their first few games, wiping out their ten-point deduction early in the season; they ended up finishing thirteen points adrift however, and were relegated. Having started the decade in the Premier League, Bradford City fell into the bottom division for the first time in twenty-five years, with Chesterfield occupying the final relegation spot.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Two
The four teams relegated from League One in 2005–06 would occupy the top four this season, sending Walsall, Hartlepool United and Swindon Town back up. Bristol Rovers won the play-offs however, returning to League One after six years.


2006–07 in English football, League tables, Football League Two
Torquay United had been both the last team to finish bottom under the old election system, and the last team to finish bottom of the League and survive due to the Conference champions not having a good enough ground. However, this season they finished bottom and dropped out of the League. They were joined by Boston United, who had voluntary arrangements in the 87th minute of the season's final game, but would still have been relegated even without the 10-point administration penalty. In a first since the introduction of automatic promotion and relegation between the Football League and Conference, Boston were relegated two divisions due to failing to pay footballing creditors, along with financial irregularities committed during their promotion season in 2001–02.


2006–07 in English football, Transfer deals
The summer transfer window saw many high-profile moves. These included Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack joining Chelsea, and Ruud van Nistelrooy leaving Manchester United to join Real Madrid. West Ham United secured the surprise double signing of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez from Corinthians, and Dietmar Hamann's transfer to Bolton Wanderers became the shortest in English footballing history.


2006–07 in English football, Transfer deals
The January transfer window was quieter than the summer, with Ashley Young's £9.65m move to Aston Villa and Matthew Upson's £6m move to West Ham United the window's most expensive.


2006–07 in English football, Transfer deals
In total, Premiership clubs spent the highest amount on transfers in the summer since the transfer window system was introduced.


2006–07 in Georgian football
2006–07 in Georgian football is the 18th edition of Umaglesi Liga


2006–07 in Hong Kong football
The 2006–07 season in Hong Kong football, starting July 2006 and ending June 2007:


2006–07 in Hong Kong football, Overview
The number of teams in the First Division will increase from eight to ten as the HKFA has decided to keep the two bottom teams last season, South China and Hong Kong 08, in the First Division, while HKFC and Wofoo Tai Po are promoted.


2006–07 in Hong Kong football, Overview
Wofoo Tai Po, who earned promotion to the First Division by finishing second in the Second Division, will play their first ever season in the top division of Hong Kong football.


2006–07 in Hong Kong football, Representative team, Hong Kong team
For all-time list, see Hong Kong national football team results


2006–07 in Hong Kong football, Representative team, Hong Kong team
Hong Kong have gone through their Asian Cup 2007 qualifying campaign, where they ended 3rd in group F.


2006–07 in Hong Kong football, Representative team, Hong Kong U-23
Hong Kong captured the championship of 29th Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup


2006–07 in Hong Kong football, Representative team, Hong Kong U-13
2007 AFC (U13) Festival of Football held in Beijing, China


2006–07 in Israeli football
The 2006–07 season was the 59th season of competitive football in Israel, and the 80th season under the Israeli Football Association, established in 1928, during the British Mandate.


2006–07 in Italian football
The 2006–2007 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Italy.


2006–07 in Italian football, Overview
The look of Italian football in the first divisions took on major changes as a result of the Calciopoli scandal. It saw 29 time Serie A champions Juventus relegated from the top division to the second division Serie B for the first time in the club's history.


2006–07 in Italian football, Overview
Fiorentina and Lazio began the season in Serie A with deductions of 15 points and 3 points respectively. Milan were given an 8-point deduction, but played in the Champions League after defeating Red Star Belgrade in the third qualifying round.


2006–07 in Italian football, Overview
Catania made their first appearance in Serie A since 1984 after being promoted from Serie B.


2006–07 in Italian football, Overview
Val di Sangro play their first season of professional football in Italy, after being promoted from Serie D to Serie C2.


2006–07 in Italian football, National teams, Italy national football team
Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup in a penalty shootout against France on 9 July 2006.


2006–07 in Portuguese football, Transfer deals, Major summer transfers
The summer transfer window runs from the end of the previous season until 31 August.


2006–07 in Portuguese football, National team
The Selecção played its first game against Denmark in September, losing to the Northern European side. After that friendly, the national team started its qualification for UEFA Euro 2008 with a draw against Finland.


2006–07 in Scottish football
The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.


2006–07 in Scottish football, Major transfer deals, 2006
Celtic made preparations for the Champions League with the high-profile signings of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink from PSV Eindhoven, Jiri Jarosik from Chelsea and Thomas Gravesen from Real Madrid while Stilyan Petrov left to join former boss Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa. Celtic also signed former Rangers striker Kenny Miller on a free transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.


2006–07 in Scottish football, Major transfer deals, 2006
Rangers, under new manager Paul Le Guen, brought in several players including Jérémy Clément from Paris Saint Germain and Filip Sebo from Austria Vienna while Peter Løvenkrands departed for Schalke 04. Hearts paid £200,000 for PAOK Salonika defender Hristos Karipidis and sold Rudi Skácel to Southampton after a dispute between the player and the club. Hibs brought in English League Two defenders Rob Jones and Shelton Martis but lost last season's top scorer Derek Riordan who joined Celtic.


2006–07 in Scottish football, Major transfer deals, 2007
Celtic further strengthened their squad with the signings of Paul Hartley from Hearts and Mark Brown from Inverness, while Steven Pressley was also signed after being released by Hearts. Shaun Maloney joined Aston Villa after contract negotiations broke down. New Rangers manager Walter Smith brought in defenders David Weir, Andy Webster and Ugo Ehiogu and spent £2m on Hibs' highly rated midfielder Kevin Thomson. Hearts looked to boost their European qualification hopes with the signing of a further four players on loan from FBK Kaunas as well as Laryea Kingston from Terek Grozny. New Dunfermline boss Stephen Kenny brought in loan signings James O'Brien from Celtic, Adam Hammill from Liverpool and Stephen Glass from Hibs with the club bottom of the SPL.


2006–07 in Swedish bandy
The 2006–07 season in Swedish bandy, starting August 2006 and ending July 2007:


2006–07 in Swedish bandy, National team results, Russian Government Cup 2006
In the Russian Government Cup 2006, played in Irkutsk and Shelekhov, Sweden won the silver medals. The Russian club team Baykal-Energiya Irkutsk replaced Finland, as the Finns chose not to come to the tournament.


2006–07 in Swedish bandy, National team results, Bandy World Championship for men 2007
In the Bandy World Championship 2007, Sweden played in Group A. Sweden played the following matches and won the silver medals.


2006–07 in Swedish bandy, National team results, Bandy World Championship for women 2007
In the Bandy World Championship for women 2007, Sweden played the following matches and won the gold medals, becoming world champions for the third time.


2006–07 in Turkish football
The 2006–07 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in Turkey.


2006–07 in Turkish football, National team
Turkey began their qualifying campaign for Euro 2008 on 6 September, beating Malta 2–0.


2006–07 in Venezuelan football
The following article presents a summary of the 2006-07 football season in Venezuela.


2006–07 in Venezuelan football, "Championship" playoff
Caracas F.C. and U.A. Maracaibo ended with one championship each at the end of the Apertura and Clausura. Tournament rules establish that a playoff game is required.


2006–07 in Venezuelan football, Venezuela national team
This section will cover Venezuela's games from August 16, 2006 until the end of the Copa América 2007.


2006–07 in Welsh football, FAW Premier Cup
Losing semi-final teams each received £25,000. The losing finalists received £50,000 with the winners receiving £100,000. The New Saints won the FAW Premier Cup beating Newport County.


2006–07 in Welsh football, Welsh Cup
The final was played on 6 May 2007 between Afan Lido and Carmarthen Town. Carmarthen Town won 3–2.


2006–07 in Welsh football, Welsh League Cup
Caersws won the Welsh League cup by beating Rhyl in the final. The score at full-time was 1-1 but Caersws won 3–1 on penalties.


2006–07 in Welsh football, Welsh Premier League
Llanelli won their first league title. Cwmbran Town were relegated to the Welsh Football League Division One


2006–07 in Welsh rugby union, WRU Division One East
Beddau RFC won the Division One East League, but were denied promotion to the Premier League as their grounds were deemed to not meet WRU criteria. This ruling was upheld in an EGM by 67% of members.


2006–07 in Welsh rugby union, Division One West
Bonymaen RFC won the Division One West League, but were denied promotion to the Premier League as their grounds were deemed to not meet WRU criteria. This ruling was upheld in an EGM by 67% of members.


2006–07 snooker season
The 2006–07 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between 13 August 2006 and 14 May 2007.


2006–07 snooker season, New professional players
Note: New means in these case, that these players were not on the 2005/2006 professional Main Tour.


2006–07 snooker season, Calendar
The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.


2006–07 snooker season, Official rankings
The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.


2006–07 synchronized skating season
The 2006–07 synchronized skating season began on July 1, 2006, and ended on June 30, 2007. During this season, which was concurrent with the season for the other four disciplines (men's single, ladies' single, pair skating and ice dancing), elite synchronized skating teams competed on the International Skating Union (ISU) Championship level at the 2007 World Championships and Junior World Challenge Cup. They also competed at various other international as well as national synchronized skating competitions.


2006–07 Úrvalsdeild kvenna (basketball)
The 2006–2007 Úrvalsdeild kvenna was the 49th season of the Úrvalsdeild kvenna, the top-tier women's basketball league in Iceland. The season started on October 21, 2006 and ended on April 14, 2007. Haukar won its first title by defeating Keflavík 3–1 in the Finals.


2006–07 Úrvalsdeild kvenna (basketball), Competition format
The participating teams first played a conventional round-robin schedule with every team playing each opponent twice "home" and twice "away" for a total of 20 games. The top four teams qualified for the championship playoffs whilst the bottom team was relegated to Division I.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis
The 2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis was a crisis in Brazil's civil aviation system characterized by massive flight delays and cancellations, air traffic controller strikes and safety concerns about Brazil's airport and air traffic infrastructure. It ostensibly started after the crash of Gol Flight 1907 in September 2006, and extended to January 2008. While the government has announced a series of measures aimed at mitigating its effects, no clear solution has been found. In Brazil the crisis has been dubbed "Apagão Aéreo" ("Aerial Blackout"), an allusion to an energy crisis which Brazil experienced between 2001 and 2002.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Brazil's air traffic control system
Brazil's air traffic control system is run by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). While some approach controls and control towers may have civilian controllers, the vast majority are military non-commissioned officers supervised by commissioned officers (with the totality of ARTCCs being staffed by the military, under the Department of Airspace Control (DECEA, Portuguese: Departamento de Controle de Espaço Aéreo).


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Brazil's air traffic control system
The air traffic control centers are known as Integrated Air Traffic Control and Air Defense Centers (CINDACTA, Portuguese: Centro Integrado de Defesa Aérea e Controle de Tráfego Aéreo). Four CINDACTAs are in operation, located in four different cities and each responsible for different regions of Brazil's airspace.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Brazil's air traffic control system
The use of military air traffic controllers for civilian traffic is not unusual, but has been deprecated in most developed countries. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operates a wholly parallel system with that of the US Air Force and NORAD. This is also the case of Eurocontrol and each of its member nations' air defense systems. Brazil's use of an integrated command poses some unique challenges to the government. As members of the military, controllers are not allowed to form unions (such as the case of NATCA in the US) or to strike.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Brazil's air traffic control system
While the air traffic control system saw significant improvement with the implementation of the Amazon Surveillance System (SIVAM) in the northern portion of the country, there were many warning signs that the system as a whole was heading towards an untenable situation. In 2003, the Brazilian Air Force warned of the need for upgraded equipment and additional funding. For three years, budget requests submitted by DECEA, the Air Force department in charge of air traffic control, were denied. The Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU), Brazil's supreme audit institution, issued a report after the crisis which echoed the FAB's concerns, stating that a lack of planning and underfunding of the air traffic control system by the federal government was to blame for the crisis.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Gol Flight 1907
On September 29, 2006, a Gol Transportes Aéreos Boeing 737-800 collided with an ExcelAire Embraer Legacy 600 over the state of Mato Grosso, leading to the loss of 154 lives in what was, at the time, the deadliest air disaster in Brazilian history. It is still the fifth highest death toll of any accident involving a Boeing 737 behind Lion Air Flight 610, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, Air India Express Flight 812 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Gol Flight 1907
The Legacy aircraft's transponder was found to have been off from 54 minutes before the time of the crash until 3 minutes after, when the crew turned it on again. Footage of the radar screens at the time of the incident reveals that the primary radar lost contact with the Legacy 28 minutes after Legacy's transponder was off.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Gol Flight 1907
Following this accident, many technology and personnel issues were made public, pointing to the poor situation of Brazilian aviation's infrastructure and transforming the crash into a catalyst for the crisis. Facing the possibility of being blamed for an accident which—in their opinion—could have been avoided by appropriate corrective measures, the air traffic controllers decided to take protest action.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Air traffic control chaos
Following the Gol incident, the situation deteriorated rapidly, with controllers commencing a work-to-rule protest which culminated in massive flight delays and protests from passengers and airlines alike. The apex of the crisis occurred in December 2006. Due to a combination of equipment failures, understaffed ATC and the holiday travel season, travel at many Brazilian airports stopped altogether for some days. With the airlines unable to clear the backlog of passengers due to the canceled flights, and under pressure to solve the crisis from the general public, the government pressed into service several Brazilian Air Force jets, including one of the president's own planes.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Air traffic control chaos
International organizations joined the protest by complaining of the work conditions experienced by the Brazilian air traffic controllers, citing long hours and low pay. At the same time, two different congressional inquiries were established to look into the matter. The executive branch's own inter-ministerial work-group concluded that the issue could be partly solved by both demilitarizing the air traffic control system and reinvesting the user fees and taxes levied on aviation back into the national air traffic control system.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Air traffic control chaos
On March 30, 2007, nearly 100 controllers walked out to protest their working conditions. The walkout occurred soon after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva left the country for a summit with US president George W. Bush. Lula was reported to have said he felt as if he had been "backstabbed".


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Air traffic control chaos
On July 21, 2007, a short-circuit at a communications relay shut down CINDACTA-4 for over three hours (from 23:15 to 02:30). While this incident was relatively short-lived, its consequences were emblematic of the crisis as a whole: 45% of the following day's flights suffered delays or cancellations.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, TAM Airlines Flight 3054
On July 17, 2007, a fully loaded TAM Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft ran off a runway at Congonhas-São Paulo International Airport, and crashed into a nearby warehouse, resulting in nearly 200 fatalities. The Brazilian press was quick to add this to a growing list of civil aviation woes, and pressed the government for changes. On September 31, 2009, more than two years after the accident, CENIPA announced the result of official investigations.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, TAM Airlines Flight 3054
The report said that one of the thrust levers, which control the airliner's engines, was in a power-on position when it should have been in idle, but it was not proved if there was mechanical or human failure as the cause of the accident. In addition to the positions of the thrust levers, the report listed several factors that may have contributed to the accident, as a high volume of rain on the day, with the formation of puddles on the runway, and the absence of grooving. The report does not blame the length of the runway as a factor in the accident.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Administration reaction
The administration's reaction began with an internal conflict between the military and civilian leadership on whether to negotiate with the air traffic controllers. Given their military position, they were not entitled to negotiate or press grievances outside their chain of command. The civilian government pressed for a pragmatic approach, while the military, with a view to guarding discipline, took a more hardline view. While the civilian government initially negotiated with the controllers, in June 2007, Lula's government sacked 14 military controllers and arrested 2 others for mutiny.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Administration reaction
With the public, the administration has been heavily criticized for sometimes insensitive comments. On June 9, 2007, asked by reporters what passengers should do while waiting for the delayed flights, the Minister of Tourism, Marta Suplicy, replied "relaxa e goza" ("relax and enjoy it"), a popular sexual expression relating to a supposedly advisable behavior for victims of rape, which can also mean "not to care". Marta apologized officially on the same day, expressing regret over an "unfortunate" comment.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Administration reaction
Three weeks later, Finance Minister Guido Mantega tried to minimize the crisis, saying that the crisis was the price of prosperity. He said that he believed the crisis was due to the "increase in the flow of traffic due to the country's prosperity."


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Administration reaction
In July 2007, after the TAM Flight 3054 crash, a Rede Globo story reported that the airplane's right thrust reverser was inoperative at the time of the crash. A camera set up by Globo caught a top presidential adviser, Marco Aurélio Garcia, inside the Palácio do Planalto, apparently celebrating with an aide immediately after watching the newscast, ostensibly due to the blame placed on the federal administration's policies for the crash. The gestures, which were colloquially understood as being obscene, were widely condemned in the media. Relatives of those who died in the crash asked for their resignation.


2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis, Administration reaction
Ten months after the beginning of the crisis, in July 2007, President Lula made a statement on national TV, in which he acknowledged the existence of a crisis, and while he did not offer specific measures to improve the air traffic control system, he did commit the administration to solving some of the criticisms levied on Congonhas Airport. During the following week, the President fired the Minister of Defense, Waldir Pires. The new minister appointed to replace him was former Supreme Federal Tribunal president Nelson Jobim. President Lula vowed to improve Brazil's ATC system.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation
Following the 2006 Dutch general election, held on November 22, a process of cabinet formation started, involving negotiations about which coalition partners to form a common programme of policy and to divide the posts in cabinet. On February 22, 2007 it resulted in the formation of the Fourth Balkenende cabinet.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Conventions of formation
The Netherlands has a large number of political parties across the political spectrum in the parliament, with no single party holding a majority. During the formation process, a coalition is formed, usually consisting of three parties. Dutch coalition negotiations are conventionally conducted in two stages:


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Election results
The Dutch House of Representatives has 150 seats. In the 2006 elections the coalition partners of the cabinet in power before the fall of that cabinet earlier that year lost a total of 12 seats. Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) lost three out of 44, the right-wing liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) lost six out of 28 and the centre-left liberal D66 lost three of six. Nevertheless, the CDA remained the largest party in the parliament with 41 seats.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Election results
The main opposition party, the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) lost nine of its 42 seats; getting 33 seats in the new parliament. The largest winner in seats was the Socialist Party (SP), which won 16 seats, increasing from nine to 25 seats. Two previously unrepresented parties were also successful; the far right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) of former VVD MP Geert Wilders, winning nine seats, and the animal-rights Party for the Animals, winning two seats. The social, and orthodox Protestant, ChristianUnion (CU) doubled its seats from three to six. GreenLeft (GL) dropped from eight to seven seats, while the orthodox Reformed Political Reformed Party (SGP) remained stable with two seats.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Caretaker cabinet
The cabinet fell because D66 stepped out. The resulting Balkenende III cabinet no longer had a majority in parliament. Like any minority cabinet it had to negotiate with parties that were not member of the governing coalition for a majority of its bills, including the budgets. As is conventional, just before the elections the cabinet officially became a caretaker cabinet, with limited powers.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Caretaker cabinet
On November 30, 2006 the new parliament was sworn in, including several members of the current demissionair cabinet (Balkenende, Verdonk, van der Hoeven, Wijn, van Geel, Kamp, Remkes among others). Because of the election results, this House of Representatives had a majority of parties that opposed the course of the third Balkenende cabinet on important issues. One important election issue was an amnesty for a specific group of asylum seekers. This group originally of 26,000 and later 38,000 people had been in an administrative process since 2001, many of their children were raised exclusively in the Netherlands.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Caretaker cabinet
The Minister for Integration and Immigration Rita Verdonk was currently looking into each of these dossiers to assess their future: either an expulsion or permanent residence. On December 1 the new House of Representatives adopted a motion in favour of amnestying this group. Balkenende reacted with annoyance as he stated that this ad hoc left wing coalition (including PvdA and SP) was no good basis for negotiations for a stable government. On December 5, the cabinet announced that it refused to execute this motion.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Caretaker cabinet
It had three reasons for this: first, it claimed that a parliament which deals with a caretaker cabinet cannot demand that cabinet to implement new policy; second, it argued that a general amnesty would only attract more asylum seekers and it also raised several questions on which specific groups of asylum seekers should be amnestied and what the legal consequences would be for other groups not included in the amnesty. Minister Verdonk did announce that the expulsion would be suspended until the next parliamentary debate.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Caretaker cabinet
A majority in the House of Representatives now proposed stopping the expulsion of asylum seekers until the formation talks were finished and allowing the formation talks to solve this issue; again the minister refused to execute this. On December 13, the House of Representatives decided to respond to this unwillingness with a motion of no confidence specifically aimed at Minister Verdonk. The leader of the VVD, Mark Rutte announced that if Minister Verdonk were forced to leave the cabinet all VVD ministers would leave, leaving only seven CDA ministers in the cabinet.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Background, Caretaker cabinet
On December 14, the cabinet held a meeting on how to respond to this motion: it found the solution in a small reshuffle of portfolios between Verdonk and Ernst Hirsch Ballin, the Minister of Justice, who became responsible for migration, while Verdonk became responsible for youth criminality. Hirsch Ballin could then partially execute the motion of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands|House of Representatives for a temporary stop in expulsion, and the VVD would be allowed to voice its opposition to this decision, breaking the principle that cabinets speak with one voice.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
With the current results there are arguably four options for a stable majority coalition: left-wing, centre-left, centre-right or right-wing. All of these options would present historically unique coalitions. Also, since 1977, when the three major Christian parties united in the CDA, all cabinets have consisted of only two or three parties. This time, no two-party coalitions are possible and few of the three party options are plausible.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
A centre-left coalition would consist of CDA, at least one of the left-wing parties PvdA or SP and at least one third party. The first option that is being considered is of the three major parties; CDA-PvdA-SP. Since 1958, only two cabinets have been larger than this. Variations may include swapping the SP for either the ChristianUnion or the GreenLeft; or the PvdA for both of these smaller parties.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
However, there are some problems with this formation: PvdA-leader Wouter Bos and CDA-leader Jan Peter Balkenende were unable to form a two party coalition in 2003, because of personal problems, which are unlikely to have diminished. Over the past half-century CDA-PvdA coalitions have proven to be unstable. Furthermore, both the PvdA and the SP had pointed out during their campaign that the differences between CDA and PvdA have never been so great.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
Another issue is that in the CDA-PvdA-SP coalition, the largest party (CDA - 41 seats), which has profiled itself as a winner of the election, would be a minority compared to the two left wing parties (together 58 seats). Finally, although the SP has dropped its most extreme plans, it still has large programmatic differences mainly with the CDA but also with the PvdA.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
A left-wing coalition would consist of PvdA and SP supported by the ChristianUnion, the GreenLeft, D66 and the Party for the Animals. This seems unlikely because D66 has already announced that it will not enter in any coalition and the ChristianUnion has already excluded a cabinet without the CDA. The Party for the Animals has, however, announced that it considers a minority cabinet PvdA-SP-GL as a serious option that may count on its support.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
A right-wing coalition would consist of the CDA and VVD, supported by either Party for Freedom and the ChristianUnion or the ChristianUnion, D66 and the SGP. However, the ChristianUnion has announced that it will not cooperate with prominent VVD-member Rita Verdonk because of her strict immigration policies. In addition, no party is likely to want to enter into a cabinet with the PVV on account of its positions on Islam.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
A centre-right coalition would consist of the CDA, PvdA and the VVD, which would also constitute a large cabinet. This may prove to be the final option, but due to immense differences both on left-right and conservative-progressive dimensions any such cabinet is likely to be a caretaker cabinet only, which will not propose any significant policies. A similar coalition currently forms the Flemish Government.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
The adjacent table shows the possible majority coalitions; that is, coalitions with at least 76 seats. The table shows only options with as few parties as needed to reach those 76 seats. All majority coalitions require at least two of the four major parties, but neither of the six combinations of two of these parties have a majority of their own. These are shown in bold, with the (insufficient) number of seats between brackets.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
Other optionsOther coalitions could be formed by adding more parties to one of these combinations. This might be done to either make too narrow a majority larger, to give a party that could otherwise be overwhelmed a like-minded partner, or to introduce a neutral referee in an otherwise tense combination. Such larger-than-needed coalitions have been constructed seven times since World War II, mostly in the first decade after the war.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Possible coalitions
At the other extreme there is the option of a minority cabinet, with less than 76 seats. Such a cabinet has to arrange ad hoc majorities for each proposal. Minority cabinets have so far only been caretaker cabinets that were in power between the fall of a majority cabinet and the formation of a new one after subsequent (early) elections. There is however no legal reason why this type of cabinet cannot be formed after the elections.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds
On 24 and 25 November the chairs of parliamentary parties of the House of Representatives gave advice to the Queen on who should be appointed informateur and who should be involved in the first information talks. Sometimes the information and formation is fairly straightforward. However, after the November 2006 elections an elongated and complicated information and formation period is foreseen by most commentators.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds
An extra complicating factor is that, provincial elections will be held in March 2007, only four months after the general election. These are also indirect elections for the Senate and any coalition will be stronger if it has a majority in both chambers. However, with many voters afloat, the result for those elections might be significantly different from these general elections. This is even more the case since disagreement with any formed coalition cabinet may directly reflect upon the results in that upcoming election.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds
Some politicians have already expressed their views on what the options should be if it is impossible to forge a CDA-PvdA-SP cabinet. Prominent VVD-members  Gerrit Zalm and Atzo Nicolaï proposed a parliamentary minority cabinet; while Party for the Animals leader Marianne Thieme indicated that she preferred a minority PvdA-SP-GL cabinet which may be supported by several environmentalist, liberal and social parties. This would be a novum in Dutch politics. Nicolaï stated that a minority cabinet would be the most democratic option because for each proposed law a proposal-specific majority has to be gathered for it to pass the chamber vote.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
The CDA offered to provide the informateur which should explore as many possible coalitions as possible. The PvdA proposed that someone unconnected to a political party should provide the informateur, and that the first negotiations should be focussed on the SP besides the CDA who won the elections. The PvdA has stated it doesn't want to form a coalition without the SP. GreenLeft also advised that SP should be involved and recommended Doekle Terpstra, former chair of the Christian trade union CNV as informateur.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
The SP advised the Queen to appoint D66 Minister of State Hans van Mierlo as informateur and examine the possibilities for a SP, PvdA and CDA coalition. The VVD, D66 and ChristianUnion gave the advice to appoint a CDA informateur. The SGP proposed a coalition between the CDA, PvdA and ChristianUnion, explicitly suggesting CDA member Rein Jan Hoekstra as the informateur who was involved as informateur in the 2003 Dutch cabinet formation. In the late afternoon of 25 November 2006, Queen Beatrix appointed Rein Jan Hoekstra as informateur.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
Hoekstra had his first discussion with the larger parties on November 28. He held talks with the smaller parties the next day. Rouvoet, of the ChristianUnion, made clear that a cabinet of CDA-PvdA-SP looks like the most obvious coalition. Subsequently, Hoekstra continued his talks with a CDA-PvdA-SP  coalition in mind .


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
After introductory talks on December 6 between Marijnissen (SP) and Balkenende (CDA), it was acknowledged that the formation of an CDA-SP-PvdA cabinet would be difficult as their viewpoints are far apart. Both of them  also shared the opinion that the balance in this coalition may, with the largest, centre oriented, party (CDA) being smaller than the combined two leftwing parties (SP-PvdA), complicate the formation of such a cabinet  On December 8 the informateur announced a brief postponement in the negotiations as a result of an apparent stalemate.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
The PvdA insisted on the SP as a coalition partner but SP and CDA agreed that the two parties had little in common especially on issues such as distribution of income, military peacekeeping missions one of them Task Force Uruzgan and European integration. At the same time it is expected that CDA would prefer participation of CU over SP. But if the PvdA would enter a government with SP in the opposition, it might lose even more seats to that party in the next elections.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
On December 11 Hoekstra started a new information round without SP participation after consulting with Balkenende, Bos and Marijnissen. The parties involved agreed that the differences between CDA and SP were too large. Marijnissen did not express regrets as he expects to be involved again in a later stage in the formation a possible PvdA, SP, GreenLeft coalition. Hoekstra will now consult with all the parliamentary group representatives in order to identify a suitable SP replacement, which according to analysts will be ChristianUnion or GreenLeft or both.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
On December 12 Wouter Bos expressed his doubts whether further discussions would be fruitful as in his view CDA was not prepared to change course. In his words he did not intent to "fall in the same trap" as in the 2003 Dutch cabinet formation. He suggested that negotiations from now on should be of more substance and with additional informateurs.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Exploratory information rounds
Femke Halsema (GL) on December 13 also walked away from a possible coalition with GL and PvdA. She had three reasons for doing so: the differences between CDA and GL on economic, environmental and cultural issues; the fact that all three parties lost seats in the elections; and the fact that  the GreenLeft as smallest party of the three would be unlikely to get any substantial concessions from the CDA and the PvdA. By 17 December it had become clear that at this stage in the formation the combination CDA-PvdA-CU is the most likely. Hoekstra finished his mission on the exploratory information round.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round
In the second information round the wishes, similarities and potential problems in forming a cabinet CDA-PvdA-CU are explored by a new informateur. While the PvdA voiced a preference for several informateurs operating in parallel in this next round, the CDA preferred a single person. Both the PvdA and the CU accepted the esteemed CDA member, and former chair of the Social Economic Council Herman Wijffels as the single informateur. Importantly, Wijffels is a known advocate for the phased abolition of the existing practice of tax deduction on housing mortgages, a potential wedge between CDA (against) and PvdA/CU (support).


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round
Two other potential stumbling blocks in this phase of the proceedings continued to make headlines: existing abortion laws and the future of social welfare for the elderly. The CU, who from their Christian morals feel obliged to defend the unborn, would not go as far as to seek reversal of abortion laws but would find opportunities within existing legislation to curb it. The current law dating back to 1981 only allows abortion when a pregnant woman decides she is at serious health risk.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round
In everyday practice however the decision is left entirely to the woman regardless of the precise argumentation and forcing legislation to use the exact wording of the law is where the CU might achieve its aims, although the PvdA sees this as a problem. One of the main election themes of the PvdA concerned the future financing of social welfare for the elderly given a projected 23% of people over 65 years of age in 2040 (2006:14%). The PvdA advocated some taxation for affluent elderly, something the CDA is against.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round
There are some personal similarities that may facilitate successful negotiation, for example, the three party leaders have in common that they all graduated from Free University of Amsterdam giving the coalition talks  a certain reformed edge.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round
In a special parliamentary session on December 19 devoted to the coalition talks, PvdA, D66 and GreenLeft voiced their displeasure with the SP for walking away from the talks in an earlier phase


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
On December 21, the negotiators for the three parties, Jan Peter Balkenende (CDA), Wouter Bos (PvdA) and André Rouvoet (ChristenUnie) agreed with informateur Wijffels to start the actual coalition talks on January 3, 2007. These started in a secret location, which was quickly revealed by De Telegraaf as the manor house Lauswolt in Beetsterzwaag, Friesland. All negotiators had brought along a second: Maxime Verhagen (CDA), Jacques Tichelaar (PvdA) and Arie Slob (CU).


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
On Friday, January 5, Balkenende, Bos and Rouvoet announced that they would continue the talks to be held on different (secret) locations in the country, with the intention to have a new cabinet before the Provincial elections on March 7, 2007. On January 11 it was rumoured that Bos was in for the position of Minister of Finance and that of Deputy Prime Minister as the successor of Gerrit Zalm.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
This would be remarkable because Bos in the election campaign more than once expressed his ambition to remain in parliament as parliamentary leader rather than to serve in a cabinet led by Balkenende. A few days later on January 17 Bos denied the rumour. On that same day the three prospective cabinet partners continued their talks at a military facility in Hilversum (again not a secret location as anticipated) and not in The Hague. Due to the lack of any substantial news in this part of the formation, the conference table Wijffels selected for the talks made the headlines. Apparently he is fond of it and it travels with him whatever the location.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
The formation talks already started to leave their mark on the ongoing parliamentary deliberations: On January 18 the CU voted down a motion seeking to the curb of advertisements for alcohol with the understanding that this issue was already part of the formation negotiations. In week 10 after the general elections, talks continued in The Hague again with little news to report. On January 24 a plan leaked to reduce the number of cabinet ministers. and a week later a plan for the reduction of the number of civil servants by 10,000.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
Even more leaks and speculations followed on January 29 when it was reported that a (record breaking) 40 page agreement was in the making to be presented on February 2. According to the accountants and statisticians at the Centraal Planbureau on January 31 new policies in this agreement would be paid for by anticipating higher economic growth than the officially projected one much to the dismay of the outgoing VVD finance minister Zalm.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
Also on January 31 the ministerial ambitions of Wouter Bos became an issue for the third time in the formation process and on this occasion his party and a parliamentary majority formally requested him to accept the vice-prime ministership. On the same day a PvdA minority group led by renegade Diederik Samson urged him to keep his election promise. In Samson's view only the other left-wing parties would benefit from a submissive PvdA fraction with Bos a member of the cabinet.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Second information round, Negotiations
Nearly a month after this round of talks started, Wijffels on February 2 was able to announce its conclusion with a provisional agreement which was presented to the parliamentary fractions on February 5. Again some details leaked: the continuation of the tax deduction on housing mortgages much desired by CDA, the housing rent freezing and a form of taxation on early retirement as a defence against the costs of population ageing as desired by PvdA although effective after 2011.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Preliminary coalition agreement
The three parliamentary fractions of CDA, PvdA and CU met on February 5 to discuss behind closed doors the preliminary agreement. Large parts of it had already been leaked to the media by then.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Preliminary coalition agreement
It led NRC Handelsblad to conclude (on that same day) that the new cabinet was not very reform-minded: a status quo on the housing market (no changes in tax deduction home owners or rent-control), partial reversal of policies of the previous government (general amnesty for asylum seekers and reintegration of people with disability benefits into the work force) or election promises not secured or watered down (subsidized instead of free child day-care, no deregulations in job security).


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Preliminary coalition agreement
On February 6 the negotiators met for a final meeting in order to address some of the issues raised by their respective parliamentary fractions. The PvdA especially turned down the initial AOW agreement which led to some last minute compromising (only taxation over 18,000 euro not 15,000 euro).


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Information rounds, Preliminary coalition agreement
In the meanwhile two political players Joop Wijn and Aart Jan de Geus both current CDA cabinet ministers announced their farewell to national politics, officially for various non-political reasons but unofficially (according to RTL Nieuws) because they were unable to secure a post in the new cabinet.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Coalition agreement
The coalition agreement titled "Living together, working together" was presented on February 7 in a press conference. It is structured into six commitments of the new cabinet to an active role in world politics, to an innovative economy, to sustainable development, to social cohesion, to safety and a servile public sector. The most notable policies include:


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Coalition agreement, Reactions
The major opposition parties expressed their disappointment in various aspects of the agreement (some even before its actual announcement). Jan Marijnissen (SP) deplored the cancellation of a parliamentary inquiry into The Netherlands participation in the Iraq War. Femke Halsema (GL) noted that the projected taxation on environmental pollution of 1 billion euro should be 15 times as much. Both Mark Rutte (VVD) and Geert Wilders (PVV) criticised the general amnesty, Rutte fearing an influx of new asylum seekers and Wilders claiming that "the country is on the verge of collapsing". Rutte also claimed the new cabinet slogan was more like "in-stasis together, spending money together".


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Coalition agreement, Reactions
Both NOS News and RTL Nieuws on February 7 hailed the return of the polder model (which became marginalized with the rise of Fortuynism) as a government tool for the new cabinet as they pledged their intent to involve all sorts of organizations (employers' associations, labour unions) in their future policy making.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Coalition agreement, Reactions
A parliamentary session devoted to the agreement was held on February 8 instigated by the new coalition partners but deemed not relevant by the new opposition who'd rather have had a session with the new cabinet later this month. Marijnissen mocked the proceedings by quizzing Wijffels about his conference table. On the same day the Centraal Planbureau criticised the new AOW plans as unrealistic, claiming it would involve too much paperwork.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Formation round
On February 9 Jan Peter Balkenende was appointed as the formateur by the Queen. In Dutch politics his main responsibility in this capacity is filling in the vacancies in the new cabinet, the Fourth Balkenende cabinet. Two appointments were already revealed on the day the coalition agreement was announced: Wouter Bos (despite many reassurances he would never serve under Balkenende in a cabinet) as finance minister and André Rouvoet at the newly created post of youth and family minister. Both men will also act as deputy prime ministers. The new cabinet was appointed by the queen on February 22.


2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation, Formation round
The parties announced the division of the government posts among the three parties on February 12:


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak
East Africa had a regional outbreak of Rift Valley fever in late 2006 that affected Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. During outbreak, 1062 people were infected with Rift Valley fever and 394 people died between December 2006 and December 2007. Rift Valley fever (RVF) is caused by a phlebovirus in the Bunyavirales order which is transmitted by mosquito bite and contact with infected animal blood; it mainly infects livestock that come into infectious contact with a viral reservoir but human beings can also be infected.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak
The outbreak began after a heavy El Niño rain season across East Africa left greater than usual breeding ground for Aedes aegypti mosquitos, with particularly heavy rainfall over eastern Kenya, central Tanzania, and southern Somalia. While most people infected with the virus experience a relatively mild, flu-like illness without hospitalization, around 8% will develop a severe illness that can include eye disease, encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever and death. During this outbreak, of the 1,062 hospitalized, laboratory-confirmed RVF cases (via anti-RVF ImG) assays, 37% died.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, Epidemic, Kenya
Unusually heavy rains in Kenya's eastern and coastal regions caused widespread flooding in October 2006 and provided extensive breeding grounds for mosquitos capable of transmitting Rift Valley fever. On 30 November 2006 a man identified as the RVF index case began to show symptoms in Kenya's Garissa County, and he checked into a hospital the next day. By mid-December, the Ministry of Health had received reports of deaths from an illness featuring fever and generalized bleeding. Mild cases had likely gone undetected for weeks before the region's mosquito populations climbed after one of the area's heaviest recorded rain seasons. 11 deaths from RVF were reported in Garissa by December 20. Cases of began to cluster in Garissa and Baringo counties areas that had been having high livestock mortality and morbidity rates, which attracted the Kenya Ministry of Health's attention.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, Epidemic, Kenya
The WHO alerted the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN) on December 22 and, in response to a January 2 request for help, sent an 11-member team from GOARNS partners to assist the Ministry of Health in addition regional, provincial governments.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, Epidemic, Kenya
The outbreak peaked on December 27, when Garissa's authorities issued a ban on slaughtering livestock. Other county's began to follow suit with their own bans on the slaughtering of animals, wary of transmission from slaughtered animals. The Baringo district experienced a total of 169 cases of RVF. A ban on the slaughtering of animals was imposed by the Kenyan Ministry of Health.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, Epidemic, Somalia
Heavy rainstorms over southern Somalia in December brought about and influx of mosquitos that quickly spread the disease among domestic herds. By late December, 3 cases had been confirmed in Lower Juba and dozens of other cases were suspected across Somalia's southern regions. On 20 February 2007, 51 deaths were reported in Somalia.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, Epidemic, Tanzania
Cases of RVF were first reported in livestock on 18 January 2007, with the first human case being confirmed in the Arusha region in mid-February. By mid-March, new clusters of the disease were detected in the Dodoma and Morogoro regions. By 3 May 2007, 264 cases and 109 deaths had been confirmed by authorities.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, International response and research
In Kenya the CDC Atlanta-Special Pathogens Branch began training staff for the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, sending them a PCR testing machine and reagents for detecting RVF in samples. The United Nations Emergency Coordination group send funding and equipment to Tanzania, while the WHO sent teams to train Tanzania's clinicians in patient care and diagnostic testing.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, International response and research
Virologists collected over 296,000 mosquitos and tested over 72,000 for Rift Valley Fever via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, with positive results from mosquitos in the Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Masonia species. The virus was also observed for the first time to be infecting Ae. pembaensis, Cx. univitattus, and Cx. bitaeniorhynchus mosquitos. Most human cases were the result of viraemic exposure to animal tissue.


2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak, Aftermath
The last case of RVF was confirmed in the Rift Valley Province and died in the Baringo District on 9 March 2007. At least 394 hospital confirmed cases of RVF were ultimately fatal. The outbreak highlighted the necessity of monitoring livestock for RVF before disease can become widespread enough in herds to significantly spread to humans. Even though animals in Baringo County had shown signs of disease since December 2006, the first human case was not reported until 25 January 2007. The CDC in partnership with the University of Edinburgh began establishing surveillance teams to monitor emerging pneumonias, diarrheal disease, and febrile illnesses West Kenya's domestic animal herds, with the goal of such increased surveillance being to detect future outbreaks in animals before they reach humans.


2006–2007 Israeli Final Four
The 2006–2007 Israeli Final Four, the second Israeli Final Four was held at Yad Eliyahu Arena, Tel Aviv, Israel on 29 and 31 May 2007 to determine the winner of the 2006–2007 Israeli League. The contestants were Maccabi Tel Aviv, the 2005–2006 Israeli League champion, Hapoel Jerusalem, the 2005–2006 Israeli League runner-up and the 2006–2007 Israeli State Cup winner, Bnei Hasharon, the 2006–2007 Israeli State Cup runner-up and Hapoel Galil Elyon. Maccabi Tel Aviv won their 47th Israeli League crown, beating Hapoel Jerusalem 80-78 in the final.


2006–2007 Israeli Final Four, Venue
The Yad Eliyahu Arena is an indoor sports arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. Opened in 1963 with its seating capacity varying from 5,000 to 11,700, it had hosted the 1971–1972 FIBA European Champions Cup final, the 1993–1994 FIBA European Championship Final Four, the 2003–2004 Euroleague Final Four and the 2005-2006 Israeli Final Four.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods
The 2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods were a series of floods that mostly affected Malaysia from 18 December 2006 to 13 January 2007. The floods were caused by above average rainfall, which was attributed to Typhoon Utor (2006) which had hit the Philippines and Vietnam a few days earlier. By the third week of January 2007, Johor had been affected by a larger flood. Singapore and certain parts of Indonesia were flooded due to the same typhoon.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods
Throughout the week starting 18 December 2006, a series of floods hit Johor, Malacca, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan. During this period, these southern Malaysian states, along with Singapore, experienced abnormally high rainfall which resulted in massive floods. The rainfall recorded in the city of Johor Bahru on 19 December amounted to 289mm compared to the average annual rainfall of the city which is 2400mm. In Singapore, the 24-hour rainfall recorded on 20 December was 366 mm, the third highest recorded rainfall in 75 years.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods
The flooding began when torrential downpours since Sunday caused rivers and dams to overflow. Weather officials described the flooding as the worst in the area in a century. At least six people died.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods
Later that week, beginning 22 December, North Sumatra experienced abnormally high rainfall which also caused flooding


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Causes
Typhoon Utor was blamed for heavy rains of up to 350 mm within 24 hours in southern Peninsular Malaysia, specifically Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Pahang, causing massive floods within the southern region on 18 December 2006, which were considered as the worst in the history of the southern region of Malaysia. However, there were also reports a few days earlier that adverse weather was not to be blamed on the typhoon. The worst-affected areas were Segamat and Kota Tinggi, where both towns were totally inaccessible via land transport routes after all main roads leading to those towns were flooded. As of 4 January 2007, the floods had claimed 15 lives. Heavy rains were expected in Penang, Perak, Kelantan and other states in the northern region during this period.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Indonesia
The floods affected areas such as Aceh and North Sumatra, leaving many homeless. The floods lasted for a week starting on December 22. An estimated 400,000 people were displaced at the peak of the flooding with at least 118 people dead and 155 people missing as of 29 December 2006.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Johor
Several districts in Johor including Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru, Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Muar, Pontian and Segamat were been flooded. Between 60,000 and 70,000 people had been evacuated in the state while food shortage at relief centres had been reported. Flooded roads disrupted the delivery of aid to flood centres. Most of the flood victims had been living without clean water or electricity for days. According to health authorities, reports of water-borne diseases were on the rise. In some areas, looting was reported after floodwaters receded.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Johor
The second bout of flooding, which was larger than the first one, had almost paralysed Johor after all 8 districts were submerged by the flood. The areas worst affected by the second flood were Batu Pahat and Kluang. Both waves of the flood disaster were considered as the costliest flood in Malaysian history, with the total cost of damage caused by the floods standing at RM 1.5 billion. In the early morning of 12 January 2007, floodwaters were slowly rising at Jalan Jaffar in Kota Tinggi, while the residents were all shifting their goods in preparation for the second flood. In the morning of 13 January 2007 around 4:00 a.m., the Sungai Semberong bridge at Batu 5, Jalan Kluang-Mersing  (Federal route 50) collapsed after being washed by strong currents.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Malacca
In Malacca, 3,193 people from 691 families from Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin left their homes due to rising waters.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Malacca
A total of 35 relief centres were opened, with the floods regarded the worst for the three districts in 15 years.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Pahang
In Pahang, more than 2,000 people were evacuated in several areas in Rompin, especially in Bandar Tun Abdul Razak. After more than 10 hours of continuous rain, people in Kampung Rekoh in Bandar Tun Abdul Razak were evacuated to nearby community halls. Other affected areas were Kampung Kurnia, Yayasan Estate and Yayasan Estate II. More than 6,000 residents, including settlers in nine Felda Selancar schemes, were also stranded because of two badly damaged bridges in the area.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Negeri Sembilan
In Negeri Sembilan, the various government departments in charge of flood relief in the state were fully prepared and on standby, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Areas affected, Malaysia, Negeri Sembilan
Flooded areas include Gemas and Gemencheh and a total of 80 people have been evacuated so far.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, Prime Minister's response
Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi expressed his sadness over the disaster. When the flooding started, he just finish a 3-day visit to Venezuela and had just left for a vacation. He was back in Malaysia by 23 December 2006.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, Disaster Relief
Several government agencies and NGOs provided assistance and aid to the victims during and after the floods. The Malaysian Red Crescent Society distributed hygiene kits to victims. The organisation also deployed several boats to the affected areas.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, Disaster Relief
MERCY Malaysia deployed 78 volunteers and also appealed for public donations to assist the victims.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, Disaster Relief
The Tzu Chi Foundation mobilised over 4,200 volunteers from both Malaysia and Singapore and have helped over 46,000 flood victims in 4 states.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, International response
Aid was given to Malaysia by various international non-governmental organisations and countries such as United Sikhs, Red Crescent, United States of America, and Taiwan.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, International response
The Singapore Red Cross Society sent volunteers to assist in the state of Johor. The society also sent aid worth RM22,600.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, International response
The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $50,000 through the U.S. Embassy to the Malaysian Red Crescent to support emergency relief efforts.


2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods, Reactions, International response
The IFRC allocate CHF 50,000 (US$41,425) from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 25 December 2006 to support the Malaysian Red Crescent's initial relief efforts.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority
The 2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority were economic sanctions imposed and other measures taken by Israel, the United States and other countries against the Palestinian National Authority (PA), including the suspension of international aid following the decisive victory for Hamas at the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election on 25 January 2006.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority
On 18 February 2006, following the swearing in of the new PLC, Israel imposed sanctions on the PA, including the suspension of transfers to the PA of customs revenues Israel collected on the PA's behalf. The US sanctions prohibited all Hamas-related financial transactions. The Middle East Quartet called for a review of all assistance to any new government that was formed against its commitment to the principles of nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of agreements previously entered into by the PA. After Hamas rejected the conditions, the international community suspended international aid to Palestinians, significantly damaging the Palestinian economy. On 17 June, a temporary international mechanism was created to channel aid to Palestinians bypassing the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority or aid funds were paid directly to the accounts of President Mahmoud Abbas.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority
After the formation by Abbas of an emergency government in June 2007, international aid to the Ramallah-based PA resumed, but the Hamas-led government in Gaza remained under boycott. The US and Israel lifted sanctions against the Abbas government.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, After the 2006 elections
The Palestinian Authority legislative elections were held on 25 January 2006 and resulted in a decisive victory for Hamas.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, After the 2006 elections
On 30 January 2006, the Middle East Quartet — comprising the United States, Russia, United Nations, and European Union – issued a statement, saying that "It is the view of the Quartet that all members of a future Palestinian government must be committed to nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap," and concluded that it was inevitable that future assistance to any new government would be reviewed by donors against that government's commitment to those principles, which Hamas rejected.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, After the 2006 elections
Although the Quartet formally did not call for sanctions and did not explicitly prohibit the provision of aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority (PA), but rather called for aid to be 'reviewed' against the three principles, a combination of political pressure and US threats of sanctions against banks handling aid monies served to halt transfers to the PA.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, After the 2006 elections
On 1 February 2006, Israel announced that it will suspend transfers of customs revenues to the PA, and noted that future transfers will be put on hold while the issue was being reviewed. On 18 February, after the new PLC was sworn in, Israel imposed sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, including suspension of some $50 million in monthly PA customs revenues, and travel restrictions on Hamas members were imposed. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that "It is clear that in light of the Hamas majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council and the instructions to form a new government that were given to the head of Hamas, the PA is - in practice - becoming a terrorist authority".


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, After the 2006 elections
US Administration officials and some members of Congress warned Hamas leaders that the United States will no longer provide assistance to a Hamas-led PA government unless Hamas changes its charter to recognize Israel's right to exist and renounces the use of violence.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, After the 2006 elections
Israeli officials and Western diplomats said that US and Israel were discussing ways to destabilize the Palestinian government so that newly elected Hamas officials will fail and elections will be called again. The intention was to starve the PA of money and international connections. The approach was being discussed at the highest levels of the US State Department and the Israeli government. Israeli military officials discussed cutting Gaza off completely from the West Bank and making the Israeli-Gaza border an international one. Hamas Members of Parliament would be denied to travel freely between Gaza and West Bank.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Under the Hamas-led Government
After the Hamas-led First Haniyeh Government was sworn in on 29 March 2006, both the US and EU cut aid to the Palestinian Authority. Canada also suspended its aid.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Under the Hamas-led Government
On 12 April 2006, the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) formally determined that Hamas had property interest in transactions of the PA. Consequently, all unauthorized transactions with the PA were prohibited. The general prohibition on transactions, however, also caused difficulty in carrying out financial transaction with non-PA related individuals and entities, as financial institutions around the world took protective measures regarding the OFAC determination.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Under the Hamas-led Government
The US ceased providing both indirect and direct foreign aid to the PA with the exception of some emergency humanitarian assistance. The US said it would withhold $411 million in aid over the next few years and asked for the return of $30 million it had already donated.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Under the Hamas-led Government
The CRS Report for Congress wrote on 27 June 2007: "With the suspension of all USAID-managed economic aid to the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the general prohibition on financial transactions by U.S. persons with the PA, the United States has tried to assuage fears that its policies are causing Palestinian suffering."


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Impact
Although, despite the suspension of aid to the PA, aid to the Palestinian territories reportedly increased during 2006, poverty climbed sharply during the same period. According to Oxfam, this was because international aid did not compensate for the substantial loss of income created by the withholding of at least $475m of Palestinian tax and customs revenues by Israel. This accounted for around 50% of the PA's monthly income in 2005. Also, the aid came late, it did not generate income, and was less effective. Moreover, the boycott had helped trigger factional violence between Palestinians. Oxfam observed in 2006 dropping incomes, increased poverty, institutional collapse and economic decline. Media reports suggested that the humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was worsening.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Impact
In February 2006, Quartet envoy James Wolfensohn warned that the Palestinian Authority was on the verge of economic collapse within two weeks time, because of the cessation of tax funds to the PA from Israel. In a letter to the US government, Wolfensohn warned that the economic situation could lead to violence. In his report of May 2006, Wolfensohn questioned the decision of Western powers to cut all but humanitarian aid to the Palestinians' Hamas-led government. He recalled that $1.3 billion a year was spent on assistance to the Palestinians and asked: "Will we now simply abandon these goals?"


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Impact
From April–June 2006, the EU delivered $143 million in emergency assistance. The US provided $300 million in humanitarian and other aid to the Palestinians, intended to bypass the Hamas-led Government, $42 million of which "for promoting democratic alternatives to Hamas".


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Temporary international mechanism
The World Bank warned a collapse of the Palestinian infrastructure would be hard to reverse. On 9 May 2006, the Quartet issued a new statement, in which it reiterated its grave concern that the PA government had so far failed to commit itself to the formulated principles. It noted that it had "inevitably impacted direct assistance to that government" and was deeply concerned about the consequences for the Palestinian people.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Temporary international mechanism
The Quartet announced an international mechanism to ensure direct delivery of assistance to the Palestinians. In conjunction with the World Bank, the Quartet attempted to find a way to provide some relief to the Palestinians without working with the Hamas-led government. The US softened its hardline position to prevent the PA from collapsing and agreed to a mechanism for indirect funding under pressure of EU and Russia. On 17 June 2006, the Quartet announced the establishment of a temporary international mechanism (TIM), to channel funding directly to Palestinians, while bypassing the Hamas-led PA government.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Changes after Hamas takeover of Gaza
Following Hamas' takeover of Gaza in June 2007, Israel and the United States announced plans to blockade the Gaza Strip.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Changes after Hamas takeover of Gaza
At the same time, they lifted some of the sanctions on the West Bank, in order to support the Fatah government. On 16 June 2007, United States Consul-General Jacob Walles said that the US was planning to lift the ban on direct aid to the emergency government installed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Some Israeli officials said US$300 to $400 million in Palestinian tax revenues may be transferred to the PA, short of the $700 million Abbas was seeking. The Quartet voiced support for Abbas and concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, though they did not announce any change in the ban on direct aid.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Changes after Hamas takeover of Gaza
Few days later, the US ended its 15-month economic and political boycott of the Ramallah-based PA, but the Hamas-led government in Gaza remained under sanction and blockade. The European Union similarly announced plans to resume direct aid to the Palestinians. On 25 June 2007, Israel agreed to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues it had seized to Palestinian President Abbas.


2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority, Changes after Hamas takeover of Gaza
WikiLeaks disclosed a cable from the US embassy in Tel Aviv dated 3 November 2008 that revealed that Israel intended to maintain the economy of the Gaza Strip "on the brink of collapse" without "pushing it over the edge", and that Israel intended to keep the Gazan economy functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis." In October 2010, papers were released which revealed a system to maintain the minimum level. It contained upper and lower warning lines, identifying surpluses and shortages of listed products in Gaza.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
The 2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis began as a caretaker government (CTG) assumed power at the end of October 2006 following the end of term of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party administration. BNP government increased the age of chief justice retirement in an unconstitutional way to bias the appointment of the head of the caretaker government. CTG manages the government during the interim 90-day period and parliamentary elections. Political conflict began with the alleged appointment of a Chief Advisor, a role which devolved to the President, Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed. The interim period was marked from the beginning by violent protests initiated by the Awami League named Logi Boitha Andolan (Boat-hook and Oar Movement), with 40 people killed and hundreds injured in the first month. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party had its own complaints about the process and the opposition.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
After extensive negotiations as the CTG tried to bring all the political parties to the table and had agreement for a scheduled election, on 3 January 2007, the Awami League said that it and the smaller parties of its Grand Alliance would boycott the general election to be held on 22 January 2007. They complained about the lack of an accurate voters list. More widespread violence and political rioting followed.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
The "bitter rivalry" between the Awami League and BNP has affected the nation for the last two decades, although their political positions are not so far apart. The parties are led by women who represent assassinated leaders: Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, since 1981 has been head of the Awami League. Khaleda Zia, the head of the BNP, is the widow of the late president Ziaur Rahman, who as president founded the party in the late 1970s.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
On 11 January 2007 the military intervened to support the caretaker government of President Iajuddin, who had already declared a state of emergency. He accepted the resignations of most of his advisors. He also resigned as Chief Advisor, being replaced on 12 January by Fakhruddin Ahmed, who had worked for the World Bank. The government suppressed political activity to try to restore stability. In the spring, it started to work on corruption cases, charging 160 persons, including both party leaders, other politicians, civil servants and businessmen for actions going back to the late 1990s.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
The nation has had an extreme reputation for corruption under both the major political parties. In addition, some observers speculated that the caretaker government was trying to force both party leaders into exile to stabilise the country and reduce the political polarisation. The CTG also charged Sheikh Hasina for alleged murder for the deaths of four persons during protests in the fall of 2006.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
The High Court held that Khaleda Zia could not be charged under emergency law for events that happened prior to the emergency but on appeal, in September 2007 the Bangladesh Supreme Court ruled that the Zia trial should proceed. Near the end of 2008, the caretaker government moved to restore democratic government and held elections in December. The Awami League and Grand Alliance won by a two-thirds majority, and formed a government in 2009.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis, Background
According to Bangladesh's unique system, at the time of national parliamentary elections, which must be held within ninety days of dissolving a parliament, a caretaker government is entrusted to oversee the process and manage in the interim. First established in an informal way, the CTG provisions were incorporated by amendment in 1996 into the constitution. It stipulates that the Chief Advisor position (with the status of Prime Minister) is filled by the appointment of the last retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis, Background
He appoints a maximum of ten advisors (with the status of ministers) to assist in managing the government. The caretaker government runs all the state's affairs during the 90-day interim, including conducting the nationwide parliamentary elections. During this interim period, the Defense Ministry's charge is transferred to the country's President of Bangladesh, who assumes the role of Commander-in-Chief.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis, Protests
At the end of BNP's 2001–2006 term, the Awami League questioned the neutrality of K. M. Hasan, the immediate past Chief Justice, who was in line to become Chief Advisor of the caretaker government. With uncertainty about who would be appointed as CA, Awami supporters led protests and violence beginning on 28 October, popularly known as the logi boitha movement, which resulted in 40 deaths and hundreds of injuries in the first month. On that day, Awami League activists severely beat and killed three activists of Jamat e Islami in Paltan in front of the TV camera.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis, Caretaker government is formed
At the backdrop against the situation, the former Chief Justice K. M. Hasan declined to take the job of Chief Advisor (CA), citing health reasons. However, according to the provision, the constitutional obligations must be performed without fear and favour. Hindering this sacred responsibility is deemed to be serious violation of the constitution, which is to be punished in highest order.


2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis, Caretaker government is formed
According to a BDNews24 report based on later Wikileaks, Justice Hasan had started recruiting advisors before he was sworn in. President Iajuddin Ahmed directed his Presidential Advisor to organise meetings with the four major political parties representing parliament, but the parties were unable to agree on an appointment for Chief Advisor, although five men were considered.