2008 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 7
In the eighth, David Price, who made his major league debut a little over a month before came on to pitch to J. D. Drew with the bases loaded and struck him out on a checked swing. In the ninth, Price recorded his first Major League save by getting Jed Lowrie to ground into a force play to Akinori Iwamura. With the win, the Rays became the second team to go to the World Series after posting the worst record the year before, joining the 1991 Atlanta Braves, who went on to lose to the Minnesota Twins.


2008 American League Championship Series, Composite box
2008 ALCS (4–3): Tampa Bay Rays over Boston Red Sox


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
With a payroll of only $43.8 million, the second lowest in the majors, Tampa Bay entered the season facing 125-1 odds to win the AL pennant and 300-1 odds to win the World Series. But the franchise that never had finished above .500 or reached the postseason improbably won the AL East over the New York Yankees ($209 million payroll) and Boston Red Sox ($133.4 million).


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
In spring training before the start of the 2008 season, James Shields joked that the goal for the newly branded Rays was to not lose 100 games — having dropped 96 in the 2007 season. Veteran and former World Series champion Cliff Floyd, who had signed with the team in the off-season at age 35, contemplated retirement after the first few days of spring training. “You’re wondering, ‘What the hell are you doing? '” said Floyd in 2018 at the team’s ten year-anniversary. “Why are you signing with this team? What makes you think this is the right move?”


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
After being plagued by futility as the Devil Rays, amassing just a .399 winning percentage over their brief first 11 years as a franchise, the “worst-to-first” 2008 Rays set a new standard of success for baseball in Tampa Bay. Led by general manager Andrew Freidman (as well as an impressive front office personnel that would go on run teams in the future) and manager Joe Maddon, the Rays became one of the more innovative teams in baseball.


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
From 2010-2013, the Rays won at least 90 games each season, a remarkable feat for a team with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, particularly in a division with the Yankees and Red Sox. Even after Freidman and Maddon left after the 2014 season, the Rays success and innovation continued.


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
Run by Matthew Silverman, Chaim Bloom (who eventually became the Red Sox President of Baseball Operation after the 2019 season), and Erik Neander (an interim in 2008), the Rays won 90 games in a division where the two teams in front of them won 108 and 100 games in 2018, tied the franchise record in wins in 2019, and won the pennant in 2020 for the first time since 2008.


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
The 2008 Rays were covered in depth in the book ‘The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First’ by Jonah Keri.


2008 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
In 2011, The Red Sox became the first team in the history of Major League Baseball to have a nine-game lead in September and fail to make the playoffs that season, thanks to their 7-20 record in the final month of the regular season. Their collapsed allowed the Rays to sneak past them to win a wild card spot. The Red Sox avenged their 2011 collapse and 2008 ALCS series loss to the Rays in the 2013 American League Division Series, beating Tampa Bay in four games. The Red Sox would go on to win the World Series in 2013, their third championship in nine seasons.


2008 American League Division Series
The 2008 American League Division Series (ALDS), the first round of the 2008 American League playoffs, consisted of two best-of-five series. They were:


2008 American League Division Series
Since the Twins and the White Sox completed the regular season with identical records (88–74), the two teams played against each other in a one-game playoff. The White Sox defeated the Twins, 1–0, and thus became the AL Central champions.


2008 American League Division Series
The Rays defeated the Red Sox in the ALCS, and went on to lose the 2008 World Series to the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 1
In a re-match of last year's ALDS, starters Jon Lester and John Lackey were sharp early on, each tossing a couple of scoreless innings. The Angels finally got on the board in the third, when Torii Hunter singled home Garret Anderson to put the Angels up 1–0. Lackey held the Red Sox scoreless until the sixth, when newly acquired left fielder Jason Bay hit a two-run homer to put the Sox up 2–1. It would stay 2–1 until the ninth. The Sox got a couple of insurance runs, with Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz each singling home a run.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 1
Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth for his fifth career postseason save. This marked the Angels' 10th consecutive playoff game loss to the Red Sox (dating back to Game 5 of the 1986 American League Championship Series), as well as their eighth consecutive playoff game loss overall (dating back to Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS).


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 2
The Red Sox jumped out to an early lead in the first thanks to a three-run homer by Jason Bay. The Angels scored one run in the first off of an effective but inefficient Daisuke Matsuzaka and continued to chip away at Boston's lead throughout the game. In total, the Angels recorded 11 hits with 10 of them being singles. In the eighth inning Mark Teixeira tied the game with a sacrifice fly off of Jonathan Papelbon who had to enter the game prematurely due to Justin Masterson giving up a leadoff triple.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 2
The game entered the ninth inning tied at five but that deadlock was broken after a double by David Ortiz and a two-run home run to center by J. D. Drew off of Angels closer Francisco Rodríguez. Rodríguez was charged with the loss and although Papelbon had a blown save he also recorded the win. Boston, leading the series two games to none, headed back to Fenway Park. With their eleventh consecutive playoff win over the Angels, the Red Sox broke the record for consecutive playoff wins over another team, which had been set against them by the Oakland Athletics who beat the Red Sox in 10 consecutive playoff games from 1988 to 2003.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 3
The Angels got to an early lead when Juan Rivera drew a bases loaded walk to score Chone Figgins from third. A fielding miscue by the Angels in the second inning caused a fly ball hit by Jacoby Ellsbury to drop between Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick in shallow center field, scoring three runs (Jed Lowrie, Jason Varitek, and Coco Crisp) and giving the Red Sox a two-run lead. The next inning, Mike Napoli tied the score with a two-run home run over the Green Monster that completely left the ballpark.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 3
In the fifth inning, Napoli hit another home run over the Monster, giving the Angels a one-run lead. Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis hit back-to-back doubles in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score at four apiece. The score remained deadlocked until the top of the 12th inning, when Napoli scored from second on an Erick Aybar single. The Angels' win ended an 11-game postseason losing streak against the Red Sox that dated back to 1986, and a nine-game overall postseason skid that dated back to 2005.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 4
The game remained scoreless for the first four and a half innings thanks to sharp pitching from both John Lackey and Jon Lester. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Boston got its first run when Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out to second base, scoring Mark Kotsay from third base. Howie Kendrick bobbled the ball and was unable to try for a double play, which would have ended the inning. Dustin Pedroia then hit a double off the left field wall to score Jason Varitek from second.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 4
In the eighth inning, a passed ball allowed Mark Teixeira and Vladimir Guerrero to advance on second and third, and they subsequently scored on a single by Torii Hunter to tie the game. In the top of the ninth inning, the Angels threatened with a leadoff double by pinch hitter Kendry Morales followed by a sacrifice bunt, but when Erick Aybar failed to make contact on a suicide squeeze attempt, the runner was tagged out. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Jed Lowrie won the game with a walk-off single, scoring Jason Bay from second base.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 4
Curiously, the last team to win their division by at least 20 games, the 1999 Cleveland Indians, also lost to Boston in the ALDS.


2008 American League Division Series, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Composite box
2008 ALDS (3–1): Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 1
The Rays went up 1–0 in the second on rookie Evan Longoria's leadoff home run in his first postseason at-bat off of Javier Vazquez, but starter James Shields allowed consecutive leadoff singles in the third before DeWayne Wise's two-out three-run home run put the White Sox up 3−1. In the bottom of the inning, however, Jason Bartlett hit a leadoff single and scored on Akinori Iwamura's triple. After B. J. Upton struck out, Willy Aybar's sacrifice fly tied the game before Longoria's home run put Tampa up 4–3.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 1
The Rays added to their lead on Longoria's one-out single with two on off of Vazquez, who was then relieved by Clayton Richard and allowed an RBI single to Carl Crawford. Paul Konerko's leadoff home run in the ninth off of Dan Wheeler made it 6–4 Tampa, but Wheeler retired the next three batters to end the game and give the Rays a 1–0 series lead as they won their first postseason game in franchise history. Longoria became only the second ever player to homer in his first two career post-season at-bats, the other being Gary Gaetti in 1987.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 2
In Game 2, the White Sox loaded the bases off of Scott Kazmir in the first on a walk, hit-by-pitch, and single when Jim Thome's one-out single followed by Alexei Ramírez's sacrifice fly scored a run each. However, Kazmir and the Rays' bullpen would shut them out for the rest of the game. The White Sox left 12 runners on base and were 3 for 12 with them in scoring position.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 2
In the second, Willy Aybar hit a leadoff single off of Mark Buehrle, moved to third on Ramirez's throwing error to first on Rocco Baldelli's line out and scored on Dioner Navarro's single. In the fifth, Jason Bartlett singled with one out, then Akinori Iwamura's home run put the Rays up 3−2. They added insurance in the eighth when B. J. Upton hit a leadoff triple and scored on Carl Crawford's single to knock Buehrle out of the game. Crawford stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on Baldelli's single off of Octavio Dotel. Baldelli then scored on Navarro's double off of Matt Thornton to put the Rays up 6−2. Chad Bradford pitched a scoreless ninth as the Rays took a 2−0 series lead heading to Chicago.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 3
The Rays got on the board first when Akinori Iwamura singled with two outs in the second inning to score Dioner Navarro. Chicago evened the score in the bottom of the third inning when DeWayne Wise scored on a single by A. J. Pierzynski after stealing second base. Chicago took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Alexei Ramírez hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one out. Then DeWayne Wise doubled to score Paul Konerko and Ken Griffey Jr.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 3
In the sixth inning, the White Sox added an insurance run when Juan Uribe drove in Brian Anderson with two outs. The Rays finally chased starter John Danks after a two-run homer by B. J. Upton and a single by Carlos Peña. Neither bullpen allowed any runs; Bobby Jenks recorded the save.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Game 4
The Rays established an early lead after home runs by B. J. Upton in the first and third innings, and never gave up the lead. The Rays added two more runs in the fourth on consecutive hits by Cliff Floyd and Dioner Navarro, and added two more runs on RBI singles by Carlos Peña in the fifth and seventh innings. The White Sox scored on home runs by Paul Konerko (fourth inning) and Jermaine Dye (sixth inning), both off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine who allowed three hits in 5+2⁄3 innings.


2008 American League Division Series, Tampa Bay vs. Chicago, Composite box
2008 ALDS (3–1): Tampa Bay Rays over Chicago White Sox


2008 American Samoa Democratic presidential caucuses
The 2008 American Samoa Democratic presidential caucuses took place on February 5, 2008, also known as Super Tuesday. Caucusing began at 11:00 am local time. The early time ensured that results would be reported that evening in the mainland United States. Hillary Clinton won the caucus, the smallest of Super Tuesday's nominating contests.


2008 American Samoa Democratic presidential caucuses
The caucus drew a record turnout for the territory. A record-setting 285 caucus goers, who voted for their candidates at a hotel in the capital, Pago Pago, turned out for the caucus. The caucus selected six pledged delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention; however, each delegate received only half a vote, so the caucus essentially determined the allocation of three delegate votes. Since the pledged delegates were awarded proportionally, Clinton secured 2 delegates, with the third going to her opponent Barack Obama.


2008 American Samoa Democratic presidential caucuses, Results
American Samoa also sent 6 unpledged superdelegates to the national convention; 4 endorsed Senator Clinton while 2 endorsed Senator Obama.


2008 American Samoa Republican presidential caucuses
The 2008 American Samoa Republican presidential caucuses took place on February 23, 2008. John McCain won all 6 pledged (and the support of 3 unpledged delegates) at the territory's convention. McCain "campaigned" in the territory by recording an audio message to the delegates and sending it to the caucus via the Internet.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election
The 2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the 2008 United States general elections and the American Samoa general election. Because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two candidates was held on November 18, 2008, which Togiola Tulafono won. All elections in American Samoa are officially non-partisan, but Tulafono and Sunia identify with the Democratic Party.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Candidates
Incumbent Governor Togiola Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia announced their intent to seek re-election on May 10, 2008. They are being challenged by three nonpartisan team tickets. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are elected under the same ticket. All elections in American Samoa are nonpartisan.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
Governor Togiola Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia announced their intent to seek re-election on May 10, 2008. Their formal announcement, which Tulafono called "the worst kept secret of this season," took place before a crowd of approximately three hundred supporters at the Tradewinds Hotel in Tafuna.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
Afoa Moega Lutu formally announced his own candidacy for Governor of American Samoa at a campaign rally at the same Tradewinds Hotel on May 17, 2008. The rally consisted of about seven hundred Lutu supporters. Lutu promised to tackle a number of issues if elected governor, including corruption, rising food and energy prices and the economy.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
Utu Abe Malae and his running mate, Nua Mailo Saoluaga, formally announced their candidacy on June 10, 2008, at a gathering at the Maliu Mai Beach Resort in Pago Pago.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
This is not the first time that Tulafono and Lutu faced each other in a gubernatorial election. Tulafono defeated Lutu in the 2004 gubernatorial runoff election with 56 percent of the total vote to Lutu's 44 percent. Lutu also fell short in his bids for Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa in the 1996 and 2000 elections, losing both times to Tulafono.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
The President of the American Samoa Senate, Lolo Moliga, also originally announced his intention to run for governor as well. However, Lolo withdrew from the race on June 13, 2008, just two months into his campaign, citing existing commitments to his extended family clan. He also noted the need to prevent divisiveness within the families of the Manu'a islands, where many of the gubernatorial and Lt. governor candidates have ancestral ties.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
Four of the 2008 candidates for governor or lieutenant governor in the 2008 election either were from or had ancestral ties to the Manu'a Islands. Those with Manu'a ancestry are incumbent Lt. Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia, lieutenant governor candidate Velega Savali, and both members of the gubernatorial team of Utu Abe Malae and his running mate, Nua Mailo Saoluaga.


2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election, Election background
The deadline to register as a candidate for governor in the current election was September 1, 2008, at 4:30 P.M. An official list of the four teams was released by the election office the following day.


2008 American Samoan general election
General elections was held in American Samoa on 4 November 2008, coinciding with the 2008 United States general elections.


2008 American Samoan general election, Gubernatorial election
Incumbent governor Togiola Tulafono sought re-election. The gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2008.


2008 American Samoan general election, U.S. Congressional election
Ten term incumbent Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat, sought an 11th term. He was challenged by Republican Aumua Amata Coleman and Independent Rosie F. Tago Lancaster.


2008 American Samoan general election, American Samoa House of Representatives election
There were 54 candidates vying for the 20 elected seats in the American Samoa House of Representatives. All seats in the House are up for election in 2008. Every incumbent member of the House sought re-election, except for Gaoteote P. Gaoteote who is retiring. The only member who ran unopposed was Rep. Agaoleatu Charlie Tautolo.


2008 American Samoan general election, Referendum
A referendum to allow the legislative override of the governor’s vetoes was on the ballot on November 4, 2008.


2008 American Samoan general election, Referendum
The American Samoa Fono passed the proposal giving itself the authority to override a veto by the Governor of American Samoa. The proposal was then submitted to the Governor's office to be forwarded to the American Samoa election office as a referendum. The referendum will ask voters to agree to amend the Constitution of American Samoa to give the Fono, rather than the United States Secretary of the Interior, the power to override a veto by the Governor.


2008 American Samoan general election, Referendum
Currently, a veto can only be overridden by the United States Secretary of the Interior, who is based in Washington D.C. Any veto powers bestowed on the Fono would require a two-thirds majority in both the American Samoa House of Representatives and the American Samoa Senate before becoming law.


2008 American Samoan general election, Referendum, Results
The legislative over-ride proposal was defeated narrowly in the referendum, thereby maintaining the veto powers to the United States Secretary of the Interior.


2008 American Society of Cinematographers Awards
The 23rd American Society of Cinematographers Awards were held on February 15, 2009, honoring the best cinematographers of film and television in 2008.


2008 Amstel Gold Race
The 2008 Amstel Gold Race is the 43rd edition of the Amstel Gold Race classic cycle race and took place on April 20, 2008. It was held on a 257.4 kilometres (159.9 mi) course from Maastricht to Cauberg as the fifth event of the 2008 UCI ProTour. Italian rider Damiano Cunego of Lampre won the event after sprinting past Luxembourger Fränk Schleck of Team CSC in the final 200 metres. Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d'Epargne finished third.


2008 Amstel Gold Race, Individual 2008 UCI ProTour standings after race
As of April 20, 2008, after the 2008 Amstel Gold Race. After winning the Amstel Gold Race, Damiano Cunego became the new leader of the 2008 UCI ProTour.


2008 Amsterdam Tournament
The Amsterdam Tournament 2008, known as the "LG Amsterdam Tournament 2008" for sponsorship reasons, was the tenth Amsterdam Tournament, a pre-season football tournament for club teams from around the world. The 2008 tournament was contested by Ajax, Arsenal, Internazionale and Sevilla on 8 August and 9 August 2008 at the Amsterdam ArenA. For the third time in four years, Arsenal won the tournament with 8 points.


2008 Amsterdam Tournament, Table
NB: An extra point is awarded for each goal scored.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season
The 2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season officially began on 8 January with the start of the 2008 Medibank International Sydney in Sydney and ended with the 2008 WTA Tour Championships. Ivanovic entered the season as the number four ranked player and the defending champion at three tournaments and finalist at previous year's French Open.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season
During the season, Ivanovic reached second Grand Slam final at Australian Open which she lost, but at the next one at French Open she won her first Grand Slam trophy. With semifinal win, she assured becoming the World No. 1 and being the first Serbian to do so. Ivanovic held the top spot for 12 non-consecutive weeks, but finished the year as number five.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season
In 2008, Ivanovic won Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Diamond ACES Award, German Tennis Magazine Michael Westphal Award and International Tennis Writer's Association Ambassador of the Year 2008.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Hong Kong exhibition
Despite Ivanovic officially began season playing in Sydney, she participated also in an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, when was the first week of new tennis season. Exhibition is constructed of eight players playing in knock-out system, starting from quarterfinal stage. Six of the eight players were in the world's top 10 at the moment. Ivanovic was first seed and was drawn to play against fifth seed Elena Dementieva. She eventually lost 4–6, 6–1, 3–6. After losing in group named Golden Group, she played another match in Silver Group for players who lost their quarterfinal matches. However, Ivanovic looked now indifferently playing dead rubber, and lost 1–6, 3–6 to Shuai Peng.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Medibank International
Ivanovic's first tournament of the year was at Medibank International. All players from top 4 competed, so she was seeded just fourth with the ranking of number four. After receiving bye in the first round, she won tight first match of the year against number 30 Virginie Razzano, coming back from 2–5 to win 6–1, 2–6, 7–5. Playing in the quarterfinals against two spots better ranked player, Katarina Srebotnik, Ivanovic won easier with 6–2 in third set. In the semifinals, opponent was number 1, Justine Henin, whom she has never beaten before. This time she was closest to winning, but lost a very tight match with the score of 2–6, 6–2, 4–6. Ivanovic rose to world number three for the first time after this tournament.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Australian Open
Despite being new world number three, Ivanovic was seeded fourth as points from Sydney didn't affect the rankings because of it being played when the Australian Open draw was already out. Ivanovic's first opponent was Sorana Cirstea, the only player outside the top 100 which she played against at this tournament. She won in tight two straight sets. In the next round however, she lost just three games against Tathiana Garbin, including bagel in the first set.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Australian Open
In third and fourth round she won both matches in straight sets, against 28th seed Katarina Srebotnik and Danish youngster, the future No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki. Though she missed likes of Justine Henin and Serena Williams, whom she has never beaten before, in her side of the draw, opponent in the quarterfinal was eight seed Venus Williams, who also never lost a match to Ivanovic at that  point.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Australian Open
However, Ivanovic showed no signs of fear and beat older Williams sister for the first time, 7–6, 6–4. Ivanovic was serving at 4–2 and was point from 5–2 lead in first set but however the set gone to tiebreak which she won 7–3. In second set, she came roaring back from 0–3, winning six of the next seven games. The win was also significant because of breaking the barrier as Ivanovic lost at both previous Grand Slams in last season just to Venus. She was given the nickname "Aussie Ana" during the on-court interview with Todd Woodbridge following the victory over Williams.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Australian Open
In semifinals she played against ninth seed Daniela Hantuchová. Match started badly for Ivanovic, and fast she was 0–6, 0–2 down. Although just trying to get on the board at the moment, since winning that first game in the third game of the set, things got better, as she subsequently broke back and soon closed set after breaking later again and served the set out. In decider, both were holding serve till four all. Ivanovic got break point and immediately after found herself in the position to close the match out.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Australian Open
She did it at love, winning with 0–6, 6–3, 6–4 scoreline. Despite having not reached even fourth round at event before, now she reached the final. But however, she lost the match to fifth seed Maria Sharapova, losing her second Grand Slam final. Though she was close to win the first set at 5–4 and 0–30 when Maria served, she missed the chance to take the first set, and eventually lost in straight sets, 5–7, 3–6.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Australian Open series, Fed Cup
Only few days after Australian campaign, Ivanovic flew to Budapest to play Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group I with fellow top 10 Sebian player Jelena Jankovic. Consequences of fatigue were seen as she won two of three matches in tight three sets. In Round Robin they faced Poland and Romania, and Ivanovic won against Urszula Radwańska in straight sets and Monica Niculescu after hard fought match in three sets. Playing against Netherlands, both Ivanovic and Jankovic won singles matches (Ivanovic against Renée Reinhard in three sets) and they advanced to World Group II Play-offs for the second straight year.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Middle East Series, Qatar Ladies Open
As the world number three, Ivanovic was seeded first for the first time in her career at Qatar Ladies Open. After receiving first round bye, Ivanovic was set to play for the first time against Olga Govortsova. Being two points from victory, Ivanovic twisted left ankle and immediately after took a medical timeout. She succeeded to finish the match soon, though finishing it in tears, but due to injury alert, she decided to take a break and recover, giving a walkover to Agnieszka Radwańska in third round. In spite of the fact that she didn't earn too many points after Doha, Ivanovic set new career-high ranking at number two, overtaking the spot from Svetlana Kuznetsova. However, at the moment top-ranked player Justine Henin had nearly as many points as Ivanovic and Kuznetsova together.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Middle East Series, Dubai Tennis Championships
Despite twisting ankle few days ago in Doha, Ivanovic looked fresh and injury-free in Dubai. After receiving bye in the first round, she lost just four games against number 14 Nicole Vaidišová, bageling in second set. However, she was given a tough task in quarterfinals, as she never won a match in previous three meetings with Elena Dementieva. Ivanovic took first set, but lost next two in quite one way, winning three games in both sets.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indian Wells & Miami, Pacific Life Open
Ivanovic was once again seeded first after being first seed already in Doha. Playing her first match at Pacific Life Open against number 77 Raluca Olaru, she had to give her best to get through inspired opponent and she eventually recovered from second set loss with 6–0 in the third set, winning after nearly two hours. Though her next opponent was 31st seed, Tathiana Garbin, Ivanovic had better time on court now, as she lost three games in first set and bageled for the fifth time in a season in second set.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indian Wells & Miami, Pacific Life Open
In round of 16 another Italian, Francesca Schiavone, awaited. Thirteenth seed Schiavone started better, cruising through first set losing just two games. However, after managing to win the second set 7–5, she cruised herself through the third set, losing two games. In the quarterfinals, she faced one spot better ranked player, Vera Zvonareva, at number 21. But Ivanovic showed that ranking is not the most important thing that matters, as she beat her a lot easier, losing just five games to reach first semifinal in Indian Wells, enhancing previous best result of quarterfinals.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indian Wells & Miami, Pacific Life Open
Facing top 10 opponent for the fifth time in a season and world number 4 in Jelena Jankovic, Ivanovic won in straight sets to reach first final of Indian Wells Masters. Ivanovic improved head-to-head record to 5−1 against Jankovic. In the final she played against Svetlana Kuznetsova, the final contested of first and second seed. Ivanovic won 6–4, 6–3 to win third Tier I title, the biggest after Grand Slam. This was her first title of 2008. Also, as Indian Wells is called "The fifth Grand Slam", and as Ivanovic didn't won any Grand Slam at the moment, this was her biggest title at that moment. She also improved to convincing head-to-head with Kuznetsova, the same as with Jankovic, 5−1.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indian Wells & Miami, Sony Ericsson Open
Coming to Miami Open with Indian Wells title, Ivaonovic looked confidently from the first match on, as she cruised against Emilie Loit to reach third round, losing just three games. But however, in the next round it looked like fatigue caught up with her, and she lost easily in straight sets, but to former number one Lindsay Davenport.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, Fed Cup
Ivanovic once again participated in Fed Cup this year, playing in Fed Cup World Group II Play-offs, in duel of Serbia and Croatia on harcourt indoors, played in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite the event was played on hardcourt, it was a preparation for Ivanovic's clay season which started just few days later. She helped Serbia cruise to massive 3–0 lead which already secured them a spot in 2009 Fed Cup World Group II, the first time that Serbia reached that stage at Fed Cup under its name, but as Yugoslavia, they reached World Group semifinal in 1984. Croatia won next two dead rubbers though, meaning that final score was 3–2 for Serbia.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, Qatar Telecom German Open
Ivanovic started clay season returning to Berlin as the defending champion. After receiving bye in first round, she played against lucky luser Akgul Amanmuradova and won after tight first set which saw them playing tiebreak that Ivanovic won 7–0 and cruising then through the second set. She beat Sybille Bammer 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 to reach quarterfinals, and tenth seed Ágnes Szávay 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 to go two steps from defending title for the first time. However, she was stopped in semifinals when she lost 2–6, 5–7 to Elena Dementieva, losing to her for the second time in the season and fourth overall.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Following withdraws of the two best players in the world, Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova, Ivanovic was seeded first in Rome. She lost already in second round and in her opening match to qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova in three sets, 4–6, 7–5, 2–6.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Ivanovic came to French Open as last year runner-up and as a second contender for the title, after renewed world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who took that place from Justine Henin who suddenly retired from tennis in less than a fortnight before Roland Garros started. The fact that three-time defending champion at French Open Henin, and four-time champion overall didn't compete, left the draw wide open and gave chances to many players, as the only other former champion was Serena Williams.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
As Sharapova was first seed, and Ivanovic second, they were set in line for the final clash, which would have been rematch of the Australian Open final that year. However, chances for that were blown when Maria lost in fourth round to thirteenth seed Dinara Safina. On the other side, Ivanovic brushed aside all opponents to reach third French Open quarterfinal in four years. She won against Sofia Arvidsson 6–2, 7–5, Lucie Šafářová 6–1, 6–2, 30th seed Caroline Wozniacki 6–4, 6–1, and Petra Cetkovská 6–0, 6–0, respectively. Double bagel against Cetkovská was Ivanovic's fifth career double bagel win.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
In quarterfinals Ivanovic beat 10th seed Patty Schnyder 6–3, 6–2. Then she was set to play against fellow Serbian player and No. 3 Jelena Janković. The most significant match between the pair took place in this semi-final of the French Open, with the winner having assured of becoming World No. 1 and with both women bidding to win their first Grand Slam title. Ivanovic won the match, recovering from a 3–1 final set deficit and also 4–3 deficit when Jankovic broke, to defeat Jankovic for the fifth consecutive time, with final score of 6–4, 3–6, 6–4. In doing so, Ivanovic reached second straight French Open final and third Slam final overall.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
"It was an amazing experience and I still don't realise that I have won it. It was a very nervous match with lots of chances but I was able to keep  my composure until the end. I am very thrilled to be the champion."


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Ana Ivanovic after winning French Open with  6–4, 6–3 win over Dinara Safina.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
Dinara Safina, who beat Sharapova and another two Russians Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova, awaited in the final. Ivanovic build big lead from first moment on, leading 4–1 with two breaks. From that moment, she lost that first momentum, losing both breaks to fell on 4–4 egal. However, she was lucky to not fell even more, breaking again to serve for set, which she did for 6–4. She showed even stronger performance in second set, and lifted first Grand Slam trophy after one-sided win of 6–4, 6–3. Ivanovic became the 17th world No. 1 in history of WTA rankings. Also, she is one of the few players of newer generation to win Major title with that few years, at 20 years and 214 days.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Wimbledon
Ivanovic skipped all events in preparation for Wimbledon, where she was seeded first for the first time at Grand Slam. It didn't look to bother her as she cruised through first round, losing just three games against No. 103 Rossana de los Ríos. Playing against just six spots better ranked player, she had much tougher time on court, coming back from brink of defeat by saving match points to win against Nathalie Dechy, 6–7, 7–6, 10–8.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Wimbledon
"She played really well today and it was a tough match for me. I'm disappointed with my loss but I still look at it as a learning experience." "It was a very emotional last couple of weeks for me and it took a bit of a toll. I didn't have great preparation."


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Wimbledon
Ana Ivanovic on losing to Jie Zheng at Wimbledon Championships  after a 1–6, 4–6 blowout.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Wimbledon
She fell in third round to wildcard No. 133 Jie Zheng, 1–6, 4–6. Ivanovic played very bad match, winning just 46% of her first serve points and total of just 51% of all points on serve, converting just one break point on seven chances and making 17 unforced errors to Zheng's 10. Her exit in the third round was earliest for the top seed since 2001, when Martina Hingis lost to Virginia Ruano Pascual in first round.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Wimbledon
Ivanovic, though, ended up to be just one of the five players of the top 8 to fall before the quarterfinals, the round they were all projected to get through as of their rankings. Also, on the men's side was even worse situation as only first two seeds reached quarterfinals, though they eventually reached the final.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, East West Bank Classic - withdrew
Ivanovic was set to return to action in Los Angeles, but however, she withdrew due to a thumb injury sustained during practice the week before.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, Rogers Cup
First tournament she played eventually within US Open Series was the only Tier I tournament of the American summer swing in Montreal. Ivanovic was again first seed as the newest world No. 1 and the first opponent in the second round after receiving a bye in first was Petra Kvitová. Kvitová, future multiple Grand Slam champion but now just a teenager, won the second set to equalise result but however, Ivanovic got through in three tough sets. In the third round she lost to a player near outside the top 100 at 94, Tamira Paszek, with 2–6, 6–1, 2–6 scoreline.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, Summer Olympics - withdrew
Ivanovic was seeded first at Summer Olympics. This was about to be her first appearance at the Olympics. She was even scheduled to play at the time of the release of the draw, but she eventually withdrew again due to a thumb injury sustained two weeks before, the same reason she withdrew from East West Bank Classic tournament in Los Angeles. Ivanovic described these moments as "one of the worst moments of her career."


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, Summer Olympics - withdrew
As of the last year's calendar, points from previous year's Los Angeles tournament which was in this time of the year were deleted, and as she didn't participate this year in Los Angeles nor gained enough points in Montreal, she fell from the No. 1 spot for the first time after just 9 consecutive weeks. New world No. 1 was another Serbian Jelena Janković.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, US Open
Though missing nearly all US Open series season, playing just one tournament in preparation for US Open, Ivanovic returned again to No. 1 spot after Olympics, as Jankovic lost points from last year's Rogers Cup which was at the time of this year's Olympics, leaving Jankovic with just one week at No. 1 spot. With playing just that one tournament in Montreal, this was Ivanovic's third tournament in Grand Slam category of all last four tournaments she played.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, US Open
Hard times since dream run at French Open continued for Ivanovic, as she had to battle in three sets already in first round of US Open, winning 6–1, 4–6, 6–4 against Vera Dushevina. But another early exit followed by as she lost to unheralded qualifier and No. 188 Julie Coin, losing with 3–6, 6–4, 3–6 final score. The loss was the earliest defeat of the top-seeded player at the US Open since the 1973 tournament, when Billy Jean King lost in third round. Ivanovic also surpassed her negative record in terms of Lowest-ranked players to defeat world No. 1. First, she lost to No. 133 Jie Zheng at Wimbledon Championships, and now to No. 188 Julie Coin at US Open. However, one year later Dinara Safina "dethroned" her from that place, losing to No. 226 Shuai Zhang.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, US Open Series, US Open
After US Open, when new rankings were released, Ivanovic finished her stay at the top spot, as US Open champion Serena Williams reached that spot for the first time since 2003. Ivanovic stayed for a total of 12 weeks at the top spot, with one week pause during the Olympic games. Ivanovic fell to No. 3.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Asian hard court swing, Toray Pan Pacific Open
Ivanovic started Asian swing in Tokyo, Tier I tournament, where she was last year's runner-up. She lost to #20 Nadia Petrova 1–6, 6–1, 2–6 in the second round. With the loss, she was then at 4–4 win-loss record since winning French Open. Ivanovic later told the press that she was "just happy to be back injury-free" and that she needed to "play more matches to get back into rhythm."


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Asian hard court swing, China Open
Going to Beijing, China, for the first time ever and where she missed Olympic games previously this year, Ivanovic came in one place lower ranked than previous week at No. 4 . She played evidently the best match since lifting French Open title as she cruised against #19 Alizé Cornet who has had a great season, winning 6–1, 7–6. Despite good overture, she lost once again to Jie Zheng, the same player who beat her at Wimbledon. However, as she won just five games at Wimbledon against her, she showed this time a step forward in that way, being now very close to beat her, but eventually losing 6–7, 6–2, 4–6. Ivanovic won even more points.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indoors and year-end Championships, Kremlin Cup
Week after week, and Ivanovic is slipping more and more on WTA rankings. Coming to US Open as #1, Ivanovic fell to No. 3 next week, next No.4 and now she falls to No. 5. Results unfortunately for her confirm that, and now she fell again in her first match against Dominika Cibulková in three sets at Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Ivanovic extended now her bad streak since winning French Open to a negative one for the first time, with 5–6 win-loss record since then.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indoors and year-end Championships, Zurich Open
Despite losing straightaway in Moscow, Ivanovic came back to No. 4 . And after series of bad results, she finally won back-to-back matches in Zurich – after receiving bye in first round, she won easily against #16 Marion Bartoli and promising Petra Kvitová whom she beat earlier in Montreal but in three sets. She lost a total of 11 games in that two matches. She lost in semifinals to top 10 opponent Venus Williams after winning first set, but showed a big step forward after series of bad results.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indoors and year-end Championships, Generali Ladies Linz
Ivanovic chose not to defend Luxembourg title, which turned out to be great as she followed good run in Zurich with even better in Linz by winning first title since French Open. On the way to the title, she beat first Sybille Bammer and seventh seed Flavia Pennetta, both in straight sets. Ana described match with Flavia as "one of the best matches she's played recently". She followed that with two respective wins over top 10 opponents – #10 Agnieszka Radwańska with hard fought 6–2, 3–6, 7–5 win, and routing win over #9 Vera Zvonareva, 6–2, 6–1 to win the title. She sealed an impressive win in just 51 minutes.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indoors and year-end Championships, WTA Tour Championships
Last tournament of the year for Ivanovic was the most prestigious one after Majors – WTA Tour Championships, where she qualified for the second straight year. Despite coming with two back-to-back good tournaments, Ivanovic though didn't have good time in Doha Championships, as she lost to #1 Jelena Janković after winning their last four meetings, and making a surpassing loss to Vera Zvonareva whom she beat in just more than a week losing three games. She eventually withdrew before third match due to a virus.


2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season, Year in details, Indoors and year-end Championships, WTA Tour Championships
Ivanovic finished the year ranked at No. 5, one place worse from last year.


2008 Andalusian regional election
The 2008 Andalusian regional election was held on Sunday, 9 March 2008, to elect the 8th Parliament of the autonomous community of Andalusia. All 109 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with the 2008 Spanish general election.


2008 Andalusian regional election
Incumbent President Manuel Chaves from the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE–A) was re-elected for a sixth term in office with a slightly reduced majority. Final results showed a major breakthrough by the People's Party (PP), which gained 10 seats from 37 to 47 and scored its best result in the community at the time. United Left (IULV–CA) remained stagnant with 6 seats, whereas the Andalusian Party (PA) suffered a major drop in support and failed to enter the regional parliament for the first time.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
The Parliament of Andalusia was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Andalusia, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the regional Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in Andalusia and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The 109 members of the Parliament of Andalusia were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville, with each being allocated an initial minimum of eight seats and the remaining 45 being distributed in proportion to their populations (provided that the number of seats in each province did not exceed two times that of any other).


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Election date
The term of the Parliament of Andalusia expired four years after the date of its previous election, unless it was dissolved earlier. The election decree was required to be issued no later than the twenty-fifth day prior to the date of expiry of parliament and published on the following day in the Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA), with election day taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication barring any date within from 1 July to 31 August.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Election date
The previous election was held on 14 March 2004, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 14 March 2008. The election decree was required to be published in the BOJA no later than 19 February 2008, with the election taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication, setting the latest possible election date for the Parliament on Sunday, 13 April 2008.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Election date
The president had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Andalusia and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since the previous one. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Background
With the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) regaining its absolute majority in Andalusia in the 2004 election, Manuel Chaves was able to govern alone again, after 10 years of minority government, having relied on the support of the Andalusian Party in the previous 8 years. Teófila Martínez, who had been PP candidate for President of the Regional Government of Andalusia in the previous two elections (1996 and 2000), was replaced by Javier Arenas as head of the Andalusian People's Party (PP). Arenas had been PP candidate in the 1994 and 1996 elections, but left the PP regional leadership in order to become Spain's Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the Aznar cabinet and, later, Secretary-General of the People's Party.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Background
Concurrently in 2004, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero from PSOE was elected as Spain's new prime minister, after unexpectedly winning the 2004 general election. This meant that, for the first time since 1996, both the regional and national governments were ruled by the same party.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Opinion polls
The table below lists voting intention estimates in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font. 55 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Andalusia.


2008 Andalusian regional election, Aftermath, 2009 investiture
On 7 April 2009, Manuel Chaves resigned as regional President in order to become Third Deputy Prime Minister in the Second Zapatero Government, being succeeded as acting officeholder by Vice President Gaspar Zarrías. On 22 April, José Antonio Griñán was elected as new President by the Parliament of Andalusia.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
The 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis was a diplomatic stand-off between the South American countries of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. It began with an incursion into Ecuadorian territory across the Putumayo River by the Colombian military on March 1, 2008, leading to the deaths of over twenty militants, including Raúl Reyes (nom-de-guerre of Luis Edgar Devia Silva) and sixteen other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). This incursion led to increased tension between Colombia and Ecuador and the movement of Venezuelan and Ecuadorian troops to their borders with Colombia.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
A military and diplomatic row intensified, ambassadors were recalled and arrests made worldwide following the seizure by the Colombians from the FARC camp of laptop computers that the Colombian military found to contain a large quantity of letters and documents pertaining to FARC activities and its relationship with the Ecuadorian and Venezuelan governments.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
The immediate crisis was ended at a Rio Group summit on March 7, 2008, with a public reconciliation between the three countries involved.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Background
In 2007, Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan President and Piedad Córdoba, a Colombian Senator, were acting as authorised mediators in the ongoing Humanitarian Exchange negotiations between the FARC and the government of Colombia. The Colombian President, Álvaro Uribe, had given Chávez permission to mediate, under the condition that all meetings with the FARC would take place in Venezuela and that Chávez would not contact members of the Colombian military directly, but instead go through the proper diplomatic channels.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Background
However, President Uribe of Colombia abruptly terminated the Venezuelan president's mediation efforts on November 22, 2007, after President Chávez personally contacted General Mario Montoya Uribe, the Commander of the Colombian National Army. In response to this, Chávez said that he was still willing to mediate but had withdrawn Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia and placed Colombian-Venezuelan relations "in a freezer". He also called Uribe a "liar and a cynic".


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Background
President Uribe of Colombia responded to this by saying that Colombia needed "mediation against terrorism, not [for Chávez] to legitimise terrorism," and that Chávez was not interested in bringing about peace in Colombia but instead, was engaged in an expansionist project in the region. From January to February 2008, FARC  released six hostages "as a gesture of goodwill" toward Chávez, who had brokered the deal, and Chávez sent Venezuelan helicopters with Red Cross logos into the Colombian jungle to pick up the freed hostages.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Incursion of the Colombian military into Ecuador
In the weeks before the incursion, that is, the second half of February 2008, it was revealed that the Colombian government, with assistance from the United States' FBI and DEA, had wiretapped several satellite phones that were used by FARC forces in Southern Colombia. According to an unnamed Colombian military source, an international call made by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to Raúl Reyes, using one of these satellite links, was intercepted on February 27. The source claimed that Chávez called Reyes to inform him of the release of three FARC hostages held captive for almost 7 years. The intercepted call was used to track Reyes to a location in Colombia, near the Ecuadorian border.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Incursion of the Colombian military into Ecuador
Colombian troop movements from Cali to the border area began on February 29. Colombian intelligence reports had indicated that Raúl Reyes was expected to stay near Angostura, Ecuador, on the night of February 29, 2008. On February 27 and into the next day, several members of the FARC 48th Front were captured by Colombian security forces near the Ecuadorian border, taking away some support from the main group. During a subsequent operation, the Colombian Air Force stormed Angostura, followed by a Colombian special forces group and members of the Colombian National Police.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Incursion of the Colombian military into Ecuador, Angostura raid
On March 1, 2008 at 00:25 local time (05:25 UTC), Colombia launched this military operation, 1.8 kilometers (1.1 mi) into Ecuador. According to Colombian authorities, the guerrillas responded militarily to this initial bombardment from a position in the vicinity of Santa Rosa de Yanamaru, on the Ecuadorian side of the border, killing a Colombian soldier, Carlos Hernández. A second bombardment was then carried out, resulting in the deaths of Raúl Reyes and at least 20 more FARC members. Two bodies, several documents and three laptops found in the guerrilla camp were returned to Colombia. This was the first time the Colombian military had killed a member of FARC's leadership council in combat. After this operation, the Colombian authorities increased its security measures nationwide, fearing FARC retaliation.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Incursion of the Colombian military into Ecuador, Aftermath
According to the Ecuadorian government, the attack happened 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) inside its own territory, lacked its permission and was a planned strike, intended to be followed by the incursion of Colombian troops by helicopter. It pointed out that the attack had left a total of more than 20 people dead in Ecuadorian territory, many of whom were found to be wearing underwear or sleeping clothes. The government of Ecuador concluded that the attack was a "massacre" and not the result of combat or "hot pursuit".


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Incursion of the Colombian military into Ecuador, Aftermath
Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa had reason to believe that the Colombian warplanes had penetrated 10 km into Ecuador's territory and struck the guerrilla camp while flying north, followed by troops in helicopters who had completed the killings. He claimed that some of the bodies had been found to be shot from behind.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Incursion of the Colombian military into Ecuador, Aftermath
The Ecuadorian authorities found three wounded women in the camp, including a Mexican student who was identified as Lucía Andrea Morett Álvarez. Lucía Morett claimed that she was visiting the guerrilla group as part of an academic investigation, refusing to answer other questions about the circumstances surrounding her presence there. Regarding the attack on the camp, she has stated: "I was asleep when we received a first aerial attack. Two or three hours later we were attacked again". Ecuador said that it was cooperating with Mexico to investigate whether any Mexicans had been killed during the raid. According to the director of the Ecuadorian military hospital which treated the three women, they had received some sort of medical attention from both the attacking Colombian forces and the Ecuadorian soldiers who later found them.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments
On Saturday, March 1, Álvaro Uribe said a few hours after the operation that "today we have taken another step against terrorism, which does not respect borders" and added that he took full responsibility for the operation. Colombia's violation of Ecuadorian sovereignty, however, led to increased tensions between Colombia and most other South American states.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Initial Ecuadorian response
President Uribe of Colombia spoke by telephone with his Ecuadorian counterpart, Rafael Correa, early on the morning of the raid, to inform him of the incident. In a press conference that evening, Correa denounced the attack as "aggression" against Ecuador, calling it a "massacre," and claiming that the rebels had been killed in their sleep using "advanced technology". He announced that he was summoning his ambassador in Colombia for consultations. On Sunday, March 2, Correa said that a diplomatic note would be sent in protest at the incursion, claiming that the action had been a violation of Ecuador's airspace. Ecuador formally recalled its ambassador from Colombia and expelled the Colombian ambassador from Quito.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Initial Venezuelan response
Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez called the attack "a cowardly murder" and reacted by closing his country's embassy in Colombia and moving troops to positions near to Venezuela's border with Colombia. On the television programme Aló Presidente, Chavez denounced President Uribe as "a liar" and "a lackey of North American Imperialism," claimed that Colombia was seeking to become "the Latin American equivalent of Israel," and compared Colombia's actions with Israeli Defense Forces strikes on Palestinian militants. The Colombian government announced that it would not mobilise any troops in response to Hugo Chávez's order to move 10 battalions towards the frontier and would not respond to the accusations made by Chávez on his weekly TV program.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Colombian justification
Colombian foreign minister Fernando Araújo Perdomo apologized to Ecuador for "the action that we were forced to take in the border zone". He added that Colombia had "never had the intention or disposition to be disrespectful of, or to violate the sovereignty or integrity of the sister republic of Ecuador". The Colombian foreign ministry affirmed, however, that Raúl Reyes had "directed, for many years, criminal operations in the southern part of our country, covertly, from Ecuadorian territory, without the approval of its government". Colombia said that it was ready "to compensate any Ecuadorian citizens that could have been affected".


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Colombian justification
The Colombian National Police also held a press conference, at which it revealed a series of documents taken from the guerillas, which allegedly implicated both Venezuela and Ecuador in FARC activities (see below).


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Colombian justification
FARC had kidnapped hundreds of people, and sought to exchange some 40 hostages for 500 guerilla members held in Colombian prisons. A FARC spokesmen announced that Raúl Reyes's death "should not affect the search for a humanitarian agreement on the exchange of kidnapped people." He added that "We encourage revolutionary firmness, not to forego any effort that supports a humanitarian exchange, and to continue in our intentions for peace and construction of an effective democracy, with social justice." Colombian officials replied that kidnapping does not encourage peace, and kidnapping democratically elected officials does not encourage democracy.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
On 3 March, a statement from Venezuela's foreign ministry announced the decision to expel Colombia's ambassador and all diplomatic staff at the Colombian embassy in Caracas. Authorities in Venezuela also restricted traffic at two major border crossings with Colombia, according to Isidoro Teres, president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for the Táchira State border town of Ureña. On the same day, Ecuador's Foreign Ministry issued a statement explaining its cutting off of diplomatic ties with Colombia.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
It said that President Uribe of Colombia had given misleading information while Ecuadorian forces were attempting to verify events on the border, and that the Colombian forces had been "trying to buy time" to return to Colombia after attacking the FARC camp. The Ecuadorian government stated it had intercepted communications showing this to be the case and that the Colombian forces knew they had entered Ecuador.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
The Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos responded by saying that the operation of Colombian troops could have been avoided had there been better cooperation from Quito. "If we had real collaboration from Ecuador in  pursuing these groups, these situations wouldn't occur, but we've never had it. They always have taken the position that they do not want to interfere in the Colombian conflict," said Santos.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
At a press conference on 4 March, President Uribe announced that Colombia intended to bring charges against the Venezuelan president at the International Criminal Court, for funding terrorism and genocide. Later that day, Venezuela's Minister for Land and Agriculture, Elías Jaua, told the state broadcaster VTV that Venezuela was closing its border with Colombia. On March 5, President Chávez of Venezuela called the Colombian raid a "war crime," and joined Ecuador's president Rafael Correa in demanding international condemnation of the cross-border attack.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
In a ten-hour emergency meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States on the afternoon March 4, Ecuador urged the OAS to condemn Colombia's violation of its territorial integrity. Colombia, in response, insisted that the hemispheric body should instead roundly condemn terrorism and its funding. Due to disagreements regarding its content, the Council was unable to produce a final declaration on the matter.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
It did, however, agree to reconvene on March 5 to continue the debate, to convene a meeting of consultation of the member states' foreign ministers on March 17, and to set up a commission to investigate the incident. The Ecuadorian government also appointed a Commission for Transparency and Truth to investigate the incident, which later produced a report providing new details about the attack, and alleging that strategic intelligence from the U.S. military base in Manta, Ecuador may have been used during the Angostura attack. The report also criticized the communication and institutional command structure of the Ecuadorian police and military as failing to keep civilian leaders sufficiently informed of intelligence and facts on the ground before the attack.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Diplomatic developments, Mutual accusations
In Brazil, on a five-nation tour to drum up support for his country's position, President Correa said Ecuador would re-establish diplomatic relations with Colombia only "in the very improbable circumstance" that that country offered an unrestricted apology, gave assurances that no similar incidents would take place in the future and retracted its allegations of ties between Quito and the FARC. He also emphasized that had any Ecuadorians died in the attack, "we would already be at war."


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian troop movements
Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez had already moved troops near to the border with Colombia, warning that a Colombian incursion into Venezuela would be a "cause for war". Chávez announced that he had put the Venezuelan military on high alert, pledging that Venezuela would "back Ecuador in whatever circumstance". Ecuador also ordered troops to its borders. The Colombian government announced that it would not mobilize any troops in response to Hugo Chávez's order to move 10 battalions towards their common border.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian troop movements
On 6 March, the OAS criticised, but did not go so far as to condemn, the Colombian incursion into Ecuador. The OAS resolution called on Secretary General José Miguel Insulza to form a commission to investigate the incident on both sides of the border, as well as to help resolve the diplomatic crisis. Later that day, President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, which was already in a territorial dispute with Colombia over San Andrés and Providencia, announced the breaking of diplomatic relations with Colombia. Meanwhile, Hugo Chávez threatened to nationalise Colombian assets in Venezuela, saying, "We're not interested in Colombian investments here."


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, FARC files
During the raid, the Colombian military recovered three laptops, two external hard disks, and three USB thumb drives. The material implicated governmental officials in Venezuela and Ecuador of supporting the FARC. The Colombian Administrative Department of Security (DAS) requested Interpol's technical support in order to decipher the seized FARC computers. Interpol accepted the request and sent several experts to Colombia. Interpol's report stated that it found no evidence that the Colombian Government had manipulated or tampered with the material but would not comment on the contents.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Rio Group summit
On 5 March, Colombian authorities reiterated their commitment to the maintenance of peace in the region, announcing that none of its troops would be deployed near its borders.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Rio Group summit
On 7 March, at a Rio Group summit held in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, the presidents of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Nicaragua publicly shook hands, in a show of goodwill. The handshakes, broadcast live throughout Latin America, appeared to be a signal that the period of military threats and diplomatic recriminations was over. After the summit, Ortega said he would re-establish diplomatic ties with Colombia.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Social response
On March 16, 2008, the Colombian artist Juanes organised a free concert on the border between Colombia and Venezuela as a response to the crisis. The event was called Peace without borders and had a message of peace and brotherhood between the three nations. The concert gathered thousands of people from both sides of the border. The concert featured the singers Miguel Bosé, Alejandro Sanz, Juan Luis Guerra, Juan Fernando Velasco, Ricardo Montaner, Carlos Vives, Shakira and Juanes himself.


2008 Andean diplomatic crisis, Social response
Over the next several months, a Track II dialogue initiative facilitated by the Carter Center (including personal involvement from President Carter) and the Organization of American States brought together civil society leaders to help mend relations, and lay the groundwork for rebuilding official diplomatic ties. Social organizations and international development assistance increased their investment in peacebuilding initiatives in the border region to complement the top-down dialogue with grassroots conflict resolution capacity building.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident
On 23 February 2008, Spirit of Kansas, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber of the United States Air Force, crashed on the runway moments after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The aircraft was destroyed, but both crew members successfully ejected. The accident marked the first operational loss of a B‑2 bomber, and as of 2021 it remains the only one. With an estimated loss of US$1.4 billion, it was also the most expensive aircraft crash in history.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Crash
On 23 February 2008, a B‑2 crashed on the runway shortly after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The crash of the Spirit of Kansas, 89-0127, which had been operated by the 393rd Bomb Squadron, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and which had logged 5,100 flight hours, was the first ever crash of a B‑2.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Crash
The two-officer crew attempted to control the bomber but were unable to do so, and as one of its wingtips made contact with the ground, they ejected and survived the crash. The aircraft was destroyed, a total loss estimated at US$1.4 billion.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Crash
According to the Air Force Times, which is a private-industry magazine, no munitions were on board. The Air Combat Command accident board report states that "classified material" had been loaded onto the bomber the morning the aircraft was returning to Whiteman Air Force Base "after a four-month deployment in support of Pacific Air Forces' continuous bomber presence."


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Crash
At Guam Naval Hospital, one pilot was evaluated and released, and the second was hospitalized. A B‑2 already in the air was called back to Andersen following the crash, where it and the other B‑2s were grounded until an initial investigation into the crash was complete. Six Boeing B‑52s of the 96th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, were deployed to replace the B‑2s.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Crash
The commander of the 509th Bomb Wing, Brig. Gen. Garrett Harencak, followed up on the incident by temporarily suspending flying operations for all 20 remaining B‑2s to review procedures. Harencak termed the suspension a "safety pause" and stated that the B‑2s would resume flying if called upon for immediate operations. The B‑2 fleet returned to flight status on 15 April 2008.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Investigation
The findings of the investigation stated that the B‑2 crashed after "heavy, lashing rains" caused moisture to enter skin-flush air-data sensors. The data from the sensors are used to calculate numerous factors including airspeed and altitude. Because three pressure transducers failed to function—attributable to condensation inside devices, not a maintenance error—the flight-control computers calculated inaccurate aircraft angle of attack and airspeed. Incorrect airspeed data on cockpit displays led to the aircraft rotating at 12 knots (22 km/h) slower than indicated.


2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident, Investigation
After the wheels lifted from the runway, which caused the flight control system to switch to different control laws, the erroneously sensed negative angle of attack caused the computers to inject a sudden, 1.6 g (16 m/s2), uncommanded 30-degree pitch-up maneuver. The combination of slow lift-off speed and the extreme angle of attack, with attendant drag, resulted in an unrecoverable stall, yaw, and descent. Both crew members successfully ejected from the aircraft soon after the left wing tip started to gouge the ground alongside the runway. The aircraft hit the ground, tumbled, and burned after its fuel ignited.


2008 Angola Cup
The 2008 Taça de Angola was the 27th edition of the Taça de Angola, the second most important and the top knock-out football club competition in Angola, following the Girabola. Santos Futebol Clube de Angola beat Recreativo do Libolo 1–0 in the final, to secure its 1st title.


2008 Angola Cup
The winner and the runner-up qualified to the CAF Confederation Cup.


2008 Angola Super Cup
The 2008 Supertaça de Angola (21st edition) was contested by Interclube, the 2007 Girabola champion and Primeiro de Maio, the 2007 Angola Cup winner. In the away match, Interclube beat Maio 1–0 to secure their 1st title as the 2nd leg home match ended in another win 2-1 win for Interclube.


2008 Angola Super Cup, Match details, Second Leg
Squad: Aspirina, Bebé, Bumba, Cadez Carlos, Dedas, Dione, Fabrício, Gildo, Joel, Kanu, Kito, Lucas, Mário, Mingo, Minguito, Nito, Nunas, Nuno, Pedro Henriques, Romeo, Romi, Traoré, Wetshi, Yano, Yuri Head Coach: Carlos Mozer


2008 Angolan legislative election
Legislative elections were held in Angola on 5 and 6 September 2008, as announced by President José Eduardo dos Santos on 27 December 2007. They were the first since the 1992 general elections, which had led to the outbreak of the second phase of the Angolan Civil War, which continued until 2002.


2008 Angolan legislative election
The results showed the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) winning 82% of the vote and 191 of 220 seats in the Parliament of Angola. The main opposition UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) won 10%. The international response was mixed, with the European Commission, the United States and the Southern African Development Community praising the elections as generally fair, while Human Rights Watch has questioned the legitimacy of this result. UNITA accepted the MPLA's victory.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Background
Voter registration was to take place in late 2006 and through 2007. It was originally meant to be held in 1997, but was postponed numerous times due to organizational and logistical problems. In early August 2007, one month before the end of the registration period, more than seven million voters had already registered for the election. Over eight million were registered by August 2008.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Parties and candidates
The names of the candidates and parties contesting the election were to be announced on July 22, 2008.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Parties and candidates
Of the 34 lists who filed to contest the election, the following ten parties and four coalitions were accepted: the ruling MPLA, the leading opposition parties UNITA, National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) and Social Renewal Party (PRS), as well as the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Party of the Alliance of Youth, Workers and Farmers of Angola (PAJOCA), Party for Democratic Support and Progress of Angola (PADEPA), the Democratic Party for Progress - Angolan National Alliance (PDP-ANA), the Front for Democracy (FpD) and four coalitions: the Democratic Angola – Coalition (AD), New Democracy Electoral Union (ND), the Electoral Political Platform (PPE) and the Angolan Fraternal Forum Coalition (FOFAC).


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Parties and candidates
The Angolan Democratic Party (PDA), the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Republican Party of Angola (PREA) were turned down, as were PSA, Angolan National Democratic Party, PACIA, UNDA, MPR/SN, PDUNA, PDPA - NTO BAKO and PSPA.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Parties and candidates
Dos Santos said that the election would "be exemplary to the world", while UNITA leader Isaias Samakuva said that it would not be followed by a crisis, as occurred in the aftermath of the 2007 Kenyan election and the 2008 Zimbabwean election.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
Campaigning began on August 5, 2008. The parties were each allowed five minutes on television and ten minutes on the radio per day for campaigning purposes. There were also programmes on television, each lasting an hour, that were devoted to discussing the government's accomplishments in a positive light; UNITA leader Isaias Samakuva described this as "shocking", while expressing confidence that the people would not believe these programmes. Prior to the start of the campaign period, MPLA posters and symbols were already plentiful in major cities.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
The MPLA emphasizes its work in rebuilding and developing the country following the end of the civil war in 2002, and the party was perceived as having a very strong institutional advantage. It was widely expected to win the election. UNITA concentrated its campaign in rural areas, while the remaining parties tended to conduct their small-scale campaigns, which were characterized by festive gatherings, in Luanda, the capital.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
The UNITA campaign stressed the party's claims that the MPLA government had made insufficient progress in rebuilding the country following the end of the civil war and had failed to alleviate poverty. UNITA alleged that the campaign occurred in "a climate of threats, intimidation and violence", that four of the party's supporters were killed, and that some parts of the country were effectively MPLA "fiefdoms" where campaigning by other parties was impossible.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
According to Radio Ecclesia, 13 people were arrested on August 11 for allegedly holding an unauthorized rally and causing traffic disruption while campaigning for UNITA in Rangel, near Luanda. On August 13, campaigning members of UNITA were attacked by over 100 MPLA supporters at Londuimbali in Huambo Province, according to UNITA official Alcides Sakala; he said that the MPLA supporters were armed with "machetes, stones and sticks". The clash was reportedly broken up by police firing into the air.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
Each party was planned to receive about one million dollars from the government for campaign purposes. Opposition parties said that they had not received any money by early August, and Front for Democracy leader Filomeno Vieira Lopes expressed concern that the money might not be distributed until after the election was held, as was the case for the 1992 election. The PDP-ANA complained that the amount was too small, describing it as a "laughable" sum. The PLD also said that the amount was insufficient.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
Furthermore, according to PLD President Analia Victoria Pereira, the MPLA had full access to the resources of the government and military to assist in its campaign. The parties eventually received the campaign money that was promised, although they protested that it came late due to procedural delays. Wary of such interference or disruption due to MPLA institutional influence, most of the parties chose to print materials for the election in South Africa rather than Angola.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Campaign, Campaigning
At a rally on August 22, dos Santos said that the election marked "a new era for democracy".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
The African Union was invited to send observers. The European Union also sent a team of 90 observers.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
In a report on August 13, Human Rights Watch—which sent missions to Luanda and four provinces—said that campaigning was not occurring in an atmosphere "free from intimidation or pressure", and it predicted that the election would not be free and fair if the process continued along the same course.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
The report stressed the need "to safeguard freedom of assembly and expression and access to the media by all stakeholders, and to establish an impartial national electoral body"; it also said that the government had not "provided adequate security to political parties" and was failing "to ensure political tolerance and full participation of citizens." Prime Minister Fernando Dias Dos Santos responded to the report on the same day with an assurance that the election would be "free, fair and transparent". MPLA spokesman Norberto dos Santos also replied to the report on August 14, saying that it was "offensive and has no basis of truth". He accused Human Rights Watch of interfering in the election and Angola's internal affairs.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
Dan Mozena, the United States Ambassador to Angola, said in an interview with Radio Ecclesia on August 28 that the US would send 40 observers for the election. He said that expectations for the election were high and spoke approvingly of the conduct of the electoral process up to that point; according to Mozena, the election had the "potential to be a model for the coming elections in Africa if all the actors continue to play their part".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
Human Rights Watch released another statement in early September, expressing doubt that the election would be fair. According to the statement, the MPLA benefited from "state funding and media coverage", while the other parties received their allotted campaign money late. The statement also said that Human Rights Watch had "documented ... intimidation of the opposition and media, interference in the electoral commission, and violent incidents against the opposition" in the period prior to the start of campaigning. Human Rights Watch's Africa director, Georgette Gagnon, accused the government of being "more concerned with keeping the MPLA's grip on power than with moving towards genuine political accountability by giving Angolans a real chance to choose their government."


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
The head of the EU mission called the polls "a disaster" early in the first day of voting, stating that of the three voting stations in Luanda they had visited, none had been prepared for voters, they lacked voting lists, and voting had not started yet at any of them. However, it appeared that the problems were concentrated in Luanda only. The EU observers later stated that bribes and intimidation were widespread.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) observation commission (80 observers were sent) considered the poll "credible, peaceful and transparent". Luisa Morgantini, the head of the EU observer mission, said at a press conference on September 8 that the organization of the election was poor, although she remarked positively on voters' behavior. She declined to say whether she thought the election was free and fair on the grounds that such a classification was vague.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Observers and assessments of the election
The Pan-African Parliament observer mission gave only half-hearted approval of the election, saying that voter education was inadequate and suggesting that the media was dominated by the MPLA. José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, gave an essentially positive assessment, describing the election as "a step towards the consolidation of a multiparty democracy, a fundamental element for peace, stability, and socio-economic development".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Election day
On election day, September 5, the necessary material and equipment for voting was unavailable at some polling stations, particularly in Luanda; registration lists were absent at some polling stations, and some polling stations failed to open or opened late. The first hours of voting were described as "chaotic". Criticizing the problems, UNITA leader Samakuva and PDP-ANA leader Sindiangani Mbimbi said that the election should be canceled and held over again.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Election day
According to Samakuva, some of his party's delegates had "received false credentials, or were given wrong addresses of non-existent polling stations", and he said that there was widespread confusion in Luanda; meanwhile, Mbimbi condemned the election as "political theatre". As a result of the problems, the electoral commission announced that 320 polling stations would open again on September 6; however, it also asserted that the election had proceeded properly at most polling stations. The election reportedly became more orderly and functional in Luanda later in the day on September 5, and most of the country reportedly avoided the problems that plagued the vote in Luanda.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Conduct, Election day
In an interview with a South African radio station on September 8, Samakuva alleged that some people were told and even forced to vote for the MPLA.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Results
With nearly half the vote counted on September 7, the MPLA held a strong lead with 81.65% with UNITA at 10.59%. Opposition parties strongly criticised the result and stated they were unlikely to accept the legality of the election. UNITA leader Samakuva said on September 7 that "the final result might not fully reflect the will" of the people, but also said that the election marked "an important step towards consolidation of our democracy".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Results
UNITA spokesman Adalberto da Costa initially said that the party would legally challenge the election before the Constitutional Court, arguing that the necessary conditions for the election were absent in Luanda. By September 8, about 80% of the results had been counted, and these continued to show the MPLA with over 80% of the vote. On the same day, the Electoral Commission said that the election would not be held over again, rejecting the opposition demands. Samakuva announced at a news conference on the night of September 8 that UNITA accepted the MPLA's election victory, and he urged the MPLA "to govern in the interest of all Angolans".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Results
Full provisional results, accounting for all normal votes (about 85% of the vote) were released on September 9, showing the MPLA with 81.76% of the vote, while UNITA won 10.36%. The 15% of the results not included in the total were votes from citizens who did not vote within their area of registration, as well as unclear votes.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Results
Final results were released by the National Electoral Commission on September 16, showing the MPLA with 81.64% of the vote (191 seats) and UNITA with 10.39% (16 seats), the PRS with 3.17% (eight seats), the ND with 1.20% (two seats), and the FNLA with 1.11% (three seats). Voter turnout was placed at 87.36% (7,213,281 votes), and 89.42% of the votes (6,450,407) were deemed valid. The MPLA won majorities in every province.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Results
Its best performance was in Cuanza Norte, where it won 94.64% of the vote; its worst performance was in Lunda Sul, where it won 50.54% against 41.74% for the PRS. UNITA's best performance was in Cabinda, where it received 31.37%. In Luanda, the most populous province (1,837,865 valid votes), the MPLA won 78.79% against 14.06% for UNITA.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
Following the results, UNITA's Permanent Committee held a two-day meeting to consider the outcome of the election and Samakuva's leadership. On September 19, 2008, the Permanent Committee said in a statement that it "salutes the performance and reaffirms its confidence" in Samakuva. According to the statement, only 20% of the party's poor performance was the result of UNITA's own failings; it placed the primary blame for its defeat on abuses by the MPLA.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
On September 26, the MPLA Political Bureau chose Paulo Kassoma to replace Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos as Prime Minister; it also chose Piedade to become the new President of the National Assembly. Speaking to the MPLA Political Bureau, President dos Santos said that the party's "victory is cause for great joy and celebration" and that the MPLA had a responsibility to "continue to consolidate peace and national reconciliation, rebuild infrastructure, and multiply efforts to fight hunger, poverty and regional imbalances".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
He stressed that the MPLA could only achieve those goals if the party and its parliamentary deputies practiced "humility, rigour, and discipline", and he urged the party to "not sleep under the shade of the conquest we got at the ballot box, nor get carried away by vanity and a superiority complex".


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
214 of the newly elected members of the National Assembly were sworn in on September 30; Piedade was elected as President of the National Assembly on the same occasion, receiving 211 votes in favor and three opposed.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
Meanwhile, João Lourenço was elected as First Vice-President of the National Assembly (213 votes in favor, none opposed, and one abstention), Joana Lina as Second Vice-President (207 votes in favor, four opposed, and three abstentions), Ernesto Mulato as Third Vice-President (210 votes in favor, one opposed, and three abstentions), and Benedito Muxiri as Fourth Vice-President (211 votes in favor, none opposed, and three abstentions). Four parliamentary secretaries were also elected.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
Dos Santos appointed Kassoma as Prime Minister on September 30, and he was sworn in on the same day. Speaking to the press, Kassoma said that he would place a priority on accelerating the process of national reconstruction.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
The EU observers criticized lack of transparency and strongly pro-MPLA media bias in their election report published on 11 December 2008.


2008 Angolan legislative election, Aftermath
In a 45-page report released on February 23, 2009 and titled "Democracy or Monopoly? Angola's Reluctant Return to Elections", Human Rights Watch criticized alleged flaws in the election, saying that the electoral commission did not act as an independent and impartial body in overseeing the election. Human Rights Watch urged that the electoral commission be reformed "to ensure credible and independent oversight of all future elections".


2008 Anjouan presidential election
A presidential election was held in Anjouan on 15 June and 29 June 2008 following the 2008 invasion of Anjouan to oust Mohamed Bacar as President of Anjouan. The election was won by Moussa Toybou, who defeated Mohamed Djaanfari in the second round.


2008 Anjouan presidential election
About 128,000 people were eligible to vote, and there were 240 polling stations. Five candidates were qualified to contest the election: Bacar Abdou (deputy for Mutsamudu), Bastoine Soulaimane (a judge and former president of the Anjouan Court of Appeal), Mohamed Djaanfari (former vice-president of the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros), Moussa Toybou (a former minister in Said Mohamed Djohar's government) and Soundi Abdoulatuf (a French military veteran). These candidates were approved by the Constitutional Court on May 20.


2008 Anjouan presidential election
Voting for the first round on 15 June, although scheduled to begin at 7am, was delayed by an hour in the main cities, Mutsamudu and Domoni, due to the late arrival of ballot papers or electoral officials. First round turnout was placed at 42.79%.


2008 Anjouan presidential election
Djaanfari (with 42.3%) and Toybou (with 42.5%) advanced to the second round on 29 June 2008, separated by only 88 votes. The other three candidates received between 5.8% and 4.6%.


2008 Anjouan presidential election
Toybou was considered a newcomer to politics. He said that he knew "the mechanisms to lift Anjouan out of under-development", and he supported allowing some of those who served under Bacar to remain in administrative roles due to their experience and the need for reconciliation. He also enjoyed the support of President of Comoros Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, while Djaanfari was better known to the local population due to his prior political work.


2008 Anjouan presidential election
Campaigning for the second round began on June 21. Toybou won the run-off with 52.37% to Djaanfari's 47.63%, with a turnout of 48.98%; the results had to be validated by the Constitutional Court within three days. Djaanfari contested the result. Turnout in the second round was reportedly higher than in the first one.


2008 Anjouan presidential election
The final official result, as confirmed by the Constitutional Court on 3 July 2008, was:


2008 Anjouan presidential election
Toybou was to be sworn in on 5 July 2008.


2008 Anugerah Bintang Popular
2008 Bintang Popular Berita Harian Awards (2008 Most Popular Artiste Berita Harian Awards) were held on April 12, 2009 on Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands as an appreciation for artist and most entertained artist in 2008. The show was broadcast live by TV3. The winner of Most Popular Artist, Nabil defeated Mawi that had won three times in row in previous awards.


2008 Anzac Test
The 2008 ANZAC test, also known as the Centenary Test as it commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first test match between the two countries, was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 9 May 2008. Commemorating the first trans-Tasman Test match, which was also played at Sydney on the same day in 1908, it was the 9th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997. This was the first test played at the SCG since Australia had defeated New Zealand 29-12 in 1986 and the first ever rugby league test played under lights at the ground.


2008 Anzac Test
For the game, the Kangaroos played in replica jumpers that were used until the first Green and Gold jumpers appeared in 1928. On this night the Kangaroos jumpers were Sky Blue and Maroon hoops depicting the states of New South Wales and Queensland. It was the first time the Kangaroos had worn their alternate test jumpers in a test match since their two test series against South Africa in 1963.


2008 Anzac Test
This was the 112th test between Australia and New Zealand since 1908.


2008 Anzac Test, Match summary
Prior to the match, a minutes silence was observed in memory of the Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century coach Jack Gibson who had died only an hour before the game. Gibson's death was announced during the television broadcast by Channel 9's Peter Sterling who had won three NSWRL premierships for Parramatta under Gibson in 1981, 1982 and 1983.