2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 10
Hoping to rebound from their overtime loss to the Titans, the Packers flew to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for a Week 10 NFC North rematch with the Minnesota Vikings. In the first quarter, Green Bay trailed early as Vikings QB Gus Frerotte completed a 3-yard TD pass to WR Sidney Rice. The Pack would respond with RB Ryan Grant getting a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, Minnesota answered with former Packer kicker Ryan Longwell getting a 54-yard field goal, along with back-to-back safeties. The first one came when QB Aaron Rodgers committed intentional grounding in his own endzone, while the second one came when Rodgers was sacked by Viking DE Jared Allen. Green Bay closed out the half with kicker Mason Crosby getting a 47-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 10
In the third quarter, Minnesota increased their lead as Frerotte completed a 47-yard TD pass to RB Chester Taylor. Afterwards, the Packers took the lead as safety Nick Collins returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown, along with CB–KR Will Blackmon returning a punt 65 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Crosby increased the Pack's lead with a 40-yard field goal. However, the Vikings got the lead as RB Adrian Peterson got a 29-yard TD run. Green Bay tried to make a comeback, but Crosby's 52-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 11
Trying to snap a two-game losing skid, the Packers went home for a Week 11 NFC North duel with their hated rival, the Chicago Bears. In the first quarter, the Pack drew first blood as QB Aaron Rodgers completed a 3-yard TD pass to WR Greg Jennings. In the second quarter, the Bears responded with kicker Robbie Gould getting a 35-yard field goal. The Packers answered with RB Ryan Grant getting a 4-yard TD run, along with kicker Mason Crosby getting a 53-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 11
In the third quarter, Green Bay continued its assault as Rodgers completed a 5-yard TD pass to TE Donald Lee. In the fourth quarter, the Pack ended its rout with Crosby making a 33-yard field goal, DE Jason Hunter returning a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown, and Crosby nailing a 45-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 12
Coming off their dominating divisional home win over the Bears, the Packers flew to the Louisiana Superdome for a Week 12 MNF duel with the New Orleans Saints. In the first quarter, Green Bay struck first when FB John Kuhn scored on a 1-yard TD run. The Saints responded with QB Drew Brees completing a 70-yard TD pass to WR Lance Moore. The Saints then took the lead when RB Pierre Thomas scored on a 4-yard TD run.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 12
In the second quarter, the Packers responded with QB Aaron Rodgers completing a 7-yard TD pass to WR Greg Jennings to tie the score. New Orleans respond yet again when Brees hooked up with Moore for the second time on a 14-yard TD pass. The Pack struck back and tied when Rodgers scored on a 10-yard TD run. The Saints would retake the lead prior to halftime when kicker Garrett Hartley made a 30-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 12
In the third quarter, New Orleans took over the game. Brees started the scoring with a completed a 16-yard TD pass to TE Billy Miller. Later, RB Deuce McAllister scored on a 3-yard TD run, and Brees finished the quarter's scoring by completing a 70-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston. In the fourth quarter, Green Bay tried to rally as Rodgers completed a 4-yard TD pass and a 2-point conversion pass to WR Ruvell Martin. However, the Saints pulled away when Thomas scored on a 31-yard TD run (with a failed 2-point conversion).


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 13
Hoping to rebound from their embarrassing MNF drubbing at the hands of the Saints, the Packers went home for a Week 13 battle with the Carolina Panthers. In the first quarter, Green Bay trailed early as Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams scored on a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Packers got on the board with kicker Mason Crosby converting a 32-yard field goal, but Carolina answered with QB Jake Delhomme scoring on a 1-yard TD run. Green Bay responded with QB Aaron Rodgers completing a 6-yard TD pass to WR Donald Driver, yet the Panthers closed out the half with Williams rushing for another 1-yard TD run.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 13
In the third quarter, the Packers tied the game with Crosby converting a 44-yard field goal, while Rodgers completed a 5-yard TD pass to TE Donald Lee (along with a successful 2-point conversion pass to WR Greg Jennings). In the fourth quarter, Green Bay took the lead as Rodgers hooked up with Jennings on 21-yard TD pass, yet Carolina replied with Williams scored on yet another 1-yard TD run. The Packers would regain the lead as Crosby nailed a 19-yard field goal, but the Panthers pulled away as Williams scored on his fourth 1-yard TD run.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 14
Hoping to snap a two-game skid, the Packers stayed at home for a Week 14 interconference duel with the Houston Texans. Green Bay trailed early in the first quarter as Texans QB Matt Schaub completed a 58-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kevin Walter. The Packers would respond in the second quarter as QB Aaron Rodgers completed a 20-yard TD pass to TE Donald Lee, yet Houston answered by having kicker Kris Brown close out the half with a 30-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 14
Green Bay's deficit increased in the third quarter as Brown gave the Texans a 41-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Packers took the lead as RB Ryan Grant got a 6-yard touchdown run. However, the Texans replied with Schaub completing an 11-yard touchdown pass and a 2-point conversion pass to wide receiver Andre Johnson. Green Bay would tie the game as Rodgers completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordy Nelson, yet Houston pulled away as Brown nailed a 40-yard field goal as time ran out.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 14
With the loss, the Packers fell to 5–8 on the season and 0–4 at home against teams from Houston.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 15
After losing three straight contests, the Packers looked to break their skid with a victory against the 4–9 Jacksonville Jaguars.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 15
Jacksonville started the scoring on their first drive when David Garrard connected with Dennis Northcutt for a 30-yard TD pass. The Packers settled with a kicker Mason Crosby connecting on a 22-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 15
In the second quarter, the Packers took the lead when Aaron Rodgers completed a 4-yard pass to Greg Jennings in the end zone for a TD. The Packers later increased their lead going into the half to 6 when Crosby converted on a 23-yard field goal.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 15
After a scoreless third quarter, the Jaguars regained the lead when running back Maurice Jones-Drew scored a TD on a 14-yard catch and run pass from Garrard. The Packers regained the lead when Crosby converted his third field goal of the day. Jones-Drew scored his second TD of the game on a 2-yard run to take the lead back for the Jaguars. After a failed two-point conversion, the Packers took over with less than 2 minutes on the clock. Aaron Rodgers slightly overthrew TE Donald Lee and his pass was intercepted by Jaguars Safety Reggie Nelson to seal the victory for Jacksonville.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 15
With the loss, the Packers fell to 5–9 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 16
After losing now four straight contests, the Packers looked to end their losing streak against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on MNF.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 16
After a scoreless 1st quarter, The Packers put the first points on the board in the 2nd quarter when Aaron Rodgers completed a 7-yard pass to Greg Jennings just inside the goal line for a touchdown. Later in the quarter, the Bears Robbie Gould successfully converted a 31-yard field goal to bring the Packers lead to 7–3. Towards the end of the half, the Packers scored again on a 17-yard screen pass from Rodgers to Ryan Grant to increase their lead to 14–3 going into the half.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 16
In the third quarter, the Bears scored their first touchdown of the day on a 3-yard pass from Kyle Orton to Greg Olsen to decrease the Packers lead to 14–10.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 16
In the fourth quarter, Mason Crosby made a 28-yard field goal to extend the Packers lead to 17–10, but later in the quarter the Bears tied the game on a 3-yard run for a touchdown by Matt Forte. With less than a minute left, Mason Crosby attempted a field goal to take the lead 20–17 for the Packers but the kick was blocked by the Bears.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 16
In overtime, the Bears won the coin toss and moved the ball down inside field goal range and Bears kicker Robbie Gould converted a 38-yard field goal for the 20–17 overtime win.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 17
After losing now five straight contests, the Packers looked to end the season with a win against the 0–15 Detroit Lions.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 17
In the first quarter, RB DeShawn Wynn put the first points of the day on the board with a 73-yard run for a touchdown. The Packers also scored later in the quarter on a 3-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to rookie TE Jermichael Finley for a touchdown.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 17
In the second quarter, the Lions put their first points on the board with a 9-yard pass from Dan Orlovsky to Calvin Johnson. At the end of the half, PR Will Blackmon fair caught the Lions punt at the Packers 41-yard line with no time remaining. Mason Crosby then attempted a 69-yard free kick but the ball fell just short of the cross bar.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 17
In the third quarter, the Lions tied the game with another touchdown pass from Dan Orlovsky to Calvin Johnson, this time for 14 yards.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 17
In the fourth quarter, the Packers regained the lead when Mason Crosby converted a 36-yard field goal. The Packers then went on the extend their lead to 10 points with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to FB John Kuhn. On the Lions next drive, they quickly responded with a touchdown score of their own by capping the drive with a 9-yard rush for a touchdown by RB Kevin Smith. On the first play of the Packers next drive, Rodgers connected with WR Donald Driver deep down the right sideline for a 71-yard touchdown pass.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Regular season, Week 17
With the win, the Packers finished the season with a 6–10 record. The Packers also ended the chances of the Lions winning a game in 2008, as they finished 0–16.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Awards and records, 2009 Pro Bowl selections
The Packers 2009 Pro Bowl selections were announced on December 16 at 3pm CST on a special NFL Total Access 2009 NFL Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Awards and records, 2008 All-Pro selections
The following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press 2008 All-Pro Team.


2008 Green Bay Packers season, Awards and records, Packers Hall of Fame inductees
In 2008, the following players were inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.


2008 Green National Convention
The 2008 Green National Convention took place on July 10–14, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois at the Palmer House Hilton and Symphony Center. This served as both the venue for the National Convention and the Annual Meeting of the Green Party of the United States.


2008 Green National Convention, Venues
The convention was headquartered at the historic Palmer House Hilton, while the nomination event itself  took place at the nearby Symphony Center on July 12.


2008 Green National Convention, Theme
The theme of the convention was, "Live Green, Vote Green".


2008 Green National Convention, Presidential nomination
The presidential nomination took place July 12 at Chicago's Symphony Center.


2008 Green National Convention, Presidential nomination, Candidates
Jesse Johnson of West Virginia, former Mountain Party candidate for US Senate and Governor of West Virginia


2008 Green National Convention, Presidential nomination, Candidates
Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, former Congresswoman from Georgia's 4th district(Campaign • )


2008 Green National Convention, Presidential nomination, Candidates
Kent Mesplay of California, California Delegate to the Green National Committee


2008 Green National Convention, Presidential nomination, Running mate
After McKinney's nomination, the convention delegates selected her stated choice of running mate, Rosa Clemente, for the vice-presidential nomination through a voice vote of delegates.


2008 Green Party (Czech Republic) leadership election
The Green Party (SZ) leadership election of 2008 was held on 9 September 2008. The incumbent leader Martin Bursík saw a competition from Dana Kuchtová. Bursík has won the election and defeated Kuchtová


2008 Green Party (Czech Republic) leadership election, Background
Green Party became parliamentary party following 2006 legislative election. The Party then entered coalition government with the Civic Democratic Party and Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party. Conflicts within the party started in 2008 with Dana Kuchtová and Olga Zubová becoming opposition to Burrsík. Bursík announced in July 2008 that leadership election will be held in September 2008. Kuchtová announced soon afterwards that she will run against Bursík.


2008 Green Party (Czech Republic) leadership election, Voting
There were 6 Candidates total. Bursík and Kuchtová were only major Candidates. 349 Delegates voted with Bursík receiving 226 votes of 349 and winning the Election.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election
The 2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election took place in September 2008 to select the first leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. It was won by Caroline Lucas who received 92.4% of the vote. At the same time, Adrian Ramsay was elected unopposed as the party's first deputy leader.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election
Prior to the leadership election, the Green Party had two spokespeople called principal speakers instead of leaders. Lucas had been the female principal speaker of the party from 2003–2006 and from 2007–2008.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Background
From the formation of the Green Party of England and Wales in 1990 until 2008, the party had elected spokespeople called principal speakers instead of leaders. From 1990 to 1992, the party had six principal speakers and from 1992 to 2008, the party had two principal speakers: one male and one female.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Background
In November 2007, the party held an internal referendum on whether they should replace the system of principal speakers with a single leader. The party's female speaker, Caroline Lucas, supported introducing a single leader, as did the party activists Tony Juniper and Jonathon Porritt. The party's male principal speaker, Derek Wall, opposed the change, as did Jenny Jones, one of the party's two members of the London Assembly. The other Assembly Member, Darren Johnson, ran the campaign in favour of moving to a leadership model.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Background
The referendum required two-thirds of members to vote in favour in order to be effective. 73% of party members voted in favour of the change. The new system would involve leaders serving for two year terms, for a maximum of five terms.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Campaign
Caroline Lucas, one of the party's principal speakers and a Member of the European Parliament, launched a campaign for the leadership on 14 July 2008. The other candidate for the leadership was the actor Ashley Gunstock.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Campaign
Only one candidate stood for the deputy leadership. Adrian Ramsay was the leader of the Green group on Norwich City Council. He was supported Lucas, and under party gender balance rules, he could only be elected to the post if a woman was elected to the leadership.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Campaign
Nominations for both the leadership and deputy leadership closed on 31 July 2008, after which ballot papers were distributed. In order to assist candidates with canvassing, the party's Standing Orders Committee decided to release the contact details of 7,000 members to the candidates. More than 100 party members signed a protest letter which questioned whether this publication was legal under the Data Protection Act. The issue became moot when all three candidates declined to request contact details.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Campaign
Hustings took place at the party's conference, and the results were announced on 5 September.


2008 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, Results
The turnout was 37.9% of a membership of 7,565. This was an increase from the 20% turnout for the 2007 election of principal speakers.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries
The Green Party of the United States held primaries in several states in 2008. Cynthia McKinney won most of the primaries and was formally nominated as the party's nominee during the 2008 Green National Convention.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Candidates
AZ, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, MD, ME, MI, MN, PA, NC, NE, NY, OR, RI, TN, WA, WI


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, February, Florida primary (February 1)
The Green Party held a mail-in primary in Florida on February 1.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, February, California primary (February 5)
The California primary took place on February 5. Ralph Nader won, despite not running for the nomination of the party.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, February, Massachusetts primary (February 5)
The Massachusetts primary took place on February 5. Six candidates appeared on the ballot. Ralph Nader won, despite not running for the nomination of the party.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, February, District of Columbia primary (February 12)
The District of Columbia primary took place on February 12.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, March, Minnesota caucuses (March 4)
The party also held a caucus and mail-in vote on March 4.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, March, Minnesota caucuses (March 4)
The delegates were assigned by a vote at the state convention on June 8.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, March, Wisconsin Presidential Preference Convention (March 29)
Wisconsin selected their delegates at the "Wisconsin Green Party Spring Gathering and Presidential Preference Convention" on March 29. While only McKinney and Mesplay were on the ballot, several other candidates received votes as write-ins.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, April, Ohio primary (March 4–April 4)
Ohio held a vote-by-mail primary from March 4 through April 4.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, April, Connecticut convention (April 26)
The Green Party of Connecticut assigned their delegates based upon a vote held at their annual meeting on April 26, 2008.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, May, Maryland primary (May 3)
Maryland held a primary where voters could either mail-in their ballots before April 30 or vote in-person at the Maryland Green Party Annual Assembly on May 3.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, May, Pennsylvania caucuses (April 13—May 10)
The Green Party of Pennsylvania's presidential caucuses were held April 13-May 10. These caucuses were party-sponsored rather than state-run.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, May, Montana convention (May 31)
Montana appointed their eight delegates at a state convention on May 31.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, May, New York state primary (May 31)
The New York Green Party ballots were publicly counted on May 31. The primary was a party-run mail-in primary.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, May, New York state primary (May 31)
This primary awarded 28 of New York's 40 delegates. New York City held a separate primary to award the remaining 12 delegates.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, June, Minnesota convention (June 8)
The Minnesota party previously held a caucus and mail-in vote on March 4. The delegates, however, were assigned by a vote at the state convention on June 8.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, June, New Mexico primary (June 8)
The New Mexico Green Party held its vote on June 8. A total of seventeen votes were cast, with 11 going to McKinney, 4 votes going to "none of the above", and 1 vote each going to Kat Swift, Kent Mesplay, and Jesse Johnson.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, June, New York City primary (June 8)
A second vote awarding New York's remaining 12 delegates was held on June 8 in New York City to appoint a remaining 12 of New York's delegates.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, June, Texas convention (June 14)
The selection of Texas' delegation took place on June 14 at the state Green convention, held at S.H.A.P.E. 's Harambee Center in Houston.


2008 Green Party presidential primaries, Results, June, Michigan convention (June 26–27)
The Michigan convention took place June 26–27 at the Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall, Michigan.


2008 Greenlandic Men's Football Championship
The 2008 Coca-Cola GM was the 38th edition of the Greenlandic Men's Football Championship. The final round was held in Qaqortoq from August 21 to 25. It was won by B-67 Nuuk for the sixth time in its history.


2008 Greenlandic local elections
The 2008 Greenlandic local elections saw the governing Siumut win the most votes and seats.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum
A non-binding referendum on Greenland's autonomy was held on 25 November 2008 to support or oppose the Greenland Self-Government Act. It was passed with 75% approval (63% in Nuuk) and a 72% turnout. The non-binding referendum was on expanded home rule in 30 areas, including police, courts, and the coast guard; gave Greenland a say in foreign policy; provided a more definite split of future oil revenue; and made the Greenlandic language the sole official language.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum
The referendum was announced by Prime Minister Hans Enoksen on 2 January 2008. Enoksen also announced the launch of an information and discussion campaign on the issue of self-government. This included town hall meetings throughout the country.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Background
Greenland became a Denmark–Norway colony in 1775 and was made a province of Denmark in 1953. In 1979, it was made an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, with a parliament and local control of health care, schools, and social services. In 1985, it withdrew from the then European Economic Community (now known as the European Union) to maintain control of fishing in its waters. There has been some movement towards independence, encouraged by Denmark but held back by Greenland's need for economic subsidies.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Background
A 2003 report from the Commission on Self-Governance outlined six possibilities for the future of Greenland. These were:


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Proposal and expansion of home rule
Although it was a non-binding referendum, the Danish parliament supported it and promised to honour its results. The expansion of home rule took effect on 21 June 2009, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of home rule, when the Act on Greenland Self-Government took affect.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Proposal and expansion of home rule
Greenland gained greater control of the police, coast guard, and courts. In addition, the Greenlandic language became the sole official language.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Proposal and expansion of home rule
Oil revenues will be divided differently, with the first 75 million Danish kroner (US$13.1 million) going to Greenland, and the remaining revenue split evenly with Denmark.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Proposal and expansion of home rule
Greenland's subsidies from Copenhagen will be phased out. The subsidy is currently 3.5 billion kroner ($588 million) per year,  which accounts for about one-third of the island's gross domestic product of 10.5 billion kroner and almost two-thirds of the total income of the home rule government of 6.1 billion kroner.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Proposal and expansion of home rule
Greenlanders are also recognized as a separate group of people under international law.


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Proposal and expansion of home rule
The changes were met with skepticism from some Danish politicians. Per Ørum Jørgensen, who helped negotiate the agreement, said that it may be "30–40 years" before Greenland is ready to take charge of itself. MP Søren Espersen from the Danish People's Party controversially claimed that Greenlanders had been "brainwashed with unprecedented propaganda" and that he believed "huge problems are waiting in the future".


2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum, Results
The referendum passed. The Greenlandic government was pursuing future independence, and the result was seen by some observers as a "major step" in that direction.


2008 Grenadian general election
General elections were held in Grenada on 8 July 2008. Out of a total of fifteen seats, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) won eleven seats and the governing New National Party (NNP) won four, bringing the NDC to power for the first time since 1995. The NNP was looking for a fourth consecutive term in power, which would have been a first in Grenadian history.


2008 Grenadian general election, Campaign
In its election manifesto, which it debuted on June 25, 2008, the NNP promised the creation of 4,000 jobs, along with 4% growth in the economy.


2008 Grenadian general election, Opinion polls
A poll conducted by the Caribbean Development Research Services from June 6 to June 9 showed the NNP with 36.4% support, the NDC with 32.3% support, the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) with 1.1% support, and the People's Labour Movement (PLM) with 0.8% support. The two later formed an electoral alliance, the Labour Platform.


2008 Grenadian general election, Results
In one notable outcome of the election, Deputy Prime Minister Gregory Bowen of the NNP was defeated in his constituency of St. George South East by Pastor Karl Hood of the NDC. Mitchell was re-elected from the constituency of St. George North West. Complete results are as follows:


2008 Grenadian general election, Reactions
The Organization of American States (OAS) observed the elections, and it described "the electoral process in Grenada during the General Elections as extremely positive, with relatively few areas that could be improved." All of the polling sites were observed, and voters were calm and well-behaved.


2008 Grenadian general election, Reactions
A political party in nearby Dominica, the People's Democratic Movement, attributed the victory to Mitchell's "arrogance, intolerance to criticism and lack of consultation with the people" during his time in office.


2008 Grenadian general election, Aftermath
NDC leader Tillman Thomas succeeded the NNP's Keith Mitchell as Prime Minister of Grenada on July 9. He was sworn in at the Grenada Trade Centre in Grand Anse, St. George's by Governor-General Daniel Williams. On this occasion, Thomas promised "openness and transparency" and said that he would practice "the politics of inclusion". For his part, Mitchell said that the people voted for change and congratulated Thomas. Thomas's cabinet, composed of 17 members, was sworn in at the National Stadium on July 13. In addition to being Prime Minister, Thomas took the portfolios of Legal Affairs, National Security, Information, and Public Administration. Two members of non-governmental organizations who were not affiliated with the NDC were included in the cabinet: Franca Bernadine as Minister of Education and Human Resources, and Jimmy Bristol as Attorney-General.


2008 Grote Prijs Jef Scherens
The 2008 Grote Prijs Jef Scherens was the 42nd edition of the Grote Prijs Jef Scherens cycle race and was held on 7 September 2008. The race started and finished in Leuven. The race was won by Wouter Mol.


2008 Guadiana Trophy
The 2008 Guadiana Trophy competition took place between 25–27 July 2008 and featured Benfica, Sporting Clube de Portugal, and Blackburn Rovers. Sporting won in the final match against rivals Benfica.


2008 Guam B-52 crash
The 2008 Guam B-52 crash was a fatal crash of a United States Air Force (USAF) B-52H Stratofortress on 21 July 2008. The aircraft, operating out of Andersen Air Force Base, crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a training flight approximately 30 nautical miles (56 km) northwest of Apra Harbor, Guam. The training flight was to include participation in a local municipal celebration of Liberation Day in Hagåtña. All six crew members aboard the aircraft were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.


2008 Guam B-52 crash
An investigation by the USAF determined that the crash was likely caused by an improper stabilizer trim setting. The investigation was unable to determine conclusively what had caused the horizontal stabilizer trim to be set improperly, but theorized that the most likely cause was an aircraft system malfunction.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Crash
On 21 July 2008, a United States Air Force (USAF) B-52H Stratofortress crashed into the Pacific Ocean approximately 30 nautical miles (56 km) northwest of Apra Harbor, Guam, after taking off from Andersen Air Force Base. The aircraft, named "Louisiana Fire" and with the mission call sign of "RAIDR 21", was about to participate in a flyover for the Liberation Day parade in Hagåtña. It crashed at 9:55 am (local time), 21 July, five minutes before they were scheduled to fly over the parade. Air traffic control radar images indicated that the aircraft appeared to be descending rapidly before disappearing from radar scopes at about 2,000 feet (610 m) of altitude.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Crash
On 23 July 2008, the USAF announced that there were no survivors, and that the rescue effort had turned to a recovery mission for four still-missing members of the crew of six.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Aircraft and crew
The bomber, assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, was, with its crew, on temporary duty at Andersen as part of a four-month rotation. The bomber's unit had replaced Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bombers which had been grounded following the loss of one of them on 23 February that year.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Aircraft and crew
The crew of RAIDR 21 were:  Major Christopher M. Cooper, aged 33 (aircraft commander), Major Brent D. Williams, aged 37 (radar navigator), Captain Michael K. Dodson, aged 31 (co-pilot), First Lieutenant Joshua D. Shepherd, aged 25 (navigator), First Lieutenant Robert D. Gerren, aged 32 (electronic warfare officer), and Colonel George Martin, aged 51. Martin, a flight surgeon, was the deputy commander of 36th Medical Group at Andersen. He was aboard in the Number 6 crew position to ride along for the Liberation Day "Fly Over".


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Aircraft and crew
The rest of the crew members were from the 20th Bomb Squadron or the 96th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. While bodies and remains were recovered from the area, Dodson's and Gerren's remains were not recovered. A memorial service for the crew was held at Arlington National Cemetery on 14 November 2008. A memorial monument was unveiled at Adelup Point on Guam in July 2009.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Recovery and investigation
The USAF worked with the United States Navy and USS John S. McCain to map and retrieve the aircraft's wreckage from the ocean floor. The wreckage did not include a flight data recorder because the aircraft was not equipped with one.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Recovery and investigation
The accident investigation board concluded that the horizontal stabilizer was set at a down angle during the training mission. The cause of the mishap was an improper stabilizer trim setting. Due to the lack of available evidence, no surviving crew members, no radio calls, no other witnesses and lack of a data recorder, the accident investigation board was unable to determine by clear and convincing evidence why the stabilizer trim was mispositioned.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Recovery and investigation
The investigation board felt that the most likely cause of this runaway stabilizer trim was a system malfunction that would have led the stabilizer trim to improperly run in a nose-down direction. The improper trim setting occurred somewhere between 14,000 and 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and caused a rapid and uncontrollable descent the experienced crew could not overcome. Based on the descent profile of the mishap aircraft, there was only 34 seconds from the presumed start of the mishap sequence until impact.


2008 Guam B-52 crash, Recovery and investigation
The board president, Brigadier General Mark Barrett explained that two factors led to the crash. The first was the "combination of low altitude with a descending left turn of the aircraft". The second was "the late recognition of the serious nature of the situation by the crew". He added, "any experienced air crew could have found it difficult to recognize, assess and recover from the rapidly developing situation involving the stabilizer trim setting." The USAF also conducted a separate safety investigation into the mishap but did not publicly release its findings.


2008 Guam Democratic territorial convention
The 2008 Guam Democratic territorial convention took place on May 3, 2008. Senator Barack Obama won by 7 votes, a margin of less than 0.2%. This resulted in each candidate getting 2 pledged delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Guam Democrats also sent five unpledged superdelegates to the convention.


2008 Guam Republican presidential caucuses
The 2008 Guam Republican presidential caucuses, also called the Guam state convention, took place on March 8, 2008. The approximately 500 people who attended the convention chose six delegates to represent Guam at the 2008 Republican National Convention. John McCain won all six of the delegates. Guam also sent three unpledged party delegates to the party convention, for a total delegation of nine.


2008 Guam Republican presidential caucuses
The caucuses had been tentatively scheduled for February 16 but later changed.


2008 Guam general election
General elections were held in Guam on 4 November 2008. Voters in Guam chose their non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, as well as members of the territorial legislature. The election coincided with the 2008 United States elections.


2008 Guam general election, United States President Straw Poll
According to tradition, Guam voiced its opinion on the 2008 US Presidential race, despite lacking electoral votes. Senator Obama received 20,119 votes (57.3%) to Senator McCain's 11,941 (34.0%), marking a change from the island's support of past Republican presidents, including Bush's two straw poll victories.


2008 Guam general election, United States House of Representatives
Incumbent Delegate Madeleine Bordallo (D) was running unopposed for re-election for Guam's lone At-large congressional seat. She was re-elected unopposed.


2008 Guam general election, Legislature of Guam
There are 26 candidates vying for the 15 seats in the Legislature of Guam. The Democratic Party gained full control of the legislature with 10 seats, while the Republican Party gaining only five seats.


2008 Guamanian legislative election
Legislative election also known as Senatorial election for the Legislature of Guam took place on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, coinciding with the 2008 United States general elections and the Guam general election. Democrats defeated three Republican incumbents: Mark Forbes, Frank Ishizaki and Jesse Lujan however one Democratic incumbent was defeated namely Vice-Speaker David Shimizu.


2008 Guamanian legislative election, Primary Election
The members are elected at-large with the first 15 winning candidates are elected as the new members of the legislature. As there were many candidates running, primaries were set on September 6, 2008 for both the Democratic and Republican parties. The first fifteen candidates who win the highest votes go on to the General election.


2008 Guamanian legislative election, General election results
Following the primaries, there were 26 candidates vying for the 15 seats in the Legislature of Guam. The members are elected at-large with the first 15 winning candidates are elected as the new members of the legislature. The Democratic Party gained full control of the legislature with 10 seats, while the Republican Party gaining only five seats.


2008 Guamanian legislative election, Freshman Senators
There will be 4 freshman Senators in the 30th Legislature. Four were elected on November 4, 2008.


2008 Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup
Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup of 2007–08 was the 30th staging of this two-leg competition between Hong Kong and Guangdong.


2008 Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup
The first leg was played in Hong Kong on 30 December 2007 and the second leg was played in Guangzhou on 6 January 2008.


2008 Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup
Hong Kong captured the trophy by winning an aggregate 4–0.


2008 Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup, Squads, Guangdong
Head of Delegation:Zhao Shaoming 招少鳴Secretary: Zheng Junhui 鄭俊輝Team Managers:Ke Guohong 柯國洪, Kong Maosheng 孔茂勝, Ning ZhiXiong 寧智雄Head Coach:Shen Xiangfu 沈祥福Assistant Coach:Ye Zhibin 葉志彬, 艾丁PhysioMai Zhiyuan 麥志垣Translator: Yang Lei 楊磊


2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions
A series of explosions caused by an industrial accident occurred on August 26, 2008 in Yizhou city in Guangxi province in southwest China.


2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions
The disaster occurred at a factory owned by Guangxi Guangwei Chemical Co. in the development zone of Yizhou city


2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions
According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, "the plant mainly produces polyvinyl acetate (PVA), which is used in adhesives, calcium carbide, and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), which is used in paints, adhesives and coatings."


2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions
The first explosion occurred at about 6 a.m. on August 26 at an organic compound workshop inside the plant; the cause is unknown. Other explosions continued until 1 p.m. Fire spread over an area of nearly 108,000 square feet (10,000m²). The explosions caused the leak of toxic substances, including ammonia, formaldehyde, acetylene, sulfurated hydrogen and carbon monoxide.


2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions
At least 20 people were killed and at least 60 were injured; six people remained missing following the explosions. Fearing further explosions and leaks, the government evacuated 11,500 residents.


2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions
Xinhua quoted the provincial toxic substances emergency center director as saying that the explosions causes no serious air or water pollution. The director also said that dams had been erected to prevent discharge of pollutants into the nearby Long River (Longjiang).


2008 Guangzhou International Women's Open
The 2008 Guangzhou International Women's Open (also known as the TOE Life Ceramics Guangzhou International Women's Open for sponsorship reasons) was a tennis tournament on outdoor hard courts. It was the 5th edition of the Guangzhou International Women's Open, and was part of the Tier III Series of the 2008 WTA Tour. It took place in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, from September 15 through September 21, 2008.


2008 Guangzhou International Women's Open, Champions, Doubles
Mariya Koryttseva /  Tatiana Poutchek defeated  Sun Tiantian /  Yan Zi, 6–3, 4–6, [10–8]


2008 Guangzhou International Women's Open – Doubles
Peng Shuai and Yan Zi were the defending champions. They were both present but did not compete together. Peng partnered with Yanina Wickmayer, but lost in the first round to Mariya Koryttseva and Tatiana Poutchek. Yan partnered with Sun Tiantian, but Mariya Koryttseva and Tatiana Poutchek defeated them 6–3, 4–6, [10–8] in the final.


2008 Guangzhou International Women's Open – Singles
Virginie Razzano was the defending champion, but chose not to participate that year.


2008 Guangzhou International Women's Open – Singles
Vera Zvonareva won the title, defeating Peng Shuai in the final 6–7(4–7), 6–0, 6–2.


2008 Guangzhou Pharmaceutical F.C. season
The 2008 season was Guangzhou FC's first season in the Chinese Super League. This article shows statistics of the club's players in the season, and also lists all matches that the club played in the 2008 season.


2008 Guangzhou Pharmaceutical F.C. season, First-team squad, Players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2008 Guangzhou Pharmaceutical F.C. season, Match results, Chinese Super League 2008
For table see Chinese Super League 2008 Final league table


2008 Guangzhou Pharmaceutical F.C. season, U19 Team, U19 League Table
P = Position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Match(es) drawn; L = Match(es) lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points;


2008 Guangzhou Pharmaceutical F.C. season, U19 Team, U19 Winners' Cup
The competition was held from 12 October to 22 October in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province.


2008 Guernsey general election
The 2008 Guernsey general election was held on 23 April 2008 to elect 45 members of the States of Guernsey. 18,576 voters or 40.58% of the eligible population of 45,772 turned out and cast a total of 89,239 votes; there were 10 blank papers, 35 spoilt papers and on average 4.8 votes were cast. Of the 28 standing deputies all but two (Brian de Jersey and Wendy Morgan), were re-elected to the house; this means that 19 of the Deputies-Elect are new to the chamber. Five of the 12 candidates who had stood unsuccessfully in 2004 were elected in 2008.


2008 Guernsey general election
The candidate who polled the most votes was first time candidate Matt Fallaize standing in the Vale, who received 2,322 and became the youngest member of the house at 26.


2008 Guernsey general election
On 1 May, Lyndon Trott was elected as Chief Minister of Guernsey by the newly elected deputies, with Bernard Flouquet as Deputy Chief Minister.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in Guinea-Bissau on 16 November 2008. The result was a victory for the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which won 67 out of the 100 seats in the National People's Assembly, while the Party for Social Renewal (PRS) won 28 seats.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
At a rally in Gabú on 17 July 2007, President João Bernardo Vieira said that the election would be held together with the next presidential elections in 2009 in order to save money, but the National People's Assembly did not agree to this. However, the head of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), El Hadj Malam Mané, said on 8 December 2007 that the election would be held between 23 October and 25 November 2008. On 5 December 2007, President Vieira met with 35 party leaders, and 33 of them agreed to the CNE's date range; two parties, the National Unity Party and the Party for Democracy, Development and Citizenship (PADEC), disagreed, wanting the election to be held in March or April 2008.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
In a speech before the National People's Assembly on 24 March 2008, Vieira sharply criticized Prime Minister Martinho Ndafa Kabi's government for not adequately preparing for the election, saying that "the government did not create the conditions to facilitate the holding of the legislative elections within the times required by the Constitution". He also noted that the Assembly's mandate would expire on 21 April 2008, four years after the previous elections, and that afterwards the Assembly's work have to be handled solely by its Standing Committee. On 25 March, after consultations with political party representatives, civil society, the CNE, and foreign diplomats, Vieira decided on 16 November 2008 as the date of the election.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
On 27 March, the Assembly voted to extend its mandate until November by a vote of 65–2. The extension was viewed by many as a challenge to Vieira, since he had said that the Assembly's work would be handled solely by its Standing Committee after 21 April, and it provoked significant opposition. The PAIGC opposed the extension, while the PRS and the United Social Democratic Party (PUSD) supported it.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
A group of 20 deputies who opposed the extension said on 15 April that the extension was a violation of the Constitution and that they would not participate in any parliamentary sessions after 21 April; meanwhile, the Council of State asked the Assembly to reverse the extension. However, the Assembly voted to uphold the extension on 16 April, with 68 deputies in favor, seven opposed, and seven abstaining.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
A meeting intended to assess the political situation was held on 18 April between Vieira, the government, the Assembly, and the Council of State. Subsequently, civil society organizations called for the resignation of Prime Minister Kabi, accusing him of making death threats against Fernando Gomis, a member of the Assembly, at this meeting. The organizations said that Kabi was unable to control his anger and as a result it was not appropriate for him to lead the government. Additionally, the organizations called on Vieira to not promulgate the extension of the parliamentary mandate, and they threatened to launch protests if Vieira did not dismiss Kabi's government and dissolve the Assembly.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
On 19 May Vieira said that he had enacted the law providing for the extension of the parliamentary mandate. While remarking that those opposed to the extension were correct, he said that it was nevertheless necessary to approve it for the sake of peace and stability.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
On 1 August the Supreme Court annulled the law extending the deputies' terms until the election. After consultations with the political class, civil society, and the Council of State, Vieira dissolved the National People's Assembly on 5 August, leaving only its Standing Committee in place. He also appointed Carlos Correia—who was previously Prime Minister under Vieira from 1991 to 1994 and from 1997 to 1998—as Prime Minister on the same day, replacing Kabi. A new government headed by Correia was appointed on 9 August.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
This government was dominated by Vieira loyalists and members of PAIGC, including PAIGC dissidents who were supporters of Vieira. The appointment of one of these PAIGC dissidents—Cipriano Cassamá—as Minister of the Interior was deemed especially significant, due to the Interior Ministry's responsibility for the election. The PRS was given five posts in the government, while the Republican Party for Independence and Development (PRID) and the United People's Alliance (APU) were each given a single post.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
Shortly after Correia's appointment, a coup plot allegedly led by the head of the navy, Rear Admiral Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, was said to have been thwarted. According to an army spokesman, Na Tchuto asked other senior officers to support his plot, which was planned to occur on 7 August but when he asked the chief of staff of the army to join the plot, the latter ordered Na Tchuto's arrest. Na Tchuto was placed under house arrest, but he escaped and fled to The Gambia, where he was arrested by the Gambian authorities on 12 August .


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
On 11 August UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a statement saying that he was "deeply concerned over the mounting political and security tensions in Guinea-Bissau" and calling "on all national stakeholders to work cooperatively and peacefully together in the national interest and in full respect of the rule of law".


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
An African Union pre-election assessment mission, led by Anil Gayan of Mauritius, arrived in Bissau on 18 August; the mission was intended to determine whether the appropriate conditions for holding the election existed. Members of the mission met with Prime Minister Correia on 21 August, and Correia affirmed the government's intention to hold the election on schedule in November.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
By law, candidate lists had to be submitted at least 60 days before the election was held. As the available period entered its final week, Supreme Court President Maria do Ceu Silva Monteiro expressed concern on 10 September that none of the parties had submitted their lists to the National Electoral Commission or the Supreme Court, although 17 parties had stated their intention to participate in the elections. By the end of the week 21 parties and coalitions submitted candidate lists and were approved by the Supreme Court.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
Lists submitted by 12 other parties were rejected because they were submitted an hour too late. The approved lists included two coalitions, the Democratic Alliance and the Alliance of Patriotic Forces, as well as two new parties, PRID (led by former Prime Minister Aristides Gomes) and PADEC (led by former Prime Minister Francisco Fadul).


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
A European Union pre-election evaluation mission was sent to Guinea-Bissau, and on 18 September Prime Minister Correia held discussions with the mission about electoral preparations. The mission was led by Harro Adt, the Special Envoy of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the Mano River Basin, who expressed optimism regarding Guinea-Bissau's political situation.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
After the National Election Registration Commission published the lists of registered voters, some citizens who had registered complained that they were not included on the lists. There were reportedly many errors in the lists, and the Interior Ministry promised to rectify the situation so that the final lists published by the CNE would be accurate.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Election date
In late September, PRS Vice-President Ibrahima Sori Djalo alleged that President Vieira and Prime Minister Correia were planning to delay the election until 2009, possibly using an epidemic of cholera as a pretext. He also claimed that there were plans to rig the election in favor of PAIGC.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Finance
On 1 April speaking to representatives of international organizations and diplomats, Prime Minister Kabi called on the international community to assist in raising the 3.7 billion CFA francs required for the election's budget. He said that the Portuguese government had agreed to supply the necessary electoral material.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Finance
Three months later, Cristian Nabitan, the Secretary of State for Administrative Reform, announced the approval of a large shipment of electoral materials from Portugal, including ballots, ballot boxes, voting booths, and indelible ink, on July 1; he said that this shipment represented 75% of the materials Guinea-Bissau needed for the election and that another shipment would arrive in Bissau on the next day. The materials were valued at about 41 million CFA francs. The Portuguese government also said that it would send electoral observers if asked to do so.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Finance
The government and the United Nations Development Programme signed an electoral financing agreement on 10 July 2008, providing about $430,000 US dollars.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Census
An electoral census began on 3 July 2008, scheduled to end on 23 July. In the early part of the registration period, the number of citizens registering was reportedly low, although Minister of the Interior Certório Biote said on 9 July that the process was going well. PRS President Kumba Ialá returned to Bissau from Morocco on 7 July to register for the election. On this occasion, he predicted that the PRS would win the election with a majority of seats, and he called on every citizen "from 16 to 120 years old" to vote.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Background, Census
In a speech to the nation a few days before the scheduled end of registration, Vieira also urged all citizens of voting age to register, and he said that the period could be extended to enable more people to register. It was subsequently announced on 22 July that the registration period would be extended to 26 July due to financial and logistical difficulties.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Electoral system
The 102 members of the National People's Assembly were elected by proportional representation in 27 multi-member constituencies. At least 50% of voters were required to vote in a constituency to validate the results.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Campaign
The CNE published the final list of 575 candidates on 21 October. The electoral campaign period, scheduled to last 20 days, began a few days later. In an interview with the African Press Agency on 24 October, CNE President Mané urged the candidates to "refrain from any form of electoral corruption or acts that may threaten national security or social order and unity". He said that candidates could face disqualification and legal action if they failed to heed the warning.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Campaign
As part of its campaign, PAIGC said that it had a good relationship with President Vieira, and it used images of Vieira and PAIGC President Carlos Gomes Junior together a few months earlier, raising their arms in a celebratory gesture, to illustrate this point. Vieira was reportedly unhappy about this use of his image in PAIGC's campaign.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Campaign
Drug trafficking, which is a major problem in Guinea-Bissau, has been a key issue in the election campaign, as parties have accused each other of involvement in the drug trade and taking money from cartels in order to finance their campaigns. According to observers, the state's ability to crack down on the drug trade is very limited, and some have described Guinea-Bissau as a narco-state. Gomes Junior said at a PAIGC rally on 29 October that "only blind people cannot see that certain parties are financed with drug money".


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Campaign
PRID President Aristides Gomes pointed to a seizure of cocaine made in September 2006, during his tenure as Prime Minister, in order to bolster his party's image with respect to the drug trade; that cocaine seizure was marred, however, by the subsequent disappearance of the cocaine. PRS President Kumba Yala accused Vieira of trafficking drugs, describing him as the foremost drug trafficker in Guinea-Bissau. Vieira did not reply to Yala's claim.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Campaign
On 15 November Johan van Hecke, the head of the European Union's observer mission, praised the CNE for its "remarkable work" and expressed his view that the country was "ready for the elections". He was, however, critical of the government's unwillingness to let the CNE have financial independence, and he also stated that it was "not exactly clear" whether appeals regarding the election's results should go to the CNE or the Supreme Court.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Conduct
On election day polling stations opened at 7:00 in the morning and were scheduled to close at 5:00 in the afternoon. Van Hecke estimated turnout to be around 70 to 80%, and there were no incidents reported, raising hopes of a stabilisation of the situation. At a meeting with electoral observers on 17 November, UN special envoy Shola Omoregie described the election as a "milestone for Guinea Bissau" and a "victory for democracy". He also remarked that the election was "conducted on the whole in a transparent and orderly manner without any political or military interference".


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Results
Provisional results released by the CNE on 21 November showed PAIGC winning 67 out of 100 seats, while the PRS won 28, PRID won three, the National Democratic Party won one, and the Democratic Alliance won one. The CNE placed turnout at 82%. Yala, the PRS President, disputed these results and alleged fraud. Final results were announced on 26 November; the number of seats for each party in the final results was identical to the numbers in the provisional results.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
Rebellious soldiers attacked President Vieira's home in the early hours of 23 November. The soldiers fired artillery at the house and were able to enter it during a three-hour battle with Vieira's guards, but they were repelled without ever reaching Vieira, who was in the house at the time but was unharmed. Two of Vieira's guards were killed in the attack. Vieira held a press conference later in the day, in which he said that the attack had "a single objective — to physically liquidate me", while also asserting that "the situation is under control".


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern and urged the rebellious soldiers to "refrain from any measures that could further destabilize the country", while Shola Omoregie said that it was "unacceptable that after legitimate elections they could attack the president and try to kill him." PAIGC President Gomes Junior said that problems in the 21st century should not be settled through violence. The government alleged that Alexandre Tchama Yala was behind the attack, while also asserting that the Tchama Yala and some of the participants in the attack were linked to Bubo Na Tchuto, who was arrested in The Gambia in August but was later released.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
On 3 December Senegal said that it had arrested Alexandre Tchama Yala. The government of Guinea-Bissau stated on 6 December that he had been arrested in the Gambia and that Alfredo Malu, a former deputy Director of Intelligence who was thought to be an associate of PRS President Kumba Yala, had been arrested. The government also announced on 6 December that all public demonstrations were banned for the time being due to insecurity. Alfredu Malu was quickly released due to lack of evidence.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
At a meeting of the PAIGC Central Committee on 6 December, PAIGC Second Vice-President Raimundo Pereira was elected as the party's candidate for the post of President of the National People's Assembly, defeating Francisco Benante, who held the post during the previous parliamentary term, and Hélder Proença. Benante criticized the outcome, arguing that the voting method used by the Central Committee was illegal, while Proença vowed to stand as a candidate when the vote was held in the National People's Assembly, despite the party's decision.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
The Supreme Court rejected requests for the annulment of results in some constituencies on 17 December. Following the Supreme Court's decision,  Yala accepted PAIGC's victory at a press conference on 18 December saying that the PRS would act as a constructive opposition.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
On 22 December the newly elected deputies were sworn in and Raimundo Pereira was elected as President of the National People's Assembly. He received 60 votes, while Proença received 37. In accordance with the results of the election, Vieira appointed PAIGC President Carlos Gomes Junior as Prime Minister on 25 December. Gomes said on this occasion that his government would focus on "good governance and a reform of the justice system" and that he and Vieira would "put aside any personal differences" in order to work towards solving the country's problems.


2008 Guinea-Bissau legislative election, Aftermath
The government headed by Gomes was appointed on 7 January 2009, with 21 ministers and 10 secretaries of state; all of the government's 31 members were members of PAIGC. Only four members of the previous government under Correia were retained.


2008 Guinean coup d'état
The 2008 Guinean coup d'état was a Guinean military coup d'état that occurred in Guinea on 23 December 2008, shortly after the death of long-time President Lansana Conté. A junta called the National Council for Democracy and Development (French: Conseil National de la Démocratie et du Development, CNDD), headed by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, seized power and announced that it planned to rule the country for two years prior to a new presidential election. Camara did indeed step down after Alpha Condé was elected in the 2010 election.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Death of Conté
In the early hours of 23 December 2008, Aboubacar Somparé, the President of the National Assembly, announced on television that Conté had died at 6:45 pm local time the previous day "after a long illness." While Somparé did not name the particular illness, sources reported that Conté had chronic diabetes and leukemia. According to the Constitution, the President of the National Assembly is to assume the Presidency in the event of a vacancy, and a new presidential election is to be held within 60 days.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Death of Conté
Somparé requested that the President of the Supreme Court, Lamine Sidimé, declare a vacancy in the Presidency and apply the Constitution. Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souaré and General Diarra Camara, the head of the army, stood alongside Somparé during his announcement. Declaring 40 days of national mourning for Conté, Souaré urged "calm and restraint". He told the army to secure the borders and maintain calm within the country "in homage to the memory of the illustrious late leader".


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Death of Conté
Government officials met at the People's Palace, seat of the National Assembly, in the early hours of 23 December. Prime Minister Souaré, Somparé, the President of the Supreme Court, and military leaders were present.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Death of Conté
Speaking to Radio France Internationale after Conté's death, opposition leader Jean-Marie Doré of the Union for the Progress of Guinea stressed that the institutions of state must "be able to work to prevent unnecessary disorder in Guinea which would add to the current difficult situation".


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
Six hours after Somparé announced Conté's death, a statement was read on state radio announcing a military coup d'état. This statement, read by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara on behalf of a group called the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD), said that "the government and the institutions of the Republic have been dissolved." The statement also announced the suspension of the constitution "as well as political and union activity."


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
According to Captain Camara, the coup was necessary due to Guinea's "deep despair" amidst rampant poverty and corruption, and he said that the existing institutions were "incapable of resolving the crises which have been confronting the country." Furthermore, Camara said that someone from the military would become President, while a civilian would be appointed as Prime Minister at the head of a new government that would be ethnically balanced. The National Council for Democracy and Development would, according to Camara, include 26 officers as well as six civilians.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
Reporting from Conakry at the time of the coup announcement, Alhassan Sillah of the BBC said that the situation in the city was "unusually quiet" and that he had not seen any soldiers. Later in the day, several tanks were seen in the city.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
Following Camara's announcement, Souaré said the government and state institutions were intact. According to Souaré, he did not know who was behind the coup attempt, but he said that he was "sure that they will see reason. They have not used force. There has been no threat against anybody." Somparé, meanwhile, called the coup attempt "a setback for our country" and expressed hope that it would not succeed. He argued that most soldiers were still loyal to the government.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
It was reported that soldiers at the Alfa Yaya Diallo military camp had chosen a lieutenant-colonel, Sékouba Konaté, as leader of the coup attempt, although some soldiers objected because they believed a higher-ranking officer should have been chosen. The chief of the armed forces, General Diarra Camara, said that the coup plotters represented only a minority of the army. In the afternoon of 23 December, amidst confusion about who was in control of the country, Gen. Camara asked that the soldiers "at least wait until after [Conté's] funeral", while also stating that he was not trying to prevent anyone's ambitions.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
On 23 December, both the office of the Prime Minister and the Little Palace, Conté's former residence, were reported to be under the control of the coup leaders. According to Somparé, the leaders of the coup held a meeting to choose an interim leader for the country late on 23 December; he said that Moussa Camara, Sékouba Konaté, and Toto Camara were considered candidates for the position. The composition of the CNDD was announced late on 23 December; it included 32 members, 26 of whom were officers and six of whom were civilians.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Announcement of coup d'état
In an interview with Guineenews on 23 December, opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo said that he believed the constitution should be respected, while also saying that he believed a new presidential election should be held together with the already planned parliamentary election on 31 May 2009.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
A statement was read over the radio on 24 December announcing that Captain Moussa Dadis Camara was the President of the CNDD. Later in the day, Camara and thousands of soldiers loyal to him paraded through the city, surrounded by large numbers of civilian supporters. According to Camara, he "came to see if the terrain is favorable to us", declaring that the large crowds indicated that the people were indeed supportive of the coup.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Also on 24 December, Camara said in a radio broadcast that the CNDD did not want to stay in power indefinitely and that it intended to lead the country for two years, promising "credible and transparent presidential elections by the end of December 2010". This contradicted an earlier statement promising an election within the constitutionally mandated period of 60 days.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
The CNDD declared an 8 pm to 6:30 am nationwide curfew, although it said that the curfew would not be implemented until 26 December to avoid interfering with the Christian celebration of Christmas. The extent of the CNDD's control remained unclear on 24 December; although Prime Minister Souaré had gone into hiding, he insisted that the government had not been toppled. Souaré described Camara as "an unknown captain [who] doesn't control the army" and argued again that most troops were loyal, while attributing the "disorder" to "one little group".


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Shortly after the CNDD ordered all members of the government and army officers to go to the Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp within 24 hours, with the threat of "a sweep of the entire national territory" if they did not. Prime Minister Souaré went to the camp and turned himself in on 25 December, together with all the members of his government except for two ministers who were, according to Souaré, on official missions abroad.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Camara met with Souaré and stressed that the CNDD was now in power, but he said that Souaré and his government could "go back to business". During the meeting, Souaré lamented the death of Conté and expressed his government's willingness to serve under the CNDD, pointing out that his government was composed of technocrats, not politicians. He also addressed Camara as "President".


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Speaking on the radio on 25 December, Camara said that he did not plan to run for President at the end of the two year transitional period. He also declared that the CNDD was not susceptible to bribes. According to Camara, people had "start[ed] to show up with bags of money to try to corrupt us. They've tried to give money to our wives and cars to our children." He warned that he would "personally go after anyone who tries to corrupt us". Camara also said that Conté's funeral on 26 December (several days late) would be "grandiose", and he expressed disapproval in describing the lack of proper care for Conté's body.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Conté's funeral was held on 26 December, with over 20,000 in attendance at the national stadium in Conakry. Leaders of neighboring countries were present for the funeral, although Camara was not. General Mamadouba Toto Camara of the CNDD said at the funeral that "we pray God to give us the courage to continue [Conté's] work of tolerance and peace for the welfare of Guinea". He was then taken to his hometown of Moussayah for burial.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Camara held a large "informational meeting" at the Alfa Yaya Diallo military base on 27 December; about 1,000 people representing various groups were present, including Somparé, the key opposition leaders Alpha Condé and Sidya Touré, and the trade union leader Rabiatou Serah Diallo. At the meeting, Camara discussed his plans to renegotiate mining contracts and fight corruption. He said that all gold mining had already been halted for the time being. Camara also told the opposition and union leaders that they could propose a Prime Minister.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Condé said on that occasion that the members of the CNDD junta were "patriots", and his party, the Rally of the Guinean People (RPG), subsequently expressed its willingness to participate in a government under the CNDD. Sidya Touré gave a positive assessment of the situation and said that "we will discuss the program and timetable for the transition and we will ensure that the military keep their promises."


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Although the CNDD's curfew was enforced on 26 December, the junta decided to lift the curfew beginning on 27 December in order to encourage "a climate of peace". At around the same time, AFP reported the retirement of 22 senior military officers who had reached retirement age. The retired officers included General Diarra Camara, the army's chief of staff, who opposed the coup. Two officers were appointed to key positions on 28 December: Captain Kelety Faro as Minister Secretary-General at the Presidency and General Mamadouba Toto Camara as Minister of Security and Civil Protection. Also, Sékouba Konaté was appointed as Minister of Defense.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
On 29 December, soldiers forcefully entered the compound of Mamadou Sylla—a wealthy businessman who had been an ally and close personal friend of Lansana Conté—and told Sylla to relinquish the keys to six SUV vehicles that they said were owned by the state. Sylla did so, but he complained that force was not necessary and said that the vehicles had been part of a contract between his company and the military.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
The CNDD appointed Kabine Komara, a banker working in Egypt at the African Export-Import Bank, as Prime Minister on 30 December 2008. In a television speech on 1 January 2009, Camara said that the coup had prevented Guinea from "tumbling into ethnic warfare". According to Camara, Somparé was not a legitimate constitutional successor because his mandate as President of the National Assembly had legally expired, and he said that if Somparé had taken office, there would have been "incalculable consequences".


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
About 20 soldiers searched the home of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo on 1 January, while holding Diallo and his family at gunpoint. According to Diallo, the search was based on suspicions that Diallo had weapons and mercenaries and was planning another coup, but he said that the soldiers did not take anything from his home. A junta delegation met with Diallo on 2 January and condemned the search, saying that "uncontrollable elements out to hurt the junta" were to blame and that Camara and the CNDD had nothing to do with it.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
On 5 January 2009, Camara stated that both legislative and presidential elections would be held by the end of 2009, a year earlier than originally announced.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Camara, acting on the recommendation of Prime Minister Komara, appointed a new government on 14 January 2009. The government was composed of soldiers and technocrats and did not include any political parties. The government included 27 ministers and two secretaries of state.


2008 Guinean coup d'état, Consolidation of CNDD authority
Colonel Aboubacar Sidiki Camara was sworn in as Permanent Secretary to the CNDD on 26 January 2009. Contrary to the wishes of CNDD President Camara, he was unwilling to postpone his swearing-in, and he also requested the release of officers who were closely associated with Conté. He was promptly arrested later on 26 January; CNDD member Biro Condé was also reportedly arrested at that time. CNDD President Camara said on 27 January that Aboubacar Sidiki Camara had been dismissed from his post as Permanent Secretary due to negligence. He was released from detention on 28 January.


2008 Guinean military unrest
Military unrest occurred in Guinea in late May 2008 as soldiers of the Military of Guinea demanded wage arrears. In the capital, Conakry, soldiers fired into the air, held the deputy chief of staff of the army prisoner, and engaged in looting. The government promised to pay the soldiers, and by the end of May the situation was reportedly calm.


2008 Guinean military unrest
On May 20, 2008, President Lansana Conté dismissed Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté and replaced him with Ahmed Tidiane Souaré. Soldiers who were dissatisfied over their failure to receive wage arrears that in some cases dated back to 1996 were unhappy with Kouyaté's dismissal, feeling that without Kouyaté they had no one to whom they could address their grievances.


2008 Guinean military unrest
The unrest began with gunfire at the Alfa Yaya Diallo barracks in Conakry early on May 26. During this unrest, the soldiers fired into the air and demanded payment of their wage arrears; General Mamadou Sampil, the deputy chief of staff of the army, was taken prisoner by the soldiers at the Alfa Yaya Diallo barracks when he went to talk to them. Eight people were reported injured and one was reported killed on May 26. Among the injured were Major Korka Diallo, the officer in charge of military finances, and two other officers; these three officers were flown to Morocco for medical treatment.


2008 Guinean military unrest
In response to the unrest, Souaré's government promised to pay the soldiers, and Minister of Defense Mamadou Bailo Diallo was dismissed by Conté. Speaking on television on May 27, Souaré called for calm, noting that the government had agreed to meet most of the soldiers' demands. He said that up to five million Guinean francs would be paid to each soldier to account for the wage arrears; additionally, he assured the soldiers that they would not face punishment and said that soldiers who had been arrested in connection with 2007 unrest would be freed.


2008 Guinean military unrest
Regarding the soldiers' demand that the price of rice be subsidized, he said that the government would try to improve the army's living conditions. Souaré also said that a commission, including both civilians and members of the military, had been set up at the beginning of the crisis to review the soldiers' demands. He said that "stability and social peace in the country depend mainly on order and discipline within our national armed forces".


2008 Guinean military unrest
Despite Souaré's assurances, violence escalated on May 28, with soldiers engaging in looting in Conakry and continuing to fire into the air; at least 20 injuries were reported. Late on May 28 they entered the airport in Conakry, firing into the air and forcing a recently arrived cargo plane to depart without unloading its cargo; the soldiers deemed this cargo plane to be suspicious. Due to the disruption, the airport was closed and incoming flights were diverted; among these was an Air France flight carrying the Guinea national football team. Instead, the flight landed in Dakar.


2008 Guinean military unrest
On May 29, it was reported that the soldiers had increased their demands to include the dismissal of all officers above the rank of colonel; on the same day, during an exchange of gunfire between presidential guards and mutinous soldiers at the November 8 Bridge, two presidential guards were reportedly injured. The home of dismissed Defense Minister Mamadou Bailo Diallo in Dubreka, near Conakry, was reportedly destroyed; also, the home of Mougne Donzo, the Commander of the Presidential Security Battalion, in Koloma District was reportedly ransacked.


2008 Guinean military unrest
Early on May 30, supporters of Conté held a demonstration at the Palace of the People in Conakry, condemning the unrest. The soldiers began receiving their back pay on May 30, as initial payments of one million Guinean francs were distributed; subsequently, Conakry was reported calm, but on May 30 most markets, shops, offices, and gas stations remained closed. On the same day, Conté met with the mutinous soldiers at the Samory Touré camp.


2008 Guinean military unrest
The National Council of Guinean Civil Society Organizations (CNOSCG) condemned violence against civilians and called for an unconditional end to gunfire in a statement on May 31. Life in Conakry returned to normal by June 1, as gas stations reopened, black market gas prices fell substantially, transport fares were brought down to the normal level, and the normal flow of traffic in the city resumed. Calm was also reported in Kindia and Nzérékoré.


2008 Guinean military unrest
Conté again met with leaders of the mutinous soldiers on June 1 at the Samory Touré camp; he reportedly asked them to return to their barracks while he considered their demands. They reportedly dropped their demand that the highest-ranking officers be dismissed, which was their most radical demand.


2008 Guinean military unrest
On June 16, police officers began a strike to demand payment of their own wage arrears; they also wanted higher pay and a larger subsidy for rice, and to press their demands, they fired into the air and took some senior officers hostage, although the hostages were quickly released. It was suggested by some that the police, having witnessed the soldiers' successful pursuit of their wage arrears, were thus encouraged to take a similar course.


2008 Guinean military unrest
Soldiers from the Alpha Yaya Diallo base responded to the police strike by attacking the Anti- Riot Squad (CMIS) police base in Conakry early on June 17, ransacking and looting it. In gunfire exchanged between soldiers and the police on this occasion, two police officers and one civilian were reportedly killed.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400
The 2008 Gulf Air Desert 400 was the twelfth round of the 2008 V8 Supercar season. It was held on the weekend of the 6 to 8 November at the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 1
Race 1 was held on Friday 7 November 2008. Whincup leapt away while a fierce dice erupted between Lowndes, Todd Kelly and Tander. A forceful move on the second lap saw Kelly muscle his way past Lowndes and Tander. Steven Johnson slipped into third behind Kelly as Tander and Lowndes were slow away from the hairpin. Further back in the pack a tangle saw Michael Patrizi and Mark Skaife spun backwards, also tangling with Michael Caruso, Jason Richards and Andrew Thompson, bringing out the safety car. Skaife, Richards and Patrizi had too much damage to continue.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 1
At the restart Steven Johnson clawed into second briefly before dropping back behind Kelly again. Lowndes took third from Johnson. Lap 9 saw Whincup, Kelly, James Courtney and Russell Ingall to put of the front runners. The following lap saw Lowndes, Tander, Will Davison and Mark Winterbottom. A slow stop and exit saw Lowndes leap frog Kelly into second place. Tander moved into fourth ahead of Courtney while Davison pulled over at pit exit, overcome by fumes. Fabian Coulthard spun into the turn 4 sand trap after contact from Jason Bright, for which Bright later was given a drive-through penalty. The resultant safety car triggered Johnson's pit stop from the lead with Rick Kelly and Steven Richards also stopping.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 1
At the restart Whincup, Lowndes and Todd Kelly leapt away while further back in the field on the second lap contact between Tander and Winterbottom saw Tander spun in front of the pack. Tander dropped to the tail of the field while Winterbottom was assigned a drive-through penalty. Coulthard stopped out on the track trying to limp a car home with a punctured front right tyre and Patrizi spun Jack Perkins around.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 1
Paul Morris briefly held fourth on pit stop strategy but soon lost places to Lee Holdsworth, Courtney and team-mate Ingall. Todd Kelly was controversially given a drive-through penalty, taking away his, and the team's, best result of the season, for over-taking the safety car at its second deployment.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 1
Team Vodafone continued on to claim a race 1-2, ahead of Holdsworth, Ingall, Courtney, Johnson, Shane van Gisbergen, Steven Richards, Rick Kelly and Greg Murphy.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 2
Race 2 was held on Saturday 8 November 2008. Whincup leap away with Ingall in pursuit ahead of battling pair Courtney and Lowndes with Johnson. Holdsworth overtook Van Gisbergen for sixth.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 2
Paul Dumbrell spun on the second lap after contact with Michael Caruso. Local Bahraini guest driver Fahad Al Musalem stopped with a broken gearbox in the Team Kiwi Ford. Andrew Thompson spun and stopped at turn 1 after the right rear tyre delaminated, triggering a safety car.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 2
At the restart Whincup led from Ingall, Lowndes, Courtney, Holdsworth, Richards, Johnson and Winterbottom. Richards pounced on Holdsworth at turn 1 while further Todd Kelly picked off a few cars including Garth Tander. Van Gisbergen was smoking at the front left corner tyre rubbing after contact Van Gisbergen lost control, hitting Jack Perkins and spinning Rick Kelly. Van Gisbergen later received a drive-through penalty.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 2
A fierce dice between Courtney and Winterbottom saw the Ford Performance Racing driver move into fourth place on lap 23, the following lap Steven Richards got Courtney as well, with Holdsworth and Todd Kelly closing behind. The dice between those three became hard fought with Courtney suffering for tyre grip but still plenty of power with Will Davison joining the fight by lap 26.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 2
Whincup raced on to win from Ingall, Lowndes, Winterbottom, Richards, Todd Kelly, Courtney, Johnson, Morris and Davison.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 3
Race 3 was held on Saturday 8 November 2008. Russell Ingall led from the start, fighting with Jamie Whincup for the lead with Lowndes and Winterbottom fighting for third.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 3
Third lap into the first corner and Steven Johnson ran into the back of Todd Kelly, spinning the Jack Daniels Commodore. Will Davison ran into his team-mate Johnson. Jason Bright and Mark Skaife made contact with Skaife then hitting his teammate Garth Tander. Skaife was out on the spot with Tander pitting for a new right rear tyre.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 3
At the restart Ingall again overtook Whincup. Whincup later retook the lead prior to the beginning of the compulsory pit stops.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 3
During the stops Craig Lowndes was able to get the better of Mark Winterbottom for what would become third position. Safety was called for Todd Kelly's expired Commodore, the car stopped on the circuit


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 3
Rick Kelly and Cameron McConville made contact and spun while the bunched field at the restart allowed James Courtney to pass Winterbottom, then move into third by taking advantage of a slow-out-of-the-corner Russell Ingall who had just lost second to Lowndes. On lap 25 Courtney pounced on Lowndes and brakes for second. Lap 28 saw Winterbottom take fourth from Ingall.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Race 3
Whincup pulled clear of Courtney who by race end had to defend from Lowndes. The result saw the first ever 1-2 finish for Team Vodafone. Fifth spot behind Winterbottom was enough for Russell Ingall to claim third for the round, the best Holden driver for the weekend.


2008 Gulf Air Desert 400, Support categories
The 2008 Desert 400 of the V8 Supercar Championship had three support categories.


2008 Gulf Club Champions Cup
The GCC Champions League (Arabic: دوري أبطال الخليج للأندية), is an annually organized football league tournament for club of the Arabian Peninsula.


2008 Gulf Club Champions Cup
The 2008 edition was the 24th time that it has been organised.


2008 Gulf Volleyball Clubs Champions Championship
In 2008 the Gulf Volleyball Clubs Champions Championship was won by the Al-Qadsia team.


2008 Gërdec explosions
At approximately noon local time on Saturday, 15 March 2008, at an ex-military ammunition depot in the village of Gërdec in the Vorë Municipality, Albania (14 kilometers from Tirana, the nation's capital), U.S and Albanian munitions experts were preparing to destroy stockpiles of obsolete ammunition. The methodical destruction of the old ammo was supposed to occur with a series of small, controlled explosions, but a chain of events led to the entire stockpile going up at once.


2008 Gërdec explosions
The main explosion, involving more than 400 tons of propellant in containers, destroyed hundreds of houses within a few kilometers from the depot and broke windows in cars on the Tirana-Durrës highway. A large fire caused a series of smaller but powerful explosions that continued until 2 a.m. on Sunday. The explosions could be heard as far away as the Macedonian capital of Skopje, 170 km (110 mi) away.


2008 Gërdec explosions
Thousands of artillery shells, most of them un-exploded, littered the area. The blast shattered all the windows of the terminal building at the country's only international airport, and all flights were suspended for some 40 minutes. Some 4,000 inhabitants of the zone were evacuated and offered shelter in state-owned resorts. The Government declared the zone a disaster area. According to subsequent investigations, a privately managed ammo dismantling process was ongoing in the area.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Possible causes
Possible causes include:human error during the work such as lighting a cigarette or damaging a fuse,improper storage of the ammunition,employment of untrained workers without the proper technical knowledge,violation of the technical security rules in the area where the destruction of ammunition took place,and sabotage.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Possible causes
Although existing technologies were employed and adapted for the operations at Gerdec, the techniques of ammunition disposal being used at the time were, and still are (in 2010), new technologies in this field. An error was made by engineers who designed the machinery the demilitarisation company and associates employed on the project. A fundamental design assumption made early in the design process rendered the basic machinery potentially lethal. Researchers and designers of the ammunition disposal kilns assumed the combustible compounds within the ammunition would burn away at 350 degrees Celsius.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Possible causes
Documents available from the US military state, and thermochemical and thermodynamic calculations verify, the combustible compounds within the ammunition being disposed of at Gerdec burn to give out a heat amounting to 4500 degrees Celsius. Such an energy would, without further sufficient and adequately designed machine components, lead to vaporization and explosion of the machines used to dispose of the ammunition dumps.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Possible causes, Conspiracy theory
Some proponents of conspiracy theories have argued that the explosions might have been an act of sabotage ahead of Albania's entry to NATO few weeks later. However, these claims have not been validated.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Contracts
The repacking/dismantling of ammunition at the dump was being carried out by an Albanian company that had been subcontracted by Southern Ammunition Company Inc. (SAC) of Loris, South Carolina, a U.S. company. SAC won the contract to destroy ammunition in Albania through industrial dismantling.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Contracts
SAC was contracted in 2006 by the Albanian Ministry of Defence for the deactivation of 100 million 7.62 mm bullets, 20 million 12.7 mm bullets, and 20 million 14.5 mm bullets. A second contract involved ammunition from 40 mm up to 152 mm.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Contracts
After signing the contract with the MoD, SAC subcontracted the work to Alb-Demil, an Albanian subcontractor.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Damage
Officially, Albanian authorities confirmed 26 deaths in the explosions. Officials report the number of injured people at over 300. According to figures published by the Prime Minister's Office, 2,306 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the explosions. Of these, 318 houses were destroyed completely, 200 buildings were seriously damaged, and 188 buildings were less seriously damaged.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Damage
There were 26 victims: Qemal Deliu, Kore Deliu, Liljana Deliu, Jetmir Deliu, Flavio Deliu (3 years old), Hysen Cani, Muhamet Hoxha, Besim Çanga, Roland Alla, Reshit Kruja, Mehmet Hazizi, Bukurie Cani, Arben Hasa, Zilie Kaca, Endri Dvorani, Shefki Cani, Zelije Leti, Ilirjan Malci, Shqipe Hasa, Azem Hamolli, Nafije Laçi, Zylfije Ahmeti, Erison Durda (10 years old), Rajmonda Durda, Jetmir Ballazhi, and Resmie Kranja.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Political consequences and investigation
On 17 March 2008, Mr. Fatmir Mediu, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Albania, resigned from his governmental position.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Political consequences and investigation
As part of an investigation by the Albanian General Prosecution Office, authorities issued arrest orders for Mihail Delijorgji (president of the Alb-Demil Company), Ylli Pinari (director of MEICO, a state-controlled enterprise managed by the Ministry of Defence and authorized under Albanian laws to deal with the export and import of military goods), and Dritan Minxholi (an executive director with Alb-Demil).


2008 Gërdec explosions, Political consequences and investigation
A special group of prosecutors and investigators from Tirana, along with experts from the Albanian Ministry of Interior, the Tirana State Police, EOD specialists, military engineers and military police were said to be studying the facts of the case and collecting witnesses declarations.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Political consequences and investigation
The investigation group was expected  to publish the names of the officials involved in the tragedy by the beginning of April 2008. The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) accepted a request from the Albanian General Prosecutors Office (GPO) to assist the investigation.


2008 Gërdec explosions, Political consequences and investigation
On September 12, 2008, Kosta Trebicka, a whistleblower of the case who had directly accused the son of then Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha of involvement in this case, died under mysterious circumstances on a rural road in southern Albania.


2008 H5N1 outbreak in West Bengal
The 2008 bird flu outbreak in West Bengal is an occurrence of avian influenza in West Bengal, India that began on January 16, 2008. The infection was caused by the H5N1 subtype of the Influenza A virus and occurred in at least thirteen districts, including Birbhum, Nadia, Murshidabad, Burdwan, Hooghly, Cooch Behar, Malda, Bankura, Purulia, Howrah, West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas  and South Dinajpur and several new inclusion are reported daily. A range of precautions has been instituted including a large cull of chickens, eggs, and poultry birds, the imposition of segregation zones, and a disinfection programme for the plant. The government had put a blanket ban on the movement of poultry birds from West Bengal.


2008 H5N1 outbreak in West Bengal, Causes
Immediate causes are not determined, but a high poultry density followed by a moist cold climate had led to the quick spread of the virus. With the highest population density in India, West Bengal had a high risk of the deadly virus spreading to humans. As per other accounts, bird flu had spread to half of the state due to delayed action, bad planning and mismanagement by Government of West Bengal. In many villages, people led by ruling party leaders resisted culling operations.. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had slammed the Communist Party of India (Marxist) government for not reporting the bird flu epidemic early on. Shortage of staff for culling operation is one of the other reasons.


2008 H5N1 outbreak in West Bengal, Spread
At least eleven districts of West Bengal, including Birbhum, Nadia, Murshidabad, Burdwan, Hooghly, Cooch Behar, Malda, Bankura, Purulia, Howrah, West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas and South Dinajpur were affected by bird flu.


2008 HJ
2008 HJ is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group.


2008 HJ
It was discovered by Lincoln Laboratory ETS, New Mexico. Observers M. Bezpalko, D. Torres, R. Kracke, G. Spitz, J. Kistler. Richard Miles using the Faulkes Telescope South at Siding Spring Observatory, Australia determined that the asteroid rotates rapidly. It measures only 12 m by 24 m and is very dense, having a mass of about 5,000 tonnes. If the asteroid were not dense, it is probable that the rapid rotation would cause the asteroid to disrupt and fly apart.


2008 HJ
At the time of discovery, 2008 HJ had the smallest known rotation period in the Solar System, completing one revolution every 42.7 seconds.


2008 HJ
It is listed on the Sentry Risk Table with a 1 in 17,000 chance of impacting Earth on May 2, 2081. An impact from this object would be comparable to the Chelyabinsk meteor.


2008 Haarlem Baseball Week
The 2008 Haarlem Baseball Week was an international baseball competition held at the Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, the Netherlands from July 4–13, 2008. It was the 24th edition of the tournament and featured teams from Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Japan, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles (including Aruba) and United States.


2008 Haarlem Baseball Week
In the end the team from the United States won for the thirteenth time the tournament.


2008 Haarlem Baseball Week, Group stage, Standings
Chinese Taipei is the official IBAF designation for the team representing the state officially referred to as the Republic of China, more commonly known as Taiwan. (See also political status of Taiwan for details.) The Netherlands Antilles (including Aruba) were represented by the Dutch Caribbean Team.


2008 Halifax municipal election
The Halifax Regional Municipality is governed by a mayor (elected at large) and a twenty-three person council, who are elected by geographic district; municipal elections occur every four years. HRM has established community councils where three or more councillors agree to form these councils to deal primarily with local development issues. Most community council decisions are subject to final approval by regional council. The incumbent Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality was Peter J. Kelly.


2008 Halifax municipal election
The Halifax Regional Council is responsible for all facets of municipal government, including the Halifax Regional Police, Halifax Public Libraries, Halifax Fire and Emergency, Halifax Regional Water Commission, parks and recreation, civic addressing, public works, waste management, and planning and development.