2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Berlitz takes legal action
According to a 2012 letter to The Japan Times from one of the union members involved in the strike, the company was motivated to sue by "a visit by a bilingual union leader accompanied by two members (I was one) to a corporate customer's office. The purpose of the visit was to explain the reason for the strike (I am sure they were not aware of it) and to assure them that the union was earnestly seeking an equitable resolution. The possibility of more corporate customers learning of the strike and perhaps cancelling contracts is what prompted Berlitz to swat the mosquito with a sledgehammer."


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Berlitz takes legal action
Takashi Araki, law professor at Tokyo University, and American lawyer Timothy Langley both regarded the litigation as unusual, as it is very uncommon for companies to sue striking workers.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
The first court hearing at Tokyo District Court on January 26, 2009 was an anticlimax. The lawyers for Berlitz Japan failed to submit legal documents saying why the strike was illegal, saying that it would take until March to translate documents. Ken Yoshida, one of the lawyers for the teachers, expressed surprise that a language school would offer such an excuse.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
Berlitz's lawyers gained more time to prepare evidence. The deadline was the end of March 2009. The lawyers submitted their documents 10 days late. The lawyers submitted 1000 forms used by the union to inform Berlitz that strikes would occur. They argued that because the union submitted them shortly before the lessons, the intent was to damage the company, and thus the strike was illegal. The company also claimed that Louis Carlet, then a NUGW union executive, had admitted to wanting to damage the company in a September 30, 2008, Zeit Gist column in The Japan Times.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
In addition, Berlitz Japan had failed to properly serve three of the defendants. The first hearing lasted only 20 minutes, and another court date was scheduled for April 20.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
Tadashi Hanami, professor at Sophia University, knew of no similar case. Professor Gerald  McAlinn of Keio Law School also said it was very unusual for a company to choose to sue workers on the grounds that the strike was illegal.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
Given this, Hideyuki Morito, professor of law at Sophia University, noted that this was going to be an important case.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
The April 20th second hearing in the case lasted minutes. One of the judges complained that he could not understand Berlitz's reason for claiming the strike was illegal. He told Berlitz's lawyers to provide a clear summary of their arguments before the next hearing.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court case
Union representatives Catherine Campell and Louis Carlet were frustrated at the continual delays.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Labor Commission case continues
On April 21, 2009, at the Tokyo Labor Commission, the union reported that Berlitz had made (and later retracted) threats to withhold performance-based raises from union members. It also said that since February 2009, lawyers took over from managers during collective bargaining sessions with the union. They claimed the Berlitz managers and lawyers had language difficulties and general communication problems. The previous session had been on March 13, 2009, and Berlitz rejected all demands.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court delays and ruling
After months of court hearings, in December 2009 the company and the union, following the recommendation of Judge Watanabe, the lead judge in the case, entered talks. Once-a-month, 30-minute negotiating sessions were held.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court delays and ruling
In 2010 the negotiations were dealing with several issues, including the amount of notice union members should give if they intend to strike. In October 2010 the negotiations broke down and the court case resumed in December 2010.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court delays and ruling
Hearings continued and Berlitz' suit against the union was dismissed by the Tokyo District Court on 27 February 2012. The 43-page ruling was entirely in the union's favor, with all of the strikes conducted being recognized as legal by the court. The court's ruling said: "There is no reason to deny the legitimacy of the strike in its entirety and the details of its parts — the objective, the procedures, and the form of the strike. Therefore there can be no compensation claim against the defendant, either the union or the individuals. And therefore it is the judgement of this court that all claims are rejected."


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo District Court delays and ruling
According to Yumiko Akutsu, one of the lawyers for the union, the win was "a complete victory — on not one point did we lose, not one single point." However, within a week of the ruling Berlitz had decided to appeal to the high court.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Berlitz fires teachers
In July 2010 Berlitz fired two of the teachers it was suing. One, in the Yokohama school, was a US Army reservist and was fired after being ordered to Afghanistan. He had been allowed to take leave for military service several times before.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Berlitz fires teachers
Former Begunto President Catherine Campbell was also fired. She had taken unpaid leave to recover from breast cancer. Berlitz had not enrolled her in the shakai hoken (Japanese national medical insurance) which would have provided her with two-thirds of her regular income while receiving treatment in Japan. She therefore had to live with her parents in Canada, and Berlitz fired her after she wanted to extend her unpaid leave until September 2010.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Conclusion of initial Labor Commission Case
The original labor commission case, lodged in 2008 continued until almost the end of 2012, before being withdrawn by the union as part of negotiations. The final hearing was held on December 11, 2012.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Tokyo High Court
After Berlitz Japan appealed their loss to the High Court, the court began overseeing reconciliation talks between the union and Berlitz. The first court date was on May 28, 2012. and the final hearing was held on December 27, 2012, where an agreement was struck between the company and the union.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Union and company agreement
Berlitz withdrew their High Court appeal, and agreed to pay a base-up raise to current union members plus a lump sum bonus to the union. In return the union agreed to new rules regarding industrial action. Under the new rules, the union must agree to notify the company of future industrial action three weeks in advance, during which time negotiations would continue. If strikes go ahead the union must notify the company 45 minutes in advance.


2007–2008 Berlitz Japan strike, Union and company agreement
New rules for collective bargaining were also established. They will again be conducted in English, after the language was changed to Japanese previously. Berlitz also promised to disclose more financial information to the union. The company also promised not to use warning letters issued during the strike against the union members in question, but it refused to remove them from the instructor's files.


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election
National Council elections were held in Bhutan for the first time on 31 December 2007, though they were originally scheduled for 26 December. The new National Council had 25 members, which 20 members were directly elected from 20 dzongkhags by 312,817 eligible voters, and five more were appointed by the Druk Gyalpo. Nominations had to be filed by 27 November 2007, and the campaigning for 15 of the 20 dzongkhags took place from 30 November until 31 December 2007.


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election
The elections were not held in five dzongkhags (Thimphu, Trashiyangtse, Gasa, Haa and Lhuntse) on 31 December 2007 since they either did not have any candidate or had only a single candidate till the last date for filing the nominations and the election rules state that there should be at least two candidates for each dzongkhag, otherwise the election would be postponed for that particular dzongkhag. The elections in these five dzongkhags were held on 29 January 2008.


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Election procedure
In contrast to the National Assembly's 47 party-based members, the National Council members were elected on a non-party basis and were meant to be eminent people from civil society. The two conditions laid down for the candidature for the National Council of Bhutan were non-affiliation to any political party and the minimum qualification of graduation from a university. The candidates for a particular dzongkhag were selected through the zomdus (meetings) convened in each gewog of that dzongkhag specifically for this purpose.


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Candidates
A total of 43 candidates contested in 15 dzongkhags in the elections were held on 31 December 2007. The highest number of candidates were in Samtse, Dagana, Mongar and Paro with four candidates each. Samdrup Jongkhar, Sarpang, Trongsa, Punakha and Trashigang had three candidates each. Chukha, Pemagatsel, Tsirang, Bumthang, Wangduephodrang and Zhemgang had two candidates each.


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Candidates
A total of 48 candidates filed their nominations for this election by 27 November 2007:


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Candidates
The candidature of Thinley Dorji from Chapcha gewog of Chukha dzongkhag was cancelled by the Election Commission of Bhutan because of his affiliation to a political party on 7 December 2007.


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Candidates
After an additional nomination period, the candidates for the five dzongkhags which had postponed their elections were as follows:


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Results
The 15 members of the National Council of Bhutan who were elected on 31 December 2007 were:


2007–2008 Bhutanese National Council election, Results
In the remaining five dzongkhags, the following candidates were elected:


2007–2008 CBS News writers strike
The 2007–2008 CBS News writers strike is a strike action by news writers working for the U.S.-based news broadcaster CBS News. The strike began on November 19, 2007. In addition to CBS News, CBS's locally owned and operated station news operations (including CBS Radio's news radio stations like WCBS, WBBM, KYW and KNX) have been without a contract with the network since April 2005.


2007–2008 CBS News writers strike
While most news writers are members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a labor union representing workers in the entertainment industry, CBS News and CBS-owned news station employees are represented by the Writers Guild of America. On November 19, 2007, employees voted to authorize strike action along with the rest of the guild. Democratic presidential candidates John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson said they would not cross picket lines for appearances on interview shows or a candidate debate.


2007–2008 CBS News writers strike
On January 9, 2008, the WGAE and CBS News struck a tentative deal. On January 24, the WGA announced that its members had voted to ratify the contract, which runs to April 1, 2010.


2007–2008 Colombian protests
The 2007–2008 Colombian protests was a series of nationwide rallies and massive peaceful uprisings in support of the government's crackdown on Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and deemed an end to the Colombian conflict. Anti -war demonstrations have dominated areas nationwide, such as Bogota and Pereira. The first wave of protests and revolts was in July 2007, when 1.5 millions demonstrators marched in public protests for a week after calls of protests against the Colombian conflict. The protests remained peaceful and is one of the largest protest movements in the History of Colombia. The second wave of public and peaceful, popular demonstrations was in February 2008 and October 2008 as protests against president George W. Bush of United States of America visiting Colombia. Two men were killed in October's protest movement and the February's protest movement remained peaceful and calm.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike
The 2007–2008 Cork players' strike was a dispute in Republic of Ireland between the Cork County Board and its Gaelic footballers and hurlers. It led to the footballers and hurlers refusing to play for the Cork County Board. The cause of the strike was the issue of deciding who should pick the senior teams' selectors. The players believed the manager should pick the selectors. However, the county board picked the selectors. With the appointment of Teddy Holland as manager, the players also refused to play under his tutorship since he accepted the job during their time of strike.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike
The strike drew comment from the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and was the first time in the history of the Gaelic Athletic Association that a strike caused inter county fixtures not to be played.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike
The strike was the second strike by Cork players in five years. It began on 10 December 2007 and ended on 18 February 2008 – 97 days after the first threat of strike action – and was declared over on 15 February 2008. However Holland was not fired until 18 February. Kieran Mulvey, chairman of the Labour Relations Commission, acted as arbitrator between the players and county board.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike
On 10 December, the players officially went on strike. The county board and the players held the first of a series of meetings to try resolve the strike ten days later. On 9 January, the hurlers confirmed they would not play in the Waterford Crystal Cup and the county was forced to give a walkover to Limerick IT.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike
Later in the month (23 January), Teddy Holland issued a press statement announcing he would not resign. More than 100 club delegates voted unanimously in support of Holland at a county board meeting held on 30 January. Three days earlier (27 January), in a bid to resolve their issues, the players and the county board had held 18 hours of talks, chaired by Kieran Mulvey, which ended in stalemate. Mulvey had been asked to chair the talks by Nickey Brennan, the President of the Gaelic Athletic Association.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike
In the week leading up to the National Football League game against Meath, the Cork county board were unable to guarantee a team would be available to play the game. Consequently, on 30 January the game was postponed. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, called on both sides to resolve the dispute on 5 February and further talks between Kieran Mulvey and Paraic Duffy, the Director General of the GAA, were held.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike
On 7 February the players refused a solution offered by the county board and it looked likely that Cork would be removed from both the National Hurling League and National Football League and be relegated for the following season. It was claimed that under GAA rules that if a team was unable to take part in two league games that they should be disqualified from the league. A second football match was to be played on 16 February while the second hurling game was due on 17 February.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike
On 8 February, the Cork players reacted negatively to what they thought was an attempt by the county board to split the footballers and hurlers when a press release claimed the players would accept Holland as manager. The following day Roy Keane compared the 2002 strike to the Saipan incident and warned about players becoming too powerful. A poll showed that 56 percent of fans supported the strike and 70 percent believed the actions of the board damaged Cork's chance of winning All-Ireland championships that year.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike
The Cork county board, on 12 February, voted 96–13 in favour of entering binding arbitration with the players in a bid to save the teams being disqualified from the leagues and Nickey Brennan called for the dispute to end, "however it is achieved." On 14 February, the players met with Mulvey and agreed to accept the arbitration in an attempt to end the strike, then in its 95th day.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike, Outcome of the arbitration
The outcome of arbitration on 15 February was as follows:


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike, Last days of the strike
Many newspapers declared the strike over on 15 February after the players accepted the outcome of the arbitration and also declared that Teddy Holland had resigned. However, the GAA confirmed that the Cork-versus-Dublin football and Cork-versus-Waterford hurling games that were due to take place were to be called off.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike, Last days of the strike
The county board called an emergency meeting to discuss the recommendations of the arbitration and especially the recommendation from Mulvey that Holland should resign. By 16 February, uncertainty had emerged over the status of the strike. While the county board and Holland met to discuss the issues, an expected vote by the county board to remove Holland was never called. Holland meanwhile issued a statement that didn't indicate if he had stepped down and stated that he was neutral saying: I am my own man and I am proud to be a Cork football man.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike, Last days of the strike
Holland said the claim that six people had refused the job before him was false and there was no threat of strike when he took the job. However, a statement in support of the strike had been issued by the Gaelic Players Association on 13 November 2007, a week before Holland took the job.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Events of the strike, Last days of the strike
On 17 February it was clear Holland had not resigned or been fired by the county board and that the strike continued. The county board issued a statement saying that they would meet on Monday 18 February to end the strike. The strike officially ended on 18 February – 97 days after the first threat of strike – when, as expected, the county board voted 89–19 to fire Teddy Holland and his selectors, who refused to step down.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Aftermath of the strike
The seven-man panel appointed to help find the next manager began its search as soon as Holland had been removed, and included players Nicholas Murphy and Derek Kavanagh. Conor Counihan was appointed Cork's new football manager with the right to name his own selectors. On 20 February, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín said that, had the strike carried on beyond 18 February, he and others would have resigned from inter-county hurling and football. Cork Under 21 footballer, Sean Cahalane, claimed that the Under 21 panel would not have played in place of the seniors if they had been asked by the county board.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Aftermath of the strike
On 19 February, the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) decided not to remove Cork from the football and hurling leagues, but instead awarded the points from the missed games to their opponents and fined the county board €400 for each game missed. Kilkenny county board offered to play their hurling match with Cork and the Cork county board requested CCCC approve the game. However the CCCC had already awarded Kilkenny the point and would not allow the game to take place. It emerged that Cork couldn't have been removed from the leagues as there was no such rule.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Aftermath of the strike
Cork went on to win their first football and hurling matches after the strike, beating Dublin's hurlers 2–16 to 3–18 and Roscommon's footballers 0–15 to 1–14 However, the decision to award the teams that Cork did not play victory points had a knock-on effect for other teams in both leagues. Roscommon and Wexford both lodged unsuccessful appeals against the decision. Wexford's case was taken to the Disputes Resolution Authority but was rejected.


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Aftermath of the strike, Hurling league controversy
When the National Hurling League 2008 ended, the Cork and Waterford hurling teams both finished on level points. The CCCC ruled that the teams had to play each other in a play-off and that scoring difference could not be used to separate the teams. (The play-off was to determine which team entered the semi-final and which entered the quarter final.)


2007–2008 Cork players' strike, Aftermath of the strike, Hurling league controversy
However, both Dublin and Wexford also finished on level points and, having both played Cork, the CCCC ruled the team's standings at the end of the league could be used and thus scoring difference would apply, thus relegating Wexford. This lead Wexford's chairman to accuse the GAA and the CCCC of "making the rules up as they go along".


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden
The 2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden was a military campaign by the Ethiopian Army against the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). The crackdown against the guerrillas began after they killed 74 people in an attack on a Chinese-run oil exploration field in April 2007.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden
The main military operations were centered on the towns of Degehabur, Kebri Dahar, Werder and Shilavo in Ogaden, which are in the Ethiopian Somali Region. The area is home to the Ogaden clan, seen as the bedrock of support of the ONLF.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), various human rights abuses were committed by the Ethiopian military.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Background, Insurgency
Ethiopia's eastern Somali Region, whose major part constitutes the Ogaden, is the site of a long-running, low-intensity armed conflict between the Ethiopian Government and the ONLF. Formed in 1984, many of the ONLF's members had supported Somalia in the Ogaden War with Ethiopia over the region in the 1970s. The group's aims have varied over time from independence to joining a "greater Somalia" or obtaining greater autonomy within Ethiopia.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Background, April–May 2007 ONLF attacks
ONLF: Ogaden National Liberation FrontTPLF: Tigrayan People's Liberation FrontUN:  United Nations HRW: Human Rights WatchICRC: International Committee of the Red CrossOCHA: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsUIC: Union of Islamic Courts


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Timeline
On October 21, 2007, the ONLF stated its forces had killed 250 soldiers during the battle near the town of Werder. There was no confirmation of the attack either from the Ethiopian Government or from independent sources. On November 4, the ONLF claimed that up to 270 Ethiopian soldiers had been killed in clashes between October 26 and November 1. Once again, the claim could not be independently verified.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Timeline
On November 16, 2007, the Ethiopian Army claimed to have killed 100 ONLF fighters during the past month, and to have captured hundreds more. On November 18, 2007, the ONLF reported that the Ethiopian Air Force had carpet bombed villages and nomadic settlements the Ogaden region, killing up to a dozen civilians. An ONLF spokesman also said that some ONLF fighters were hurt in the air bombardments, but the air force targeted civilian settlements and livestock. The Ethiopian Government denied these reports on November 20.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Timeline
On November 28, 2007, Ogaden residents described continued abuses on the part of the military, but also said that aid delivery had improved. UN humanitarian chief John Holmes said the humanitarian situation in Ogaden as "potentially serious" but not yet catastrophic. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said that human rights abuses and a humanitarian crisis "didn't exist. Doesn't exist. Will not exist."


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Timeline
In January 2009, the foreign relations chief Mohammed Sirad was killed by Ethiopian security forces at the town of Danan as he met with other ONLF members. Reportedly this has led to the ONLF splitting into two factions, with one group allied to current ONLF chairman Mohammed Omar Osman, and the other led by senior leader Abdiwali Hussein Gas, who appointed Salahudin Ma'ow as the new ONLF chairman and declared that he will "bring Mohammed Omar Osman to court".


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Abuses perpetrated by the Ethiopian military
Ethiopia's military campaign has triggered a serious humanitarian crisis, according to several humanitarian organisations.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Abuses perpetrated by the Ethiopian military
According to Human Rights Watch, civilians in the Somali Region were trapped between the warring parties. HRW learned that dozens of civilians have been killed in what appeared to have been a deliberate effort to mete out collective punishment against a civilian population suspected of sympathizing with the rebels.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Abuses perpetrated by the Ethiopian military
Refugees fleeing the crackdown told stories of widespread violence, with entire villages being destroyed along with arbitrary theft, rape and murder by Ethiopian soldiers. In October 2007, The Independent reported that the situation in Ogaden had begun to mirror the Darfur conflict, with refugees stating that government troops had burned villages and raped and killed civilians. Earlier in the month, Human Rights Watch had told the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health that "the Ogaden is not Darfur.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Abuses perpetrated by the Ethiopian military
But the situation in Ogaden follows a frighteningly familiar pattern", while recognizing that "Ethiopia has legitimate and serious domestic and regional security concerns". Also, the United Nations advocacy director for Human Rights Watch has called Ogaden a "mini-Darfur". Human Rights Watch says it has documented dozens of cases of severe abuse by Ethiopian troops in the Ogaden, including gang rapes, burned villages and what it calls "demonstration killings," like hanging and beheading of populace, meant to terrorize the population.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Forceful draft of civilians
Several Ethiopian refugees and international organizations reported in December 2007 that the Ethiopian military, strained by its deployment in Somalia, was forcing local civilians (including government employees and health workers) to fight alongside troops against the ONLF rebels. According to the same reports, these under-equipped and poorly trained militias suffered heavy casualties in several battles. One Western aid official said soldiers barged into hospitals to draft recruits and threatened to jail health workers if they did not comply.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Forceful draft of civilians
In other cases, lists of names were posted on public bulletin boards, ordering government employees to report for duty, according to a current member of the regional parliament and two Ethiopian administrators who have fled the country. Many of those who refused were fired, jailed and in some cases tortured, the administrators and parliament member said.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Allegations of human rights abuses, Forceful draft of civilians
Ethiopian officials denied the charges, claiming that local tribes were willingly forming defense groups against the ONLF. Several United Nations officials and Western diplomats said they were discussing the militia program in private meetings, but contended they could not comment publicly for fear of provoking the ire of the Ethiopian government, resulting in a possible suspension of humanitarian efforts in the region.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Expulsions of humanitarian agencies
Large segments of the region were inaccessible to outside agencies as Ethiopian troops attempted to suppress the rebel insurgency.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, Expulsions of humanitarian agencies
On November 6, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced opening an aid facility in the Ogaden region. The U.N. has also called for an independent investigation into allegations of human rights abuses by Ethiopian forces in the region. Government troops are fighting ONLF rebels who want more autonomy for their region. Médecins Sans Frontières is among the 12 organizations that have received permission to work in Ogaden, while the ICRC is still barred from working in the region.


2007–2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogaden, The Eritrea and Somalia factors
Experts say the ONLF was active in the Somali capital Mogadishu during 2006 while that city was controlled by the Islamic Courts Union, and that some Islamist fighters may have fled to Ogaden after they were ousted from Mogadishu.


2007–2008 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup series
The 2007–2008 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup series was a series of stages where events in rhythmic gymnastics were contested. The series consisted of a two-year long competition, culminating at a final event — the World Cup Final in 2008. A number of qualifier stages were held. The top 3 gymnasts and groups in each apparatus at the qualifier events would receive medals and prize money. The organizing committees were free to host all-around competitions, but these were not eligible for the assignment of World Cup points. Gymnasts and groups that finished in the top 8 also received points which were added up to a ranking that qualified for the biennial World Cup Final.


2007–2008 Israel Football League season
The 2007–2008 Israel Football League season was the inaugural season of the Israel Football League. The season concluded with the Jerusalem Lions defeating the Haifa Underdogs, 24-18 in overtime, in Israel Bowl I.


2007–2008 Israel Football League season, Regular season
The regular season began on November 17, 2007 and consisted of a nine game schedule, with each team playing the others three times throughout the season. The top three teams at the end of the regular season qualified for the playoffs.


2007–2008 Israel Football League season, Playoffs
The Underdogs defeated the Pioneers in the semifinals and faced the Lions in Israel Bowl I, which took place on March 28, 2008 at Kraft Family Stadium. Moshe Horowitz earned Israel Bowl MVP honors for the champion Jerusalem Lions, who won in overtime 24-18.


2007–2008 Israeli Final Four
The 2007–2008 Israeli Final Four , the third Israeli Final Four, was held at Yad Eliyahu Arena, Tel Aviv, Israel on 27 and 29 May 2008 to determine the winner of the 2007–2008 Israeli League. The contestants were Maccabi Tel Aviv, the 2006–2007 Israeli League champion and the 2007–2008 Israeli State Cup runner-up, Hapoel Holon, Bnei Hasharon and Ironi Naharia. Hapoel Holon won their 1st Israeli League crown, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 73-72 in the final.


2007–2008 Israeli Final Four, Venue
The Yad Eliyahu Arena is an indoor sports arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. Opened in 1963 with its seating capacity varying from 5,000 to 11,700, it had hosted the 1971–1972 FIBA European Champions Cup final, the 1993–1994 FIBA European Championship Final Four, the 2003–2004 Euroleague Final Four, the 2005-2006 Israeli Final Four and the 2006-2007 Israeli Final Four.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
The 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis was a political, economic, and humanitarian crisis that erupted in Kenya after former  President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the presidential election held on December 27, 2007. Supporters of Kibaki's main opponent in that election, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement, alleged electoral manipulation. This position was widely confirmed by international observers, as being perpetrated by both parties in the election. Even the head of the electoral commission himself confirmed that he did not know who had won the elections despite announcing the incumbent as president.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
In part due to the ethnic and geographic diversity of Kenyan politics, no singular narrative can explain the reaction of opposition supporters to the announcement of Kibaki's swearing-in, which was done on December 30, 2007 in the evening. The opposition announced a mass protest against the official results, the violence was largely stoked by the police. Raila Odinga encouraged supporters to engage in mass protests which he announced on local television and radio stations, most noticeably in Mombasa, Eldoret, Kericho, Kisumu, Nakuru and parts of Nairobi. Police shot hundreds of violent demonstrators, including a few in front of TV news cameras, causing more violence to erupt.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
Targeted ethnic violence (as opposed to violent protests) escalated and at first was directed mainly against Kikuyu people—the community of which Kibaki is a member—living outside their traditional settlement areas, especially in the Rift Valley Province. The violence started with the murder of over 50 unarmed Kikuyu women and children, some as young as a month old, by locking them in a church and burning them alive in Kiambaa village in the outskirts of Eldoret Town, on New Year's Day. Tribal tensions in the Rift Valley region had resulted in violence in several previous Kenyan elections, most notably in the 1992 Kenyan Elections. This issue prompted the Kikuyu to start defending themselves which forced the Luos and Kalenjins to stop the killings of the Kikuyus.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
In Mombasa, the Kenyan coastal residents took to the streets to protest the electoral manipulations and support their preferred candidate, Odinga. Tensions rose as the landless indigenous Coastal communities felt this was a time to avenge the grabbing of their land by mainly up–country Kikuyu. Looters also struck a number of stores in Mombasa. The slums of Nairobi saw some of the worst violence, some of it ethnically motivated, some expression of outrage at extreme poverty, and some the actions of criminal gangs. The violence continued sporadically for several months, particularly in the Rift Valley.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan arrived in the country about a month after the election and successfully brought the two sides to the negotiating table. On February 28, 2008, Kibaki and Odinga signed a power-sharing agreement called the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008, which established the office of the Prime Minister and created a coalition government. The power-sharing Cabinet, headed by Odinga as Prime Minister, was eventually named on April 13, after lengthy negotiations over its composition; it was sworn in on April 17.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Background
The post-election demonstration and violence stemmed from a mixture of motives. Some included:


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Background
Reports by international observers about manipulations and admissions by members of the Electoral Commission of Kenya that their staff provided them with incorrect figures have further fuelled this anger. The violence has been directed mainly against Kikuyus, belonging to the same ethnic group as Kibaki.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Background
The violence against Kikuyus occurred all over the country but was higher in areas like the Nairobi slums, Nyanza Province, the Rift Valley, and the Coast, where opposition against Kibaki was particularly strong. The ethnically diverse Nairobi slums have also seen violence by Kikuyu-dominated groups—amongst them the infamous Mungiki—against neighbours hailing from western parts of Kenya.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline
A BBC reporter saw 40 bodies with gunshot wounds in a mortuary in Kisumu, which was the opposition's main base. A witness also told them that armed police shot protesters at a rally. There were running battles in the Nairobi slums. The local KTN television station said that 124 people died nationwide in the first two days of unrest.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline
On December 31, 2007, police reported that 40 people were killed in Nairobi and 53 in Kisumu, a major support base for Odinga. Four bodies were discovered in Mathare, in Nairobi, seven people were killed in Nakuru, and four people found dead in a village near Kapsabet.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
Early results tallied indicated that Odinga held a strong lead on December 28, the day after the election, and the ODM declared victory for Odinga on December 29; however, as more results were announced on the same day, the gap between the two candidates narrowed, and with almost 90% of the votes counted (180 out of 210 constituencies), Odinga's lead shrank to only 38,000 votes. At a press conference on the morning of December 30, Odinga accused the government of fraud, urged Kibaki to concede defeat, and called for a recount.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
He said that the ODM would not take the matter to the courts claiming that the courts were controlled by Kibaki. The Electoral Commission declared Kibaki the winner on December 30, placing him ahead of Odinga by about 232,000 votes. According to Odinga, as many as 300,000 votes for Kibaki were falsely included in his total. The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Samuel Kivuitu, said that while irregularities affecting the entire exercise did occur, they were a matter for the courts, not the Electoral Commission.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
Supporters of Kibaki, meanwhile, said that discrepancies had actually worked in Odinga's favor, arguing that discrepancies between polling station tallies and Electoral Commission results meant that Odinga had gained 53,000 votes while Kibaki had lost 106,000. Following the Commission's declaration of his victory, Kibaki was promptly sworn in for his second term late in the evening on the same day, calling for the "verdict of the people" to be respected and for "healing and reconciliation" to begin.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
Kivuitu said that there were some problems in the vote counting, noting that in one constituency the reported turnout rate was 115%. According to the European Union's head observer in the election, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, the election was "flawed" and the Electoral Commission failed to establish "the credibility of the tallying process to the satisfaction of all parties and candidates"; he said that in some places EU observers were not allowed to see vote tallies until the Electoral Commission announced them: "the whole point...is to verify that the results are the same".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
The United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said that his country had "real concerns" about the election. While the United States initially congratulated Kibaki and called for the results to be respected, it also expressed concern, and on January 2, 2008 a spokesman for the U.S. State Department declined to confirm U.S. recognition of Kibaki's victory. In a telex from then US Embassy in Nairobi to the State Department in Washington DC  [released in July 2012], US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger set out five scenarios as to who really won the election.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
He wrote, ‘In all cases the margin of victory for either side is slim and ultimately unknowable’. The telex also noted that there was ‘evidence of rigging on both sides’ and  Kivuitu said on January 2, that he had been pressured by PNU and ODM-K (Kibaki's and Kalonzo Musyoka's parties) into announcing the results without delay, and he claimed that he did not personally know who really won.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
Within minutes of the Commission's declaration of Kibaki as victor, tribe-based rioting and violence, primarily directed against Kikuyus, broke out across Kenya, and the government suspended live television coverage for some days. Odinga alleged that "a clique of people around Kibaki" sought to rig the election, but said that democracy "is unstoppable like the flow of the Nile". The ODM announced its intention to hold a ceremony on December 31, in which Odinga would be declared the "people's president", but police said that this could incite violence and that Odinga could be arrested if the ceremony occurred. Odinga then delayed this, but called for a million-strong rally on January 3, 2008 and for his supporters to wear black armbands as a show of mourning.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Disputed results
Odinga said that the ODM would not negotiate with Kibaki unless he resigned, because to do so would, according to Odinga, mean acknowledging Kibaki's legitimacy; he also said that, unless stopped, the "ruling clique" could rig the next election in five years as well, and that he was not afraid of being arrested, having been jailed many times in the past. For his part, Kibaki emphasized the importance of peace, stability, and tolerance in his 2008 New Year's message, speaking of the election as a concluded event and warning that law-breakers would be punished.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Rallies
Odinga said that the million-strong rally in his support planned for January 3 would take place in spite of a government ban, and he accused the government of being directly responsible for "genocide". Electoral Commission Chairman Kivuitu said on January 1, that he had been pressured by the PNU and ODM-Kenya to announce results immediately, despite the urgings of Western ambassadors to delay the results so that concerns about irregularities could be addressed.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Rallies
On January 3, opposition supporters attempted to gather for the planned rally in Uhuru Park, but police fought them off with tear gas and water cannons. Another attempt to hold the rally was planned for January 4. Also on January 3, Kibaki said that he was willing to engage in dialogue "once the country is calm", and he described the continuing violence as "senseless", while Attorney General Amos Wako called for a recount, an investigation into the election, and the formation of a national unity government, saying that the situation was "quickly degenerating into a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Rallies
Finance Minister Amos Kimunya said that if the ODM did not allege fraud, that would make it easier for the two sides to talk; Kimunya also said that the government wanted to mediate through Kenyan elders and did not want international mediation involving the African Union. KANU's Uhuru Kenyatta said that it might be possible for the two sides to work together, but that the ODM's position that Kibaki should resign before any talks took place was unacceptable, because then there would be "no government".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Rallies
On January 4, ODM Secretary-General Anyang Nyongo called for a new presidential election to be held, without the involvement of the Electoral Commission. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said that this would be possible only if it was decided by the courts.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Rallies
After meeting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer, Kibaki said on January 5, that he was willing to form a national unity government, but Odinga, who also met with Frazer, rejected this, saying that Kibaki "should not come to the negotiating table as the president" and calling for the creation of a transitional government leading to a new election in three to six months. However, after Odinga met with Frazer for a second time shortly afterward, Odinga's spokesman said that the ODM would not demand that Kibaki resign or admit defeat if he accepted an international mediator. At about the same time, while violence continued, it was reported to be decreasing in Nairobi.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
On January 6, Odinga called for rallies to be held on January 8, despite the government's insistence that the rallies would be illegal. Odinga's spokesman said that while the ODM ruled out a government of national unity, it could discuss "a coalition government with genuine power sharing" (which it said would leave less power for Kibaki than would be the case in a national unity government) or establishing an interim government to hold a new election.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
Odinga subsequently cancelled the rallies planned for January 8, saying that the mediation process, facilitated by Ghanaian President and African Union Chairman John Kufuor, was about to begin, with Kibaki having officially invited Kufuor, and that negotiations needed to take place in a peaceful atmosphere. Odinga said that he anticipated direct talks involving both himself and Kibaki, with Kufuor's participation. Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju said that by calling off the rallies, Odinga opened the way for negotiation and reconciliation.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
There exist doubts that Kibaki really invited Kufuor (as opposed to him having come as a result of international concern for the worsening situation in Kenya). PNU members of parliament, newly appointed cabinet ministers and even the government spokesman, Dr Alfred Mutua, are known to have said Kufuor "was coming to take tea", and not to "negotiate with the warring factions regarding the elections"; this was captured both on TV and print media. In addition, the PNU side was actively downplaying the seriousness of the post-election crisis, saying that this was a local problem that would be dealt with locally.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
It even urged the displaced people at various police stations and camps to 'return home' and generally tried to dissuade international attention to the crisis. It is also worth noting that there were conflicting reports from Ghanaian weblogs about President Kufuor's visit. Some weblogs said he was not going to travel to Kenya, since the government did not view him as a welcome visitor, others saying he was required by his official responsibility as AU chairman to try to resolve the crisis in Kenya.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
Just before Kufuor's travel to Kenya, Moses Wetang'ula, the new Minister for Foreign Affairs travelled to Ghana to 'brief Mr. Kufuor' on the situation in Kenya, ahead of his trip to Kenya. These actions were perceived to be an indication of bad faith on the part of Kibaki and his team, and they preempted their bias against the talks between President Kibaki (and his PNU side) and Raila (and his ODM side). There were also indications that PNU did not want the discussion to be mediated by an outsider.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
Odinga refused to accept Kibaki's offer to hold talks unless they took place as part of international mediation, saying that without having Kufuor present to mediate the talks would be a "sideshow" and a "public relations gimmick", and he claimed that Kibaki was using the offer of talks between himself and Odinga to divert attention from Kufuor. Meanwhile, Frazer said on January 7, that there had been rigging in the election, but she said that both sides could have engaged in rigging. She also previously said that Kenyans had "been cheated by their political leadership and their institutions".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
Kibaki appointed 17 ministers as part of a new Cabinet on January 8, saying that the rest of the Cabinet would be appointed later. The Cabinet included the ODM-K's Kalonzo Musyoka as Vice-President and Minister of Home Affairs and KANU's Uhuru Kenyatta as Minister of Local Government. Announcing these appointments, Kibaki said: "I have considered the importance of keeping the country united, peaceful and prosperous and a strong broad-based leadership." The ODM's Nyongo said that this Cabinet, in which the ODM was not included, was illegitimate because Kibaki did not win the election.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Kufuor mediation
Renewed outbreaks of violence were reported following Kibaki's announcement. With almost half of the Cabinet yet to be named, it was suggested that Kibaki intended to leave the remaining ministries open so that they would be available for the ODM following the negotiations; however, it was also noted that the most important ministries were already filled. Musalia Mudavadi, a leading figure in the ODM, denounced Kibaki's announcement as being intended only to sabotage mediation with Kufuor. The Daily Nation said that Kibaki's move would "be seen as a sign of bad faith" and that it could "poison the atmosphere". U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that it appeared Kibaki was setting up a fait accompli, that the U.S. was "disappointed" by the move, and that it had "expressed its displeasure".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
On January 9, Kufuor met separately with Kibaki and Odinga. Government statements on that day emphasized Kibaki's commitment to dialogue and said that he had "already initiated a process of dialogue with other Kenyan leaders". Kibaki also gave a speech in which he said that the vote was concluded, that it was impossible to change the outcome, and that any complaints should be handled through the courts.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
The two sides agreed to "an immediate cessation of violence as well as any acts which may be detrimental to finding a peaceful solution to the ongoing crisis", but the talks otherwise failed when, according to Nyongo, Kibaki refused to sign an agreement (which was already signed by ODM representatives) presented to him by Kufuor that would have provided for an interim coalition government and an inquiry into the Electoral Commission; the government, however, blamed Odinga for the failure of the talks, saying that he was not responsive to Kibaki's offer of dialogue.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
Kufuor left Kenya on January 10, saying that both parties had agreed to continue talks together with former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and "a panel of eminent African personalities"; Annan's office subsequently said that he would lead future talks but that he was not likely to go to Kenya before January 15,. Kibaki's new Cabinet ministers were sworn in on January 10,.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
On January 11, the ODM called for mass rallies to be held in about 30 places in the following week; the police said that the rallies were banned. Nyongo also called for international sanctions against Kibaki's government.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
On January 12, the EU said that there could not be "business as usual in Kenya" without a compromise and a solution to the dispute, and Frazer also said that the US could not conduct "business as usual in Kenya" under the circumstances, saying that Kibaki and Odinga should meet in person, "without preconditions", and that both sides "should acknowledge serious irregularities in the vote tallying which made it impossible to determine with certainty the final result". In addition, she called for the lifting of the bans on live television coverage and rallies.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
Roads and Public Works Minister John Michuki said on January 14, that Annan was not coming at the government's invitation and reiterated the claim that Kibaki won the election. EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel said on the same day that EU aid to Kenya could be reduced as a result of the election. Parliament opened on January 15, and Annan was expected to arrive on the same day. ODM Members of Parliament said that they intended to sit on the government side in Parliament, asserting their claim to have won the election.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
They took the opposition side, however, with Odinga taking the Leader of the Opposition's seat. Although the ODM wanted an open ballot instead of a secret one in the election for the Speaker of Parliament, the government side opposed this and the vote was conducted through secret ballot. In the first round of voting, the ODM's candidate for Speaker, Kenneth Marende, received 104 votes and the government's candidate, Francis ole Kaparo, received 99 votes; in the second round Marende received 104 votes and Kaparo received 102.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
Although a two-thirds majority was required in the first two rounds, subsequently only a simple majority was required, and Marende was elected in the third round with 105 votes against 101 for Kaparo. Meanwhile, it was announced that Annan's visit would be delayed for a few days because he had fallen ill with the flu. In Nairobi threats and killings were carried out against the Asian and white Kenyan minorities by the banned ethnic sect Mungiki, which prompted a temporary exodus of the minority groups, until their protection was guaranteed by the government, prompting further economic hardship in the country.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
The ODM's planned protests, intended to last for three days, began on January 16,. Police met the protests with force and prevented them from reaching Uhuru Park in Nairobi; protests also took place in other parts of the country, including Kisumu and Eldoret. At least two people were reported killed in Kisumu as police used live ammunition against the protesters, along with tear gas.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
Odinga, in an interview with BBC's HARDtalk, responded to Justice Minister Martha Karua's earlier claim that the ODM had planned "ethnic cleansing" by saying that her accusation was "outrageous" and that the violence perpetrated by his supporters was a reaction to the actions of the police, who he said had been ordered to shoot "members of certain ethnic communities". The protests continued on January 17, with police continuing to use force against them. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said that the government would not be swayed by the threats of development partners to withdraw aid.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Annan mediation
A train was looted in Kibera by residents due to shortages caused by the crisis. Odinga alleged that police killed seven people in Nairobi, while the police spokesman, Eric Kiraithe, said that the police were acting lawfully and were showing restraint because the protesters were being "used by politicians". The ODM said that after the last day of protest on January 18, it would focus on boycotting companies controlled by Kibaki's allies. By January 18, at least 22 people were reported to have been killed in the three-day protests, with the last day seeing the most deaths. The protests were considered to be substantially diminished in strength compared to those in late December. On January 19, despite the ODM's earlier announcement that it would cease protests, it said that protests would resume on January 24.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Boycott and further violence
Further violence in Nairobi and the Rift Valley followed the protests. On January 21, Minister of State for Internal Security George Saitoti warned against further protests, saying that they would only be "an opportunity for criminals to loot and commit other crimes" and that "illegal acts will be dealt with accordingly". The government also said in reference to the opposition's planned boycott that it was illegal to "sabotage" businesses.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Boycott and further violence
The businesses targeted for the boycott included Equity Bank, Brookside Dairies, CityHoppa, and Kenya Bus; it was speculated that the boycott would not have a substantial impact and that many Kenyans would find it too impractical to observe. Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula, in reaction to criticism from the United Kingdom, summoned the UK's High Commissioner to complain, and he said that "our elections don't need a stamp of authority from the House of Commons". Annan arrived in Kenya on January 22,.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Boycott and further violence
On January 23, the ODM held a memorial service in Nairobi for victims of the violence, at which Odinga said that tribes should not fight because "this is a war between the people of Kenya and a very small bloodthirsty clique clinging to power". Meanwhile, police fired tear gas at some of his supporters outside; some tear gas affected the mourning service, dispersing it. The state-owned telecommunications building was attacked and set on fire.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Boycott and further violence
On the same day, Kibaki and Odinga met separately with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and according to Museveni's press secretary an agreement was reached in principle to establish a judicial commission that would investigate the accusations of vote rigging; however, the two sides disagreed as to whether the government alone should appoint the members of the commission. Museveni was also said to have proposed a power-sharing deal, which was rejected by the government on the grounds that it was unwilling to share power with the ODM due to the latter's alleged responsibility for the killing of innocent people. Annan also met with Odinga, and the latter agreed to cancel the protests that were to have been held the next day.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Beginning of talks, killing of MPs
Kibaki and Odinga met for the first time since the crisis began on January 24, together with Annan. Annan called the meeting "very encouraging", saying that it represented "the first steps towards a peaceful solution of the problem". Kibaki and Odinga both said after the meeting that they were working towards a solution and urged the people to be peaceful. On January 25, Odinga said in an interview that a power-sharing deal was out of the question, and that the only possibilities acceptable to him were that Kibaki resign or that a new election be held. Responding to a claim by Human Rights Watch that ODM leaders were orchestrating violence, he said that the people were reacting spontaneously. As violence continued in the Rift Valley, Annan asked both sides to designate negotiators by January 29,.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Beginning of talks, killing of MPs
Meanwhile, serious violence broke out in Nakuru on January 24–25, apparently as a reaction to Kibaki describing himself as the "duly elected president" after meeting in person with Odinga. Kikuyus were attacked and a number of buildings were set on fire, along with Nakuru's only fire engine; at least 12 deaths were reported. Another town, Total Station, was half-destroyed in violence between Kikuyus and Kalenjin, with at least two deaths reported, and as many as 50,000 people fled from violence near Molo.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Beginning of talks, killing of MPs
By January 27, at least 55 people had been killed in Nakuru, along with at least five in Kaptembwa and Sewage, two slums near Nakuru, while at least nine deaths were reported in Naivasha, where Kikuyus set Luo homes on fire. By January 28, at least 64 people had been killed in Nakuru and at least 22 in Naivasha; 19 of the deaths in Naivasha occurred when Kikuyus set fire to a place where Luos had fled for safety. ODM chairperson Henry Kosgei accused the government of facilitating the killing in Nakuru by imposing a curfew, which he said was used "to keep some groups indoors to be killed", on January 28,.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Beginning of talks, killing of MPs
Mugabe Were, an ODM Member of Parliament, was shot and killed early on January 29, 2008. Renewed protests and violence followed his death. Addressing the National Assembly before beginning talks, Annan called for an end to the "downward spiral into chaos that is threatening this beautiful country." The talks then began, although they were delayed by 90 minutes due to disputed seating arrangements. Annan said that resolution of short-term issues might occur in four weeks, although he thought deeper talks might continue for a year.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Beginning of talks, killing of MPs
Another ODM MP, David Kimutai Too, was shot and killed by a policeman in Eldoret on January 31, 2008. Police said the killing was related to a love triangle involving him, the officer who shot him, and a female officer, but the ODM called it an assassination, accusing the government of seeking to reduce the number of ODM Members of Parliament, and protests and violence broke out. The talks were postponed until the next day due to the killing.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon arrived in Kenya for a visit to assist the talks on February1. During the same day, Annan announced that the two rival leaders had agreed on an agenda for peace talks, which included both short-term and long-term goals. The talks would last a month and would include the topics of ending the violence, the humanitarian situation, resolving the political crisis, and land and historical injustices.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
Annan said that he believed the first three of these four points could be resolved within seven to 15 days, and he said that an agreement had been reached on 18 measures to end the violence, including the demobilization of gangs and ceasing speeches and text messages that incite hatred and violence. Violence nevertheless continued; on the next day at least 20 people were reported to have been killed since the agreement. On February 3, Odinga called for African Union peacekeepers to be sent to Kenya.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa was unanimously chosen by Annan's team as chief mediator to lead long-term talks, but the government had concerns about Ramaphosa's involvement, saying that he and Odinga had business links. Ramaphosa consequently withdrew from the talks and Annan accepted his withdrawal on February 4,. Odinga said on the same day that the ODM would withdraw from the talks if a deal was not reached, and he said that his party wanted a new presidential election to be held within three months, with a new electoral commission and the same voter register. The alternative possibility of a transitional coalition government, in which a new position of Prime Minister would be created for Odinga and Kibaki's power would be reduced, was something Odinga said he could consider, although it was not the option he preferred.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
Opposing plans for a meeting of foreign ministers from the countries of the East African Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Kenya, Nyongo said that the ODM would hold protests if the meeting went ahead, believing that the meeting would be a means to legitimize Kibaki's government. Annan was critical of this threat, saying that "provocative statements outside negotiations" were supposed to be avoided. The government subsequently said that the meeting would not officially be considered an IGAD meeting, and the ODM called off the protests on February 6,.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
On February 7, the two sides remained deeply divided in talks, although they agreed that there should not be a recount of votes. Annan said that he was "totally opposed to a re-election in this climate", referring to the persistent violence. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council called for peaceful resolution of the dispute through negotiations, the United States imposed a travel ban on ten unnamed Kenyans (a move that was praised by Kibaki's government), and a policeman, Edward Kirui, was arrested for allegedly shooting two protesters to death in Kisumu on January 16,.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
Progress in the talks was reported on February 8, with Annan saying that both sides had agreed on the need for a political settlement and that he hoped talks on point three (the resolution of the political crisis) could be concluded early in the next week. The ODM's William Ruto said that although there was progress, a solution had still not been reached, and he denied that a national unity government had been agreed upon; Mutula Kilonzo, a negotiator for the government, reported "excellent" progress. Saitoti, the Internal Security Minister, announced the end of the ban on rallies on the same day due to improved security, but said that rallies must be held only for peaceful purposes.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
Despite the reported progress and his earlier adoption of a more conciliatory tone, Odinga returned to a hard-line stance on February 9, repeating his earlier demand that Kibaki should either resign or a new election should be held, and he said that he would not compromise on that point. Speaking before the National Assembly on February 12, Annan said that both sides in the talks had agreed to set up "an independent review committee that will be mandated to investigate all aspects of the 2007 presidential election".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
He also said that both sides in the National Assembly would have to work together to pass legislation needed to resolve the crisis. On the same day, as talks approached a potential agreement, talks were moved to a secret location, with Annan requesting a "complete news blackout" and asking participants in the talks to not disclose what was under discussion. Ruto said that the ODM had proposed forming a government in which the two sides would share power for two years before a new election.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
Although Annan suggested that the two sides had agreed to a two-year power-sharing transitional government, the government objected, with the Justice Minister, Martha Karua, saying that this suggestion had misrepresented and undermined the government's position. On February 13, the mediators said in a statement that Annan had only expressed his own perspective and that he had not meant to suggest that the two sides had formally agreed on the proposal.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
As talks adjourned on February 14, scheduled to resume the following week, government negotiator Kilonzo said that an agreement had been reached to restart the process of writing a new constitution after it had stalled following the failure of the 2005 constitutional referendum. On February 15, Annan said that the two sides had agreed to a range of reforms, including the improvement of electoral laws and human rights, as well as a review of the constitution, although they had yet to agree upon the composition of a power-sharing government.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
It was reported that the government side wanted Kibaki to retain strong executive powers, while the opposition wanted Odinga to have extensive powers in a new position of Prime Minister. According to Annan, they were about to take "the last difficult and frightening step" to conclude a deal, and he said that he intended to remain in Kenya until a new government was in place, by which time he thought the process would be "irreversible". The commission charged with reviewing the election was to be established by March 15, with a report to follow within three to six months.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Kenya to support the talks on February 18. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Wetangula said that help was welcome but he stressed that ultimately the problem had to be solved by Kenyans and that no one should make the "mistake of putting a gun to anybody's head and saying 'either/or'" in an attempt to force a solution. Rice met with Kibaki, Odinga, and Annan, and she emphasized the importance of reaching a settlement, saying that one should have already been in place; however, she also said that the U.S. was not trying to "dictate a solution to Kenyans".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
On February 19, Kibaki said that, while he was willing to share power in the government, an agreement should be made in the context of the existing constitution. Nyongo then called for the National Assembly to be summoned within a week "to enact the necessary changes in the constitution to implement these mediation proposals", warning that the ODM would otherwise resume protests.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
On February 21, Mutula Kilonzo said that the government side had accepted "the creation of the post of a non-executive prime minister with substantial responsibilities", but the opposition wanted the prime minister to be a head of government with executive powers. Nyongo said that he thought an agreement would be reached by the next day.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
On February 21, East African Community Secretary-General Juma Mwapachu said that the crisis was having a negative effect on the regional economy. Speaking in Nairobi on February 22, newly elected Chairman of the African Union Commission Jean Ping said it was hoped that an agreement would be reached by the next week.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
An impasse was reached on February 25, 2008. While both parties agreed to the creation of the post of prime minister, they disagreed about the powers the newly created post should have, over government posts and over a possible election in case the coalition should split. Annan declared the talks suspended on February 26, saying that they had "not broken down" but that the leaders needed to "become directly engaged in these talks". Mutula Kilonzo said that media reports of supposed deals had caused problems and complained of unfair pressure. The ODM's Mudavadi expressed frustration at the situation.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
Jakaya Kikwete, the President of Tanzania and Chairman of the African Union, arrived in Kenya on February 27, to assist in the talks. On the same day, Odinga said that the ODM had decided not to resume protests as planned on February 28, expressing continued commitment to the talks.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
On February 28, Kibaki and Odinga signed the agreement meant to end the crisis at a ceremony in Nairobi; Annan said that the agreement was to be known as the National Accord and Reconciliation Act. The two leaders agreed to form a coalition government, with Odinga set to receive the new position of Prime Minister, in which capacity he was to "coordinate and supervise government affairs"; it remained unclear whether, as Prime Minister, he could still be overruled by Kibaki.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Continued negotiations, signing of power-sharing agreement
According to the agreement, the Prime Minister must be an elected member of the National Assembly as well as the parliamentary leader of the party or coalition holding a majority of seats in the National Assembly. The agreement also provided for two Deputy Prime Ministers, one for each of the two parties, while the allotment of Cabinet portfolios was to reflect the relative strength of the respective parties in the National Assembly. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Ministers can only be removed from their positions if they lose a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. Kibaki said that he would reconvene the National Assembly on March 6, so that it could make the constitutional changes needed in order to implement the agreement.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
Annan left Kenya on March 2, leaving Oluyemi Adeniji, a former Nigerian Foreign Minister, to lead talks on remaining issues, such as land, political reforms, and the uneven distribution of wealth between various ethnic groups. On 3, March 13, people were killed in an attack near Mount Elgon that was attributed by police to the Sabaot Land Defence Force. Kibaki and Odinga met again on March 4, as part of the follow-up negotiations. Odinga said that this meeting was "very productive". On March 6, rights groups including Reporters Without Borders stated that the Kenyan media played a positive role during the violence despite being inexperienced with such situations.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
Speaking in the National Assembly when it convened on March 6, Kibaki urged it to quickly pass the legislation required to implement the power-sharing agreement; he said that the people were watching and that they wanted to see "pragmatic solutions, not ideological posturing". He named four bills that the National Assembly needed to pass: the National Accord and Reconciliation Bill, a bill amending the constitution, a bill establishing the truth, justice and reconciliation commission, and a bill dealing with ethnic issues.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
On March 9–10, the army attacked the Sabaot Land Defence Force near Mount Elgon; this attack included aerial bombardment. 30,000 people were reported to have fled from the army's attack, although this number was disputed and the army said that it was "not intimidating or harassing residents".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
On March 10, Francis Muthaura, the head of the public service, stirred controversy by saying that Kibaki would remain both head of state and head of government and that Odinga would only rank third in the government, after Kibaki and Vice-President Musyoka. Government negotiator Kilonzo and Foreign Minister Wetangula backed this interpretation of the agreement, with the latter saying that "we are not setting up a government within a government". The ODM, however, angrily rejected Muthaura's interpretation.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
William Ruto said that "Kenyans should treat Mr Muthaura's statement with the contempt it deserves" and that it was "uncalled for, unnecessary and contemptuous of the agreement". ODM spokesman Salim Lome said that it was unacceptable to have Odinga ranking third, as "a minor hanger-on", and that the ODM would never have agreed to such an arrangement.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
On March 11, a parliamentary committee made a request for the bills implementing the agreement to be fast-tracked, which would provide for them to be considered within five days, rather than two weeks. The National Assembly passed two bills implementing the agreement on March 18,. The first of these was the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, which passed unanimously with 200 votes in favor; this constitutionally established the posts of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. The amendment was followed by a law providing for those posts in a new government and detailing the terms of the power-sharing arrangement.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
Kibaki signed the bills into law a few hours later. He said that he was "now confident a permanent solution to the crisis will be achieved" and called for the drafting of a new constitution; meanwhile, Odinga called for a "national ethnic conference where we will have representatives from all the 42 tribes in the country come together to discuss openly how we want to lead this country".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
As part of consultations on the composition of the new Cabinet, the ODM proposed a Cabinet with 34 members (twice the number in the partial Cabinet named by Kibaki in January), while the government proposed a Cabinet with 44 members. On April 1, a protest of about 100 people was held in Nairobi against these proposals on the grounds that it was unaffordable to have so many ministers and that having them would not serve a constructive purpose; the protesters demanded that the Cabinet be limited to no more than 24 members.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
This protest was broken up by police with tear gas. In a statement on April 2, Annan expressed concerns about the length of time that it was taking to name a new Cabinet. He urged Kibaki and Odinga to put the national interest first, conclude consultations, and name a Cabinet with an equal division of power in line with the agreement.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
On April 3, the two sides announced that they had reached an agreement on the size and composition of the Cabinet. According to a statement from Kibaki's office, the new Cabinet would have 40 ministers, would be announced on April 6, and would be sworn in on April 12,. This Cabinet would be the largest in Kenya's history, and the announcement of its size was greeted with substantial dissatisfaction among the people, with many believing a 40-member Cabinet to be wasteful, unnecessary, and intended merely to provide additional jobs with which to reward politicians.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
The government argued that the large size of the Cabinet was needed in order for it to be properly inclusive. Alfred Mutua, the government spokesman, said that "there is no price that is too high for our country to ensure peace, harmony and reconciliation, healing and stability that will spur and grow the economy and create even more wealth", and he suggested that the cost would not be as great as anticipated because "most of the new ministries are subdivided from formerly existing ministries and therefore the budget and members of staff for those new ministries already exist."


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
On April 5, the day before the Cabinet was to be announced, the ODM said that the announcement had been delayed because there was still disagreement on the allotment of ministerial portfolios. The disagreement reportedly hinged on the particularly important portfolios of finance, local government, energy, and internal security. According to the government, the finance, defence, foreign affairs, and justice portfolios were to go to Kibaki's party, the PNU, while the ODM was to receive the roads, public works, tourism, and agriculture portfolios.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
Mutua said that Odinga had not submitted his list of proposed ministers to Kibaki, and he said that Kibaki had invited Odinga for talks on the morning of April 6,. Kibaki and Odinga accordingly met, and afterwards they said in a joint statement that they had made "substantial progress" and that they expected an agreement to be reached in further talks on April 7,. However, on April 8, the talks were suspended due to the continued disagreement; according to Nyongo, they were suspended "until [the PNU] fully recognises the 50/50 power-sharing arrangement and the principle of portfolio balance".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
Odinga said that he had received a letter from the PNU, which asserted that "the constitution grants the president exclusive executive powers to run his country on his own and ... his powers supersede the provisions of the accord". Meanwhile, a protest in Kibera was broken up by police with tear gas; this was the largest protest to occur since the agreement was signed.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
It was reported on April 12, that Kibaki and Odinga had reached an agreement on the Cabinet and that it would be announced on the next day. Accordingly, the Cabinet, with 40 ministers and 50 assistant ministers, was named on April 13,; there were 20 ministers each for PNU and the ODM. The PNU was considered to have kept most of the main portfolios despite the dispute that led to the delay, and some in the ODM complained that because of this there was not a true balance in portfolios.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
The PNU took portfolios such as foreign affairs, finance, internal security, defence, and energy, while the ODM took portfolios such as local government, agriculture, immigration, roads, and public works. Odinga was named Prime Minister, Uhuru Kenyatta was named as the PNU's Deputy Prime Minister (as well as Minister of Trade), and Musalia Mudavadi was named as the ODM's Deputy Prime Minister (as well as Minister of Local Government). Kibaki challenged politicians to put politics aside and "get to work".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, Implementation of the agreement
Odinga and the Cabinet were sworn in on April 17, 2008 at State House. Annan travelled to Kenya again for the occasion; he called on Kenyans to support the new Cabinet and, noting that there was "still a long way to go", said that the next task would be to "mould the cabinet as a cohesive, effective and productive thing that will help steer this nation right".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, After the formation of the unity government
In the absence of an opposition due to the formation of the coalition government, more than 70 backbencher MPs supported the creation of a coalition opposition, feeling that it was important to have an opposition for the sake of democratic governance. However, on May 22, 2008, the Cabinet decided to oppose the creation of such an opposition, saying that it would be unconstitutional and would violate the spirit of the coalition. On the same day, the Cabinet decided to fast-track the commission of inquiry that was intended to investigate the causes of the violence. A proposed bill that would allow the backbenchers to create an official opposition (the National Assembly (Parliamentary Opposition) Bill 2008) was published in August 2008 and was passed a few months later.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, After the formation of the unity government
In addition to the two vacancies in Parliament created by the killing of ODM MPs Mugabe Were and David Too, results were never announced in two parliamentary constituencies due to violence, and another vacancy was produced by the election of Kenneth Marende as Speaker of Parliament. The five by-elections to fill these seats were to be held on June 11, 2008. During the campaigning for the by-elections, which concluded on June 9, the politics of ethnicity was again evident, causing anxiety among some observers; increased tension was also evident between the PNU and the ODM.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, After the formation of the unity government
The ODM alleged that some PNU ministers were guilty of "openly bribing voters, intimidating ODM supporters and misusing state resources", and ODM minister William Ole Ntimama said that his party "watched with dismay as our coalition partners sink to new lows without any regard for the consequences which may flow". The issue of a possible amnesty for those arrested in connection with the violence also proved to be controversial. Vice-President Musyoka downplayed the tension, saying that campaigning had "not interfered in any way with the smooth operations of the coalition".


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Timeline, After the formation of the unity government
On June 10, 2008, two ministers—Minister of Roads Kipkalya Kones and Assistant Minister of Home Affairs Lorna Laboso—were killed in a plane crash, leaving another two seats vacant.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Casualties and displacement
By January 28, the death toll from the violence was at around 1,300. Up to 600,000 people have been displaced. The largest single loss of life was when a church providing shelter from the violence to 200 people was set on fire by rioters, killing 35 people. The people who were sheltering were members of President Kibaki's tribe, the Kikuyu.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Casualties and displacement
Former Olympic athlete Lucas Sang died under unknown circumstances in a riot at Eldoret on January 1. Politician G. G. Njuguna Ngengi was hacked to death in Kuresoi, near Molo, on January 2,. Marathon runner Wesley Ngetich Kimutai died after he was shot with an arrow on January 19, in the Trans Mara District, becoming the second international athlete to lose his life. On January 20, Donald Odanga, former basketball international was fatally wounded by a stray police bullet. On January 29, opposition MP Mugabe Were was shot to death on his driveway, and on January 31, another opposition MP, David Kimutai Too, was shot by a policeman in disputed circumstances.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Casualties and displacement
On January 13, Human Rights Watch accused the police of having a "shoot to kill" policy, using live ammunition against protesters and looters. According to the police, they have shot looters but not protesters. On January 18, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said that 510 people had been killed in the violence and that 82 of them were killed by police. According to Kiraithe, the police were acting lawfully and were showing restraint because the protesters were being "used by politicians."


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Casualties and displacement
Later in January, Human Rights Watch accused "ODM politicians and local leaders" of organizing, instigating and facilitating violence against Kikuyus. The BBC reported on March 5, that government officials had met with members of the Mungiki militia, which is banned, at State House to arrange for the militia to protect Kikuyus. The government denied this.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Regional implications
The violence in Kenya has had serious economic ramifications throughout East Africa, particularly for the landlocked countries of the Great Lakes region (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo). These countries depend upon Kenyan infrastructure links (particularly the port at Mombasa) for important imports as well as export routes. Significant shortages of gasoline were reported in Uganda as well as Zanzibar following the elections. The East African Community, despite having election observers in Kenya, did not issue a statement.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Reactions
A government spokesman claimed that Odinga's supporters were "engaging in ethnic cleansing". Odinga countered that Kibaki's camp was "guilty, directly, of genocide" as he called for international mediation.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Possible continuation
The UN had warned that a repeat of the problems could occur after the next election unless Kenya strengthens its institutions and the perpetrators of the 2007 violence are punished. A BBC report in 2009 found that rival groups in Rift Valley Province, such as the Kalenjin and Kikuyu, were purchasing firearms such as AK-47 and G3 rifles, in readiness for anticipated violence at the 2013 poll. There is, however, concerted efforts from the civil society to help avert such an eventuality.


2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, Possible continuation
There is even a campaign dubbed The Wazi campaign, that aims to prevent the recurrence of the violence through the use of animated cartoon PSAs that preach peace. Despite these concerns, Kenya had a peaceful election in 2013 with a record 85.91% voter turnout. However, during the 2017 general elections there was an annulment of the results when the opposition leader pulled out.


2007–2008 Massachusetts legislature
The 185th Massachusetts General Court, consisting of the Massachusetts Senate and the Massachusetts House of Representatives, met in 2007 and 2008 during the governorship of Deval Patrick. Therese Murray served as president of the Senate and Salvatore DiMasi served as speaker of the House.


2007–2008 Massachusetts legislature
Notable activities included new webcasting of Senate formal sessions and repeal of "a 1913 law declaring that nonresidents could not marry in Massachusetts if the marriage would not be legal in their home states."


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes
The 2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes were a series of small volcanic earthquakes measuring less than 4.0 on the Richter magnitude scale. They took place in the sparsely populated Nazko area of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada starting on October 9, 2007 and ending on June 12, 2008. They occurred just west of Nazko Cone, a small tree-covered cinder cone that last erupted about 7,200 years ago.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes
No damage or casualties resulted from the Nazko earthquakes, which were too small to be felt by people, but local seismographs recorded them. The earthquake swarm occurred at the eastern end of a known volcanic zone called the Anahim Volcanic Belt. This is an east-west trending line of volcanic formations extending from the Central Coast to the Central Interior of British Columbia.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Geology
The 2007–2008 Nazko earthquake swarm is interpreted to have originated 25 km (16 mi) below the surface. The character of the seismic waves indicated that the swarm originated from a magmatic source. It could have formed as a result of rock fracturing at the tip of a dike and/or by movement along fault planes due to changes in the local stress field by the expansion and movement of magma. This magmatic activity is potentially linked to the hypothesized Anahim hotspot, a mantle plume that is probably responsible for older volcanism throughout the Anahim Volcanic Belt.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Geology
This volcanic belt includes the Rainbow, Ilgachuz and Itcha range shield volcanoes west of the Nazko swarm. Individual Anahim volcanoes generally become older to the west of the Nazko swarm, indicating that the North American Plate is moving in a westerly direction with respect to the hotspot, carrying the volcanoes along with it at a rate of 2 cm (0.79 in) to 3.3 cm (33 mm) per year. Because the area where the 2007–2008 Nazko earthquake swarm originated is at the eastern end of the volcanic belt, it probably represents the youngest portion of the hotspot track. This suggests any future volcanic earthquakes will occur in the Nazko region or further to the east.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Geology
Before the Nazko earthquake swarm began in 2007, the Anahim hotspot was not known to be an earthquake zone. On October 10 of the following year, a swarm of earthquakes occurred. These earthquakes were normally no more than magnitude 1.0 on the Richter magnitude scale, but at least one earthquake was as strong as magnitude 3.9. Since the appearance of the Nazko swarm, Natural Resources Canada has expressed interest in the adjacent 7,200‑year‑old Nazko Cone.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Geology
Even though earthquake swarms can be dangerous, scientists are able to model such events to analyze their structure. During the earthquake swarm in 2007, a group of scientists investigated the possibility that a volcanic eruption would occur. Five additional seismographs were placed in the earthquake zone, and scientists closely monitored the seismic activity. After additional data were gathered, scientists with the United States Geological Survey, the University of Washington, and other organizations, agreed that the Nazko earthquakes probably originated from movement of magma beneath the surface near Nazko Cone.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Geology
However, because of the number and small size of the Nazko earthquakes, no volcanic eruption is likely. Other recent earthquakes in North America that have been attributed to magma but did not result in a volcanic eruption include the 2003 earthquakes under Lake Tahoe in the U.S. state of California and a 2004 earthquake swarm at Jordan Craters in the U.S. state of Oregon.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Number of earthquakes
More than 1,000 earthquakes were recorded by regional seismic networks within three weeks of October 20, 2007. Because the seismometers that recorded the Nazko swarm were more than 25 km (16 mi) away from where the earthquakes took place, the locations of the hypocenters were measured with poor resolution. Following the earthquake, five seismometers were placed by the Geological Survey of Canada from September 2007 to June 2008 close to the hypocenter. Analysis of the data recorded by these seismometers indicates a much larger total number of earthquakes. For example, at least 597 earthquakes were recognized during a period of only six hours.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Number of earthquakes
At least two episodes of earthquakes constitute the Nazko swarm. In the first seismic phase from October 9 to November 1, 2007, a total of 153 earthquakes took place. During the second seismic phase between September 25, 2007 and June 12, 2008, 4,428 earthquakes occurred. These two seismic episodes were cross-correlated by scientists to understand changes in the development of the earthquake swarm. Correlation coefficients were around 1.0 for the beginnings of the periods of activity, indicating almost identical situations, and then decayed to around 0.5, indicating a decrease in similarity between the later stages of the two events.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Scientific response
The earthquake swarm was noted on October 12, 2007 in the Prince George Citizen by citizen staff, three days after the earthquakes began. Scientists mentioned in the report were seismologist John Cassidy of Natural Resources Canada and volcanologist Catherine Hickson, who was part of the Geological Survey of Canada at the time. At the time of the report, scientists did not know the origin of the swarm. Seismologist John Cassidy stated, "the depth is enough to rule out hydrothermal but it's up in the air as to whether the cause is tectonic shifts or volcanic activity.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Scientific response
If it is volcanic there are certain characteristics that we would expect, there's a tremor-like character to it. And so we'll be looking for the types of events that we see beneath volcanoes and we'll be looking to see if they're getting closer to the surface or if they're migrating at all."


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Scientific response
Even if the Nazko swarm were a warning of a volcanic eruption, Hickson doubted it would turn out to be a highly explosive eruption like those that can occur in subduction-zone volcanoes. "We're not talking about an injection of tonnes of ash many kilometers into the air like the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption or the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption. We're talking about something very small, relatively localized that should have a fairly limited impact... but it'll be extremely exciting", Hickson said.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Scientific response
If an eruption were to occur, Hickson suggested that it would be characterized by a lava fountain that sends globs of lava 100 m (330 ft) into the air. This is similar to those that occur in Hawaii. Hickson said that a Nazko eruption could be a tourist attraction, but warned that noxious gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide would be released during the event.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Preparedness and hazards
Because no seismographs were close enough to the Nazko swarm zone before the earthquakes began, employees of Natural Resources Canada placed seismographs in the area to monitor future earthquakes in the area more clearly. An infrasound station is also being established, which is able to measure sound waves that would normally go unnoticed by human hearing. These stations can detect volcanic eruptions and the release of gas at volcanic vents, and can be used in combination with other geophysical data to monitor fluid flow within volcanoes.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Preparedness and hazards
Employees of Natural Resources Canada have also visited two communities that were adjacent to the 2007–2008 earthquake swarm to renew information about the Nazko swarm, collect samples, and examine some of the more poorly studied volcanic deposits in the Nazko region. The Natural Resources Canada employees also measured carbon dioxide levels during the earthquake swarm. Carbon dioxide is usually discharged at faults in volcanically active areas and can collect in soil and under snow. Because of this, carbon dioxide concentrations can provide information on volcanic activity in the subsurface. The Nazko swarm did not cause any discernible discharge of carbon dioxide, which is normal for non-eruptive events.


2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes, Preparedness and hazards
The 2007–2008 Nazko earthquake swarm is one of numerous seismic events that have occurred near volcanoes in British Columbia. Volcanoes that have experienced volcanic earthquakes include the Mount Meager massif (seventeen events), Mount Cayley (four events), Mount Garibaldi (three events), Silverthrone Caldera (two events), Castle Rock (two events), Hoodoo Mountain (eight events), Crow Lagoon (four events), The Volcano (five events), and the Mount Edziza volcanic complex (eight events). Seismic data suggest that these volcanoes still contain active magma chambers, indicating possible future eruptive activity.