2010 South Australian state election
The incumbent centre-left Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Mike Rann was elected to a third four-year term over the opposition centre-right Liberal Party of Australia led by Leader of the Opposition Isobel Redmond. Labor's landslide 7.7 percent swing to a two-party-preferred vote of 56.8 percent at the 2006 election was reversed at this election with a swing of 8.4 percent, finishing with a two-party vote of 48.4 percent, however, Labor retained majority government with 26 of 47 seats, a net loss of two.


2010 South Australian state election
Labor lost the inner metropolitan seats of Adelaide, Morialta and Norwood to the Liberals while Nationals SA member Karlene Maywald lost her rural seat of Chaffey to the Liberals. Independent Kris Hanna lost to the Labor candidate in Mitchell, independents Bob Such in Fisher and Geoff Brock in Frome retained their seats (the latter having won at the 2009 by-election), while independent candidate Don Pegler won Mount Gambier, replacing outgoing independent Rory McEwen. Jay Weatherill took over from Rann as Premier and Labor leader in October 2011.


2010 South Australian state election
In the upper house, both major parties won four seats each, with the last three to the SA Greens, Family First, and Dignity for Disability. The composition of the upper house therefore became eight Labor, seven Liberal, two Green, two Family First, two independent No Pokies, and one Dignity for Disability.


2010 South Australian state election
Like federal elections, South Australia has compulsory voting, uses full-preference instant-runoff voting in single member seats for the lower house and single transferable vote group voting tickets in the proportionally represented upper house. The election was conducted by the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA), an independent body answerable to Parliament.


2010 South Australian state election, Results, House of Assembly
South Australian state election, 20 March 2010House of Assembly << 2006–2014 >>


2010 South Australian state election, Results, Pendulum
The following Mackerras Pendulum works by lining up all of the seats according to the percentage point margin post-election on a two-candidate-preferred basis. "Safe" seats require a swing of over 10 per cent to change, "fairly safe" seats require a swing of between 6 and 10 per cent, while "marginal" seats require a swing of less than 6 per cent.


2010 South Australian state election, Results, Legislative Council
South Australian state election, 20 March 2010Legislative Council << 2006–2014 >>


2010 South Australian state election, Results, Legislative Council
Prior to the election, of 22 seats, Labor and the Liberals held eight seats each, Family First and No Pokies held two seats each, and the Greens and Democrat-turned-independent David Winderlich held one seat each. Up for election were five Liberal, four Labor, one Family First, and Winderlich. Labor and the Liberals won four seats each, with one each to Family First and the Greens, with the last spot to Dignity for Disability candidate Kelly Vincent. This gives an upper house composition of eight Labor, seven Liberal, two Greens, two Family First, two independent No Pokies, and one Dignity for Disability.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Rann Labor opened the campaign by announcing the duplication (one-way to two-way) of the Southern Expressway, due to be completed by 2014. Additional specialist maths and science teachers for South Australian high schools were announced. Tens of thousands of extra training places and apprenticeships as part of a pledge to create 100,000 extra jobs during the next six years, despite a healthy economy, assisted by mining and defence industries, and the lowest state unemployment figures in the country.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Under Labor, the Royal Adelaide Hospital would be abandoned and a new hospital built on the site of the old rail yards, moving Adelaide's main hospital from the eastern end to the western end of North Terrace in the Central Business District, within the electoral district of Adelaide. The Liberals and minor party Save the RAH were campaigning against this, with the Liberals proposing renovations on the current site.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Australian Football League (AFL) games and other sporting events are expected to be moved away from AAMI Stadium to new grounds. The Liberals proposed a new sports stadium on the old rail yards, while Labor proposed a major overhaul of Adelaide Oval, also in the electoral district of Adelaide.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
A large unfunded liability within the workers compensation scheme known as WorkCover had built up under both Labor and Liberal governments, which sparked sweeping payout reductions under the last term of the Rann Government, with the legislation passed in Parliament by both major parties, but came under sustained criticism from both the left and the right.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
The left were critical of monetary cuts to injured or otherwise incapable workers (see 2008 Parnell–Bressington filibuster), while the Liberals attacked WorkCover's operations, claiming there was wasteful duplication and a decrease in accountability, argued that this contributed to its budget problems, and that under a Liberal government WorkCover's insurance and regulatory arms would be split.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson had been the subject of sustained criticism by the internet generation demographic for refusing to allow classification of and therefore legally allow certain types of explicit media (see Michael Atkinson#Media classification and censorship). Gamers 4 Croydon was created and contested Atkinson's seat of Croydon, as well as Adelaide, Norwood, Light, Mawson, and the upper house. Though the Liberals had not pledged a different stance on the issue, Atkinson suffered a larger than average primary swing of 16 points and two-party-preferred swing of 12 points in his seat.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Following the election, Atkinson announced his immediate resignation from the Rann ministry, and that he would not recontest his seat at the next election. It was announced that the new Rann Labor Attorney General would be John Rau, who expressed that he held a different view to his predecessor, and would be talking with his interstate counterparts at the next meeting of Attorneys General.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
The election campaign was overshadowed by affair allegations against Rann.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Although it was apparent only a few hours after the polls closed that Rann Labor had retained majority government, it was four days after the election that Rann officially claimed victory, after Redmond eventually conceded that the Liberals had not won enough seats to be capable of forming a government. The Governor of South Australia subsequently re-appointed Mike Rann as Premier of South Australia.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Labor retained government despite the Liberals winning a bare majority of the statewide two-party vote. The "fairness clause" in the state constitution was intended to ensure that the party winning the statewide two-party vote would win a majority of seats. On the boundaries drawn after the 2006 election, which were based on over a quarter-century of voting patterns, a uniform swing of 6.9 percent would have seen the Liberals take seven seats off Labor—on paper, enough to make Redmond South Australia's first female premier.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
However, despite suffering a swing of 8.4 percent, Labor only lost three seats, and only two of them—Morialta and Adelaide—saw swings of 6.9 percent or more. While 22 seats saw double-digit swings, Labor sat on insurmountably safe margins in 16 of them. Labor actually picked up swings in their favour in their two most marginal seats, Light and Mawson. The ABC's Antony Green observed that Labor lost votes in seats that would have stayed in Labor hands in any event, while holding onto its support in seats the Liberals needed in order to win government.


2010 South Australian state election, Campaign
Additionally, the Liberals only won nine of the 34 metropolitan seats, though all three seats they took off Labor were in Adelaide. For most of the four decades since the end of the Playmander, South Australian politics have been characterised by an extreme urban-rural split. Under normal conditions, Labor wins the most seats in the capital, while most of the Liberal vote is packed into ultra-safe rural seats. The 2010 election was no different. While six of the Liberals' 13 safe seats were urban, all but one of their four marginal seats were urban. As was the case at the 1989 election, much of the Liberal majority was wasted on landslides in their rural heartland.


2010 South Australian state election, Polling
Newspoll polling is conducted via random telephone number selection in city and country areas. Sampling sizes consist of just under 900 electors, with the 14–18 March 2010 poll consisting of just under 1600 electors. The declared margin of errors are ± 3.5 percent and ± 2.5 percent respectively.


2010 South Australian state election, Date
The last state election was held on 18 March 2006 to elect members for the House of Assembly and half of the members in the Legislative Council. In South Australia, section 28 of the Constitution Act 1934, as amended in 2001, directs that parliaments have fixed four-year terms, and elections must be held on the third Saturday in March every four years unless this date falls the day after Good Friday or occurs within the same month as a Commonwealth election, or the conduct of the election could be adversely affected by a state disaster.


2010 South Australian state election, Date
Section 28 also states that the Governor may also dissolve the Assembly and call an election for an earlier date if the Government has lost the confidence of the Assembly or a bill of special importance has been rejected by the Legislative Council. Section 41 states that both the Council and the Assembly may also be dissolved simultaneously if a deadlock occurs between them.


2010 South Australian state election, Date
The election campaign must run for a minimum of 25 days or a maximum of 55 days, therefore the Governor would need to have issued writs for the election by 23 February 2010 at the latest. Between 7 and 10 days after that date, the electoral roll is closed, which gives voters a final opportunity to enrol or to notify the State Electoral Office of any changes in their place of residence. Candidates wishing to stand for election can nominate between the issue of the writs and no more than 14 days after the close of rolls for a deposit of $450.


2010 South Australian state election, Date
The writs were issued 20 February, the electoral roll closed 2 March, and candidate nominations closed 5 March.


2010 South Australian state election, Previous Parliament
The centre-left Australian Labor Party, led by Premier Mike Rann, and the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia, led by Leader of the Opposition Isobel Redmond, are the two main parties in South Australia. In the 2006 state election, of 47 seats total, Labor won 28 seats, the Liberals won 15 seats and the Nationals, who are not in coalition with the Liberals in South Australia, retained their seat through minister Karlene Maywald (Chaffey). Three seats were retained by independents, minister Rory McEwen (Mount Gambier), Bob Such (Fisher) and Kris Hanna (Mitchell). Smaller parties which held no seats in the lower House but achieved significant votes in 2006 included the SA Greens and the Family First Party.


2010 South Australian state election, Previous Parliament
In the South Australian Legislative Council, the Labor Party and the Liberal Party held eight seats each, whilst No Pokies and Family First held two seats each. The SA Greens and an ex-Democrat independent held one seat each. Half of the upper house was up for election in 2010, four Labor and five Liberal, one Family First and one ex-Democrat independent.


2010 South Australian state election, Previous Parliament
No Pokies MP Nick Xenophon, re-elected in 2006 until 2014, was replaced by former No Pokies candidate John Darley after Xenophon's resignation to run for the Australian Senate at the 2007 federal election in which he was successful. Former Liberal MP Robert Brokenshire replaced Family First MP Andrew Evans as an MLC in 2008. The last remaining Democrats MP anywhere in Australia, Sandra Kanck, chose to resign before the end of her term, which prompted a party membership ballot to choose a replacement in early 2009. David Winderlich was selected. He resigned from the party in late 2009 to sit in parliament as an independent.


2010 South Australian state election, Previous Parliament
Former Liberal Premier Rob Kerin resigned in November 2008, which triggered a 2009 Frome by-election. Independent Geoff Brock won the seat, reducing the Liberals to 14 of 47 seats. A 2012 Ramsay by-election and a 2012 Port Adelaide by-election saw Labor retain both seats.


2010 South Cambridgeshire District Council election
Elections to South Cambridgeshire District Council took place on Thursday 6 May 2010, as part of the 2010 United Kingdom local elections. The election also took place at the same time as the 2010 United Kingdom general election. Nineteen seats, making up one third of South Cambridgeshire District Council, were up for election. Seats up for election in 2010 were last contested at the 2006 election. The Conservative Party retained their majority on the council, despite losing seats.


2010 South Cambridgeshire District Council election, Summary
At this election, Conservatives were defending 11 seats, Liberal Democrats were defending 6 seats and Independents were defending 2. Since the 2006 election, a by-election had been held in Balsham where the Conservatives had held the seat.


2010 South Cambridgeshire District Council election, Summary
The Liberal Democrats had a good night, taking seats from the Conservatives in Balsham, Cottenham and Melbourn and from independents in Fulbourn and Histon and Impington. Conservatives however gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats in the Shelfords and Stapleford.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team
The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Gamecocks played their home games in Carolina Stadium. The team was coached by Ray Tanner, who was in his fourteenth season at Carolina.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team
USC finished second in the Southeastern Conference regular season standings, and received an at-large bid to the 2010 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. The Gamecocks were designated the #1 seed and host of the Columbia Regional. Carolina went 3–0 in their Regional to advance to the Super Regionals. The Gamecocks beat Coastal Carolina in two games to win the Myrtle Beach Super Regional and advance to the 2010 College World Series. After losing the opener, the Gamecocks won their next six games to win the national championship, defeating UCLA in the CWS Championship Series in consecutive games, 7–1 and 2–1.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Regular season
The Gamecocks won their first seven SEC series of the 2010 season, which continued a streak of ten straight dating back to the end of the 2009 season. Another carryover streak was that of Whit Merrifield, who set a USC record when he hit safely in his 26th game in a row during the March 10 contest against Valparaiso. Another school record was tied in that game, as Gamecock pitchers combined to strike out 18 batters. Scott Wingo set a USC record on March 13 when he was hit by a pitch for the 35th time in his college career.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Regular season
Carolina lost the annual series against archrival Clemson for the first time since 2006 by losing two of three games against the Tigers. The March 6 game at Fluor Field was the first game between both schools at that stadium and the first game played in Greenville since the 1990 season.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Regular season
Head Coach Ray Tanner recorded his 600th victory at USC with a 10–1 win over The Citadel on March 30, and his 1,000th career victory with a 2–0 win over Vanderbilt on April 11.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Regular season
Overall, Carolina played nine schools that would eventually make the 2010 NCAA Tournament (Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, The Citadel, Clemson, College of Charleston, Florida, Mississippi, Vanderbilt). The Gamecocks compiled a 16–8 record against these schools. USC finished the regular season a perfect 15–0 in their midweek games.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, SEC Tournament
Carolina entered the SEC Tournament as the #3 seed by virtue of finishing second in the Eastern Division (Florida claimed the #1 seed by winning the SEC regular season championship and Auburn claimed the #2 seed by finishing first in the Western Division). The Gamecocks would lose their first two games against Ole Miss and Auburn (both were teams that the Gamecocks won series against in the regular season) being eliminated from the tournament without posting a victory.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, NCAA tournament
Carolina was awarded the #1 seed in the Columbia Regional of the 2010 NCAA tournament. On June 4, the Gamecocks opened regional play with #4 seed Bucknell. USC trailed 5–1 before rallying for five runs in the eighth inning, going on to defeat the Bison, 9–5. On June 5, Carolina would face #3 seed in-state foe, The Citadel, whom the Gamecocks had defeated twice during the regular season.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, NCAA tournament
Facing Bulldog ace and MLB first-round draft pick Asher Wojciechowski, USC would again come from behind, scoring five in the seventh and another two in the ninth to overcome a 4–2 deficit for the 9–4 victory, riding Blake Cooper's career-high 12 strikeouts. On June 6, Carolina squared off against #2 seed Virginia Tech, and scored six in the sixth to defeat the Hokies, 10–2, to sweep the Columbia Regional Championship and advance to the Super Regionals.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, NCAA tournament
The Gamecocks were sent on the road to the Myrtle Beach Super Regional to face #4 national seed Coastal Carolina. On June 12, Carolina defeated Coastal, 4–3, behind four early runs and another quality start by staff ace Blake Cooper. On June 13, the Gamecocks again found themselves needing to come from behind in the late-innings. Trailing the Chanticleers 9–7 in the eighth, freshman first-baseman Christian Walker became an instant hero with a 3-run blast that led to a 10–9 victory and ninth trip to Omaha for South Carolina.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, College World Series
By virtue of their Super Regional sweep of Coastal Carolina, South Carolina joined Arizona State, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, TCU, and UCLA in the 2010 College World Series. Before this year's appearance, South Carolina had a 17–16 record in the CWS, with runner-up finishes in 1975, 1977 and 2002. On June 20, the Gamecocks lost their opener to Oklahoma, 4–3, in a game that was played over nine hours due to two lengthy delays for rain and lightning.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, College World Series
Playing out of the losers' bracket with no margin for error, Carolina drubbed #1 national seed Arizona State 11–4 on June 22, scoring eight runs in the second inning to send the Sun Devils home. On June 24, the Gamecocks eliminated Oklahoma behind more late-inning heroics. Trailing 2–1 and down to their last strike in the 12th inning, Jackie Bradley, Jr. singled home the tying run and following a walk to pinch-hitter Jeffery Jones, Brady Thomas lined the first pitch he saw up the middle for a walk-off RBI single.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, College World Series
In a repeat of the 2002 CWS, Carolina found themselves in the position of having to beat Clemson twice in order to advance to the Championship Series. On June 25, Michael Roth made his first pitching start in over a year for the Gamecocks, and shut down the red-hot bats of the Tigers with a three-hit, complete-game performance in a dominating 5–1 victory. The following evening saw a rematch of the archrivals, with Carolina defeating Clemson, 4–3, and moving on to face UCLA in the CWS Finals.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, College World Series
The Gamecocks and the Bruins were both playing for the first baseball national championship for either school, and Carolina put themselves in the driver's seat as they cruised to a 7–1 victory in the first game of the series. Game 2 would turn out to be the last CWS game ever played in historic Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, and it was one for the ages. The Gamecocks and Bruins were locked in a pitchers' duel, and UCLA held a 1–0 lead until the bottom of the eighth when Carolina tied things up.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Postseason, College World Series
The respective closers for the two teams would continue the pitching battle for another three innings, until the bottom of the 11th when Scott Wingo drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, UCLA decided to pitch to Whit Merrifield, who lined a 2–0 pitch into right field to bring home the winning run.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, Gamecocks in the 2010 MLB Draft
The following members of the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball program were drafted in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his sixth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina and were members of the East Division of the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks finished the season 9–5, 5–3 in SEC play to win the East Division. They earned their first appearance in the SEC Championship where they were defeated by Auburn 17–56. They were invited to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, where they were defeated by Florida State 17–26.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Preseason
On April 10, 2010, the White squad defeated the Garnet squad, 21–17, in the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game, in front of a crowd of 22,000.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Schedule
The October 9 game against Alabama played host to ESPN's College GameDay, the program's 5th time hosting the popular ESPN show.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Game summaries, Southern Miss
Quarterback Stephen Garcia and freshman running back Marcus Lattimore each rushed for two touchdowns and USC head coach Steve Spurrier won his 18th straight season opener, 41-13 over Southern Miss. Sophomore wide receiver Alshon Jeffery also had 106 receiving yards and freshman wide receiver Ace Sanders had a 53-yard run off of a reverse. Freshman backup quarterback Connor Shaw also had a highlight, throwing his first touchdown pass as a Gamecock to wide receiver D.L. Moore.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Game summaries, Georgia
Freshman running back Marcus Lattimore carried for 182 yards and two touchdowns, as #24 South Carolina outmatched #22 Georgia, 17-6, in the SEC opener for both teams. Quarterback Stephen Garcia was 12-17 for 165 yards, with seven of his passes caught by wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who finished with 103 yards. Lattimore had 103 yards rushing in the first half, and USC held a 228-73 edge in total yards after the first two quarters.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Game summaries, Georgia
Georgia's 6 points were the fewest allowed by Carolina to a Bulldog team since a 2-0 USC victory in 1904, and the Gamecock defense held the Bulldogs to 61 rushing yards. Head Coach Steve Spurrier won his 106th SEC game, tying him for second all-time in the conference with former Ole Miss coach Johnny Vaught.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Game summaries, Furman
Stephen Garcia went 13-20 for 150 yards with two touchdown passes, and Marcus Lattimore had 19 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown to lead the #13 Gamecocks to a 38-19 win over Furman. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore sealed the game with an 80-yard interception return for touchdown in the 4th quarter.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Game summaries, Alabama
USC toppled Alabama at home to notch their first defeat of a top-ranked team in school history.


2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, Players, Depth chart
Projected starters and primary backups for SEC Championship Game versus Auburn on December 4, 2010.


2010 South Carolina State Bulldogs football team
The 2010 South Carolina State Bulldogs football team represented South Carolina State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The team was led by Oliver Pough in his ninth year as head coach and played its home games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. It finished the regular season with a 9–2 record overall and a 7–1 record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, making them conference co-champions alongside Bethune–Cookman. The team qualified for the playoffs, in which it was eliminated in the first round by Georgia Southern.


2010 South Carolina elections
Elections were held in South Carolina on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Primary elections were held on June 8, 2010, and a run-off election for certain contests was held on June 22, 2010.


2010 South Carolina elections, Federal, United States Senate
Republican incumbent Jim DeMint was seeking re-election to the United States Senate, facing Democratic contender Alvin Greene and Green Party candidate Tom Clements.


2010 South Carolina elections, Federal, United States House
All six of South Carolina's seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Governor
Incumbent Republican Governor Mark Sanford was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. Republican Nikki Haley and Democrat Vincent Sheheen, along with third-party candidate Morgan Bruce Reeves, contested the seat. The gubernatorial race was one of the closest in the state, as well as the country, despite the Republican wave on both the state and national level that year. Haley gained national attention as the first non-white and first woman Republican nominee for governor in South Carolina, and for her associations with the national Tea Party and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who endorsed her in the primary. Haley eventually won the race.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Lieutenant Governor
Republican Ken Ard and Democrat Ashley Cooper were the major party nominees for lieutenant governor. Incumbent Andre Bauer decided not to run for re-election in order to run for governor. He came in fourth in the GOP primary. Ard won the general election. A little over a year after being sworn in, he resigned after being indicted for misappropriation of campaign funds for personal expenses.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Lieutenant Governor
Ard, a businessman and Florence County Councilman, won a four-way primary after a run-off with Bill Connor, a veteran and attorney in Orangeburg. Other candidates were Larry Richter, a former state judge and former state Senator from Mount Pleasant, and Eleanor Kitzman, former director of the state Department of Insurance.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Secretary of State
Republican Mark Hammond ran for re-election as Secretary of State of South Carolina against Democrat Marjorie Johnson, a retired spokeswoman for a Washington, D.C. municipal sanitation corporation. Neither faced primary opposition.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Treasurer
Republican Curtis Loftis ran unopposed for the office of Treasurer of South Carolina. He defeated acting Treasurer Converse Chellis in the Republican primary. Chellis was appointed to the position by Governor Sanford after his predecessor, Thomas Ravenel, was convicted of possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and resigned. Loftis, the Director of Transparency at the Office of the Comptroller General, received some negative coverage when Chellis ran negative ads attacking him for having been arrested for assaulting his wife. (Loftis was later found not guilty.)


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Attorney General
Republican Alan Wilson, Democrat Matthew Richardson, and Green Party candidate Leslie Wilson were the nominees for attorney general. Wilson is the son of controversial South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson. The race was marked by high fundraising totals for both Wilson and Richardson, second only to the governor's race in total money raised and spent in the general election. Wilson eventually won.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Attorney General
In the Republican primary, Wilson faced two other challengers: Columbia attorneys Leighton Lord and Robert Bolchoz. Wilson eventually defeated Leighton Lord in a run-off.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Comptroller General
Incumbent Republican Richard Eckstrom ran for re-election against Democratic challenger Robert Barber. Although Eckstrom attracted negative attention over his affair with Kelly Payne, one of the GOP candidates for Superintendent of Education, he eventually won.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Comptroller General
In the Republican primary, Eckstrom defeated challenger Mike Meilinger, an accountant and consultant from Greenville.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Superintendent of Education
Candidates for Superintendent of Education in South Carolina included Republican Mick Zais, Democrat Frank Holleman, and third-party candidates Doretha Bull, Tony Fayyazi, and Tim Moultrie. Zais did little campaigning in the general, despite the relatively high fundraising totals posted by Holleman, a former United States Deputy Secretary of Education and South Carolina State Democratic Party Chairman. The general election race became the third most expensive statewide race in South Carolina in 2010, and one of the higher profile, in part because the perception that the outcome could be as close as it had been in 2006. However, Zais eventually won.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Superintendent of Education
Zais, a retired brigadier general and president of Newberry College, defeated Elizabeth Moffly in the GOP primary run-off. Moffly, a 2006 candidate for the Republican nomination, did surprisingly well considering her low fundraising and poor result in the 2006 contest. Other candidates included: Kelly Payne, an Irmo teacher; Gary Burgess, a former Laurens County school administrator who was arrested in 2009 for soliciting an immoral act; Brent Nelsen, a political science professor at Furman University; and Glenn Price, a Kershaw band teacher. Moffly went on to be elected to the Charleston County School District Board of Trustees in November.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Superintendent of Education
Holleman defeated college administrator Tom Thompson in the Democratic primary.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Adjutant General
Republican Bob Livingston ran unopposed in the general election and faced no primary opposition.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Republican Hugh Weathers ran for re-election against Democratic challenger Tom Elliott, a former Richland County treasurer and councilman. Neither faced primary opposition. The major issue in the race was the moving of the state farmers' market, which Elliott suggested had been done improperly.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, State House of Representatives
All 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Judicial positions
Several Probate Court justices were up for election in 2010. Most other judges are elected by the South Carolina General Assembly instead of by the general population.


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Ballot measures
Amendment 1 amended Article I of the state Constitution to guarantee citizens the right to hunt, fish and trap wildlife, "subject to laws and regulations promoting sound wildlife conservation and management as prescribed by the General Assembly."


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Ballot measures
Amendment 2 amended Article II of the state Constitution "to provide that the fundamental right of an individual to vote by secret ballot is guaranteed for a designation, a selection, or an authorization for employee representation by a labor organization."


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Ballot measures
Amendment 3 amended Section 36(A) of Article III of the state Constitution "to increase from three to five percent in increments of one-half of one percent over four fiscal years the amount of state general fund revenue in the latest completed fiscal year required to be held in the General Reserve Fund."


2010 South Carolina elections, State, Ballot measures
Amendment 4 amended Section 36(A) of Article III of the state Constitution " to increase from three to five percent in increments of one-half of one percent over four fiscal years the amount of state general fund revenue in the latest completed fiscal year required to be held in the General Reserve Fund and to allow the percentage amount to be subsequently increased or decreased by separate legislative enactment passed by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Senate and a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the House of Representatives."


2010 South Carolina elections, Local
Many elections for county and city offices were also be held on November 2, 2010.


2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election
The 2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Republican Governor Mark Sanford was term limited and unable to seek re-election. Primary elections took place on June 8, 2010, and a runoff election, as was necessary on the Republican side, was held two weeks later on June 22.


2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election
Republican Nikki Haley defeated Democrat Vincent Sheheen in the general election by a margin of 4.5%. As of 2018, this is the closest that the Democrats have come to winning the governorship of South Carolina since their last victory in 1998. This is the 1st open seat election since 1994.


2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election, Debates
Sponsored by the Republican Parties of Newberry and Laurens CountiesAired on WIS-TV on September 22, 2009


2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election, Debates
Sponsored by the SC Natural Resources SocietyAired on SCETV on November 3, 2009 (This debate marked the first time in state history that gubernatorial primary candidates from both parties participated in the same debate.)


2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election, Debates
Sponsored by the South Carolina Republican PartyModerated by MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika BrzezinskiAired on WCSC-TV on January 28, 2010


2010 South Dakota elections
Elections were held in South Dakota on November 2, 2010. Primary elections took place on June 8, 2010 for the Democratic Party, Republican Party, and Constitution Party.


2010 South Dakota elections, State, Governor
Mike Rounds, the Republican Governor, was term-limited and did not seek re-election in 2010. Five candidates ran for the Republican nomination. The winner of the Republican primary faced Democratic State Senator Scott Heidepriem in the general election.


2010 South Dakota elections, State, Other Statewide Officers
The offices of Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, 2010 South Dakota Attorney General election, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of School and Public Lands, and Public Utility Commissioner were all up for election in 2010. Candidates for each party were nominated at the 2010 state conventions of each political party.


2010 South Dakota elections, State, State Senate
All thirty-five seats of the South Dakota Senate were up for election in 2010.


2010 South Dakota elections, State, State House of Representatives
All seventy seats in the South Dakota House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.


2010 South Dakota elections, State, Ballot measures
Four measures were certified for the November 2 ballot:1. Protects the right to secret ballots in federal, state, and union representation elections2. Repeals the automatic annual transfer of $12 million from the trust fund to the state general fund3. Extends smoking ban to apply statewide4. Proposes legalization of medical marijuana


2010 South Dakota elections, Local, County officers
County offices including County Commissioners, County Auditors, County Registers of Deeds, and County Sheriffs were up for election in 2010.


2010 South Dakota elections, Local, Party representatives
In its closed primary election on June 8, party members elected delegates to the Republican Party State Convention and the Democratic Party State Convention.


2010 South Dakota gubernatorial election
The 2010 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of South Dakota to a four-year term. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Rounds was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.


2010 South Dakota gubernatorial election
Republican candidate Dennis Daugaard was elected, defeating Democratic candidate Scott Heidepriem.


2010 South Darfur clash
On 23 April 2010 a military clash occurred in South Darfur involving a Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) company and another party. The clash happened in Balballa near to the border with the Bahr al-Ghazal province. The identity of the other combatant is disputed with the SPLA claiming it to be the North Sudanese Sudan People's Armed Forces (SPAF) whilst the SPAF and tribal sources say that it was Rezeigat nomadic Arab tribesmen that were involved. A Rezeigat tribal leader has said that 58 tribesmen were killed in the clash and 85 were wounded. The governor of Bahr al-Ghazal has stated that both sides suffered casualties but no figures for SPLA losses are known.


2010 South Darfur clash
The attack came just before results of the April general election were due to be announced. North Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was expected to win the election, with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement retaining control over the semi-autonomous south of the country.


2010 South Darfur clash, Responsibility
It is not known who instigated the attack. The SPLA claims that the attackers were uniformed members of the northern Sudan People's Armed Forces (SPAF) and used four landcruisers with mounted machine guns. The SPAF denies any involvement in this attack but stated that the SPLA had clashed with the Rezeigat nomadic Arab tribe, calling it a "clear violation" of the 2005 peace deal. A tribal spokesman confirmed to the Agence France Presse news agency that the Rezeigat had been involved in the clash with the SPLA whilst searching for new pastures for their cattle.


2010 South Darfur clash, Responsibility
The SPLA denied this stating that the Rezeigat were not equipped with landcruisers. The governor of nearby Bahr al-Ghazal province only confirmed a clash between the SPLA and "armed men" that caused casualties on both sides. The governor stated that he would meet with the Darfuri authorities to discuss the matter.


2010 South Darfur clash, Attack
The attack occurred in Balballa, South Darfur and according to a tribal leader resulted in the deaths of at least 58 tribesmen and the wounding of 85 more. Reinforcements from both sides are reported to be heading to the area with SPLA forces said to be headed from Raja, Aweil and Wau. The Rezeigat were previously involved  in a conflict with other nomadic tribes in 2009 that claimed the lives of 900 people. The SPLA is affiliated with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement which rules the semi-autonomous South Sudan region and was permitted to retain an army after a peace deal ended the Second Sudanese Civil War in 2005.


2010 South Darfur clash, Attack
The SPLA stated that another attack had been launched on its forces in the area on 25 April. This attack occurred in the Raja area and forced the SPLA force to retreat. Of the approximately 100 men in the area 47 had reported back with the remainder presumed to be still out in the field.


2010 South Darfur gubernatorial election
The South Darfur gubernatorial election took place on 11–15 April 2010, alongside the wider Sudanese general election, to elect the Governor of South Darfur.


2010 South East Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships
The 16th South East Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships 2010 were held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.


2010 South East Asian Table Tennis Championships
The 2010 South East Asian Table Tennis Championships were held in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines from 12 to 15 December 2010.


2010 South Florida Bulls football team
The 2010 South Florida Bulls football team represented the University of South Florida (USF) in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulls played their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 2010 season was the 14th season overall for the Bulls, and their sixth season in the Big East Conference. This was the first season with Skip Holtz as the head coach at USF, and the first without the program's only head coach, Jim Leavitt, who was fired January 8, 2010.


2010 South Florida Bulls football team
On April 17, 2010, USF held its annual intersquad spring football game at Raymond James Stadium. 'Team South Florida' defeated 'Team Bulls' by a score of 49–31, in front of a record crowd of 6,357.


2010 South Florida Bulls football team
On November 3, USF defeated Rutgers 28–27, making it the 100th victory in the history of USF football.


2010 South Florida Bulls football team
Concluding the season, USF was invited to the Meineke Car Care Bowl to face the Clemson Tigers. It marked the 6th consecutive season that the Bulls have gone to a post-season bowl. USF defeated Clemson, 31-26, securing a 3rd straight bowl victory for the Bulls. Quarterback BJ Daniels was named the MVP of the game.


2010 South Florida Bulls football team
The Bulls finished the season 8–5, 3–4 in Big East play. It is the 5th straight season that USF has finished with 8 or more wins.


2010 South Kivu fuel tank explosion
The catastrophe of Sange was the explosion of a tank truck on 2 July 2010 in South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The truck overturned in the village of Sange and later exploded, resulting in at least 230 deaths and 196 injured.


2010 South Kivu fuel tank explosion, Crash
The tanker overturned in the village of Sange, near the Congo-Burundi border. Mende Omalanga, the Democratic Republic of Congo's Minister of Communications, claimed that the tanker was trying to overtake a bus. A local police officer reported that the driver was traveling at an "excessive speed".


2010 South Kivu fuel tank explosion, Explosion
An explosion occurred as villagers attempted to collect the fuel that was spilling from the overturned vehicle. "There was a crush (of people) and a petrol leak". The minister of communications, Lambert Omalanga, said that one local resident was smoking a cigarette, a spark from which ignited the fuel. Many mud and grass huts were destroyed in the subsequent fire.


2010 South Kivu fuel tank explosion, Explosion
Among the dead were 36 women and 61 children. Some of the injured had severe burn wounds. A medical source said that the local hospitals "do not have necessary logistical materials to treat those who are seriously injured".


2010 South Kivu fuel tank explosion, Explosion
It was initially reported that five of the dead were United Nations peacekeepers, but this was reported later as being incorrect.


2010 South Korean Figure Skating Championships
The 2010 South Korean Figure Skating Championships (Korean: 제64회 전국 남녀 피겨스케이팅 종합선수권대회) were the South Korean Figure Skating Championships for the 2009–10 season. They were the 64th edition of those championships held. They were organized by the Korean Skating Union.


2010 South Korean Figure Skating Championships
Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's and ladies' singles on the senior, junior, and novice levels for the title of national champion of South Korea. The results of the national championships were used to choose the Korean teams to the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships and the 2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. The teams to the 2010 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and 2010 Winter Olympics had previously been chosen at a ranking competition in November, 2009.


2010 South Korean Figure Skating Championships
The competition was held between 9 and 10 January 2010 at the Taereung Ice Rink in Seoul.


2010 South Korean local elections
The 5th local elections were held in South Korea on 2 June 2010. The voter turnout reached 54.4%, the highest in 15 years.


2010 South Korean local elections, Provincial level elections, Metropolitan Mayoral and Gubernatorial elections
The ruling GNP was able to win 4 out of 7 mayoral seats but suffer by massive landslide on the gubernatorial election winning only 2 out of 9 seats. On the other hand, DEP was able to capture 2 mayoral seats and swept 5 out of 9 gubernatorial seats. The LFP won Daejeon while two independent candidates won gubernatorial seats one in Gyeongsangnam-do and the other in Jeju-do.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes
The 2010 South Kyrgyzstan riots (Kyrgyz: Ош коогалаңы; Uzbek: Qirgʻiziston janubidagi tartibsizliklar, Қирғизистон жанубидаги тартибсизликлар; Russian: Беспорядки на юге Киргизии) were clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan, primarily in the cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad, in the aftermath of the ouster of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on 7 April. It is part of the larger Kyrgyz Revolution of 2010. Violence that started between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks on 19 May in Jalal-Abad escalated on 10 June in Osh.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes
The spreading of the violence required the Russian-endorsed interim government led by Roza Otunbayeva to declare a state of emergency on 12 June, in an attempt to take control of the situation. Uzbekistan launched a limited troop incursion early on, but withdrew and opened its borders to Uzbek refugees. The clashes killed nearly 420 people, mostly Uzbeks, and displaced another 80,000.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Soviet period
After national delimitation in the Soviet Union (1917-mid-1930s), the peoples of Central Asia began a process of ethnogenesis in which they began to define themselves as "Kyrgyz", "Kazakhs", or "Turkmen", rather than with reference to their religion or locality. The people defined by Soviet ethnographers as Kyrgyz were generally nomadic, and the people defined as Uzbek, sedentary.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Soviet period
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev suppressed Kyrgyz ethnic nationalism, favoring Pan-Islamic and Pan-Turkic unity until he was overthrown in the 2005 Tulip Revolution.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, 1990 violence
In June 1990, a violent land dispute between the Kyrgyz and Uzbeks erupted in the city of Osh. A group of Kyrgyz demanded that a predominantly Uzbek collective farm be given to them. Uzbek activists objected and violent clashes between the two ethnic groups ensued. Until groups of Kyrgyz came from the surrounding villages, the Uzbeks had the upper hand. A state of emergency and curfew were introduced and the border between the Uzbek and Kyrgyz republics was closed. Soviet troops were deployed to stop the violence. Order was not restored until August. Official estimates of the death toll range from over 300 to more than 600. Unofficial figures range up to more than 1,000.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Anti-Uzbek sentiments
In southern Kyrgyzstan, ethnic Uzbeks have been highly active in the local economy, especially in trade and services, and more recently also in agriculture. In Kyrgyz public opinion, wealthy Uzbek Kyrgyzstani leaders such as Qodirjon Botirov have attempted to turn this economic clout into political power, promoting a militant Uzbek nationalism which demands official Uzbek language status in Kyrgyzstan, and a number of seats reserved solely for Uzbeks in the Kyrgyz parliament. The Kyrgyz also think that Uzbeks are "growing wealthy off the backs of the pauperized Kyrgyz" and seeking to destroy Kyrgyzstan's unity with their calls for linguistic and political autonomy.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Anti-Uzbek sentiments
At the same time, the cities of Kyrgyzstan have received a mass influx of young Kyrgyz people from rural areas who, having difficulty finding work and permanent housing, are likely to become involved in criminal gangs. Decisions about ethnic problems are not taking place at the government level, as their very existence is not recognized and, moreover, virtually all administrative positions are held by ethnic Kyrgyz.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Anti-Uzbek sentiments
Many Uzbeks say ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev favored Kyrgyz people. Many Kyrgyz in the south strongly supported Bakiyev, even after he was overthrown. Currently Bakiyev is in exile in Belarus. Bakyt Beshimov noted that after 7 April uprising the interim government was unable to control the situation in Kyrgyzstan, paving the way for major disturbances. "Ruthless" struggle for power was noted by him as a major cause.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Anti-Uzbek sentiments
Many Kyrgyz feel that their sovereignty is threatened by their neighbor Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyz media often reports on Uzbekistan's supposed desire to protect Uzbek people abroad. Kyrgyzstan has a long disputed border with the country, over which Uzbekistan has unilaterally erected a barrier. The Uzbek National Security Service has been known to perform deadly intelligence operations in Kyrgyzstan, and there is also Kyrgyz fear about infiltration from the militant Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
Some sources initially claimed the riots were orchestrated from outside forces. There were multiple reports of organized groups of gunmen in ski masks, believed to be from neighboring Tajikistan, shooting both Uzbeks and Kyrgyz to ignite the riots. However, the head of Kyrgyzstan security forces denied such claims of the media.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
The interim Kyrgyz government led by Roza Otunbayeva claimed that the former president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, and his connections were behind the riots, although no proof of this claim was presented. Kyrgyz deputy Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev has also claimed that the riots were paid for with $10 million from Bakiyev's son, Maxim Bakiyev.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
Some have also called for Russian involvement, but the Kremlin refused to get involved with forces even at the request of the interim government.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
On 14 May, media outlets broadcast a tapped telephone conversation between Communist Party leader Iskhak Masaliyev and other politicians. They discussed organizing mass protests in southern Kyrgyzstan. The people included Bakiyev's adviser Usen Sydykov, then a powerful politician in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyzstan security forces arrested the two. Masaliyev had just arrived from Moscow. The arrest fueled speculation that the Kremlin was working to produce instability.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
Elmira Nogoybayeva, the head of the Kyrgyz Polis Asia Analytic Center, noted in May that Russia and its ally Kazakhstan launched a consistent mass media campaign to discredit the image of Kyrgyzstan. On 14 June 2010, Eurasian expert Giorgi Kvelashvili stated that Moscow's actions appeared to be part of a larger calculated plan.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
International organizations have not supported the view that the June events were orchestrated from outside. According to Human Rights Watch "[the] violence in southern Kyrgyzstan began on June 10, when a large crowd of ethnic Uzbeks gathered in response to a minor fight between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in a casino in the center of Osh. Several violent attacks during the night of June 10 against ethnic Kyrgyz and the torching of several buildings enraged ethnic Kyrgyz from Osh and outside villages, thousands of whom filed into the city."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Background, Possible instigators
Uzbekistan was supposed to be concerned that Russia was using the events to consolidate its power over Central Asia, including Uzbekistan. Stratfor reported on 13 June that "the crisis has moved from being an internal Kyrgyz emergency to a confrontation between Uzbekistan and Russia. Russia has proven this past year that it is on a path of consolidation in Central Asia – of which Uzbekistan could be the toughest link in the chain to control".


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Outbreak
In late May 2010, hundreds of residents of the Uzbek enclave of Sokh in Kyrgyzstan blocked a main highway leading to Uzbekistan, demanding greater security after several of their cars were allegedly vandalized. Uzbekistan then deployed limited military and police forces into the enclave, but they withdrew on 3 June.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Outbreak
During the political chaos that followed the ouster of Kurmanbek Bakiyev tensions between the Kyrgyz and Uzbeks increased. Violence erupted in the evening of 10 June in Osh. According to most accounts, a dispute in a casino between young Uzbeks and Kyrgyz was a watershed in the violence. Both groups called friends to come to help and clashes continued throughout the night. Crowds of Kyrgyz from the countryside flocked to Osh, Jalal-Abad, and other towns to join the local Kyrgyz and Uzbek crowds to attack each other's neighborhoods. From 11 June through 14 June, there were killings and tortures, looting and setting fire to homes and businesses.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Course of events
Between 9 and 10 June 2010, rioting in the city of Osh between ethnic Kyrgyz and the minority Uzbek population resulted in at least 46 people dead and 637 injured, many seriously. Gunfire was reported throughout the day in the southern cities and a state of emergency was declared, resulting in the deployment of military units to restore law and order.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Course of events
On 12 June, Kyrgyzstan's interim government asked Russia to help quell ethnic fighting, claiming the army and police had lost control. Moscow said it could not get involved at that stage because the crisis was an internal affair of Kyrgyzstan. President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia and President Hu Jintao of China vowed to support Kyrgyzstan's provisional government in restoring order.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Course of events
The Kyrgyz interim government passed a decree declaring a partial mobilization of the civilian reservists. On 13 June, Kyrgyz recruitment offices began registering the reservists. The Kyrgyz government also authorized security forces to use deadly force and shoot to kill.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Course of events
On 12 and 13 June, the International Committee of the Red Cross expressed its deep concern about the worsening humanitarian situation and called on the Kyrgyz authorities to do everything in their power to protect their citizens, restore order and ensure respect for the rule of law.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Course of events
In the morning of 15 June the national security board chairman Alik Orozov described the situation in southern provinces as "People have gone insane, they are confronting each other. The situation has become uncontrollable, it's true chaos".


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Course of events
On 16 June, The Washington Post reported that the violence began to subside in Jalal-Abad. However, it reported that "when residents were asked about what had happened – about why neighbors had turned against each other so suddenly and in such brutal fashion – the simmering anger between the Kyrgyz and the minority Uzbeks quickly surfaced, hinting at the continuing volatility of the situation". The Washington Post also reported that Uzbek and Kyrgyz residents blame each other for the violence. Kyrgyz soldiers and police officers set up roadblocks and began patrols after the worst of the violence was over.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Victims
The exact number of people killed in the clashes remains uncertain. In January 2011, a National Commission composed of local experts reported 426 people died in the violence, among them 276 Uzbeks and 105 ethnic Kyrgyz. Unofficial sources reported "thousands" killed, several thousands wounded and tens of thousands of refugees. These figures are higher than official data as authorities counted only those who died in hospitals and those who were formally buried during the days of the violence. In accordance with Islamic law, many people buried their dead relatives immediately without registering them.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Victims
According to sources from the ethnic Uzbek community, at least 700 ethnic Uzbeks were killed in Jalal-Abad, where clashes were less intense than in Osh. According to local sources, in Osh from 1,526 to more than 2,000 people died in the pogroms. Residents of Jalal-Abad claimed that at least 2,000 people died in total and the official figures were too low. The Uzbek edition of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on 16 June 2010, that 2,608 Uzbeks had been killed since the beginning of the clashes. The residents of the city of Osh reported that the bodies of 1,170 Uzbeks were taken from the streets and ruins and buried by members of the Uzbek community.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Victims
The killings were performed with fearsome cruelty – many victims were raped and burned alive. Armed gangs tried to prevent wounded to receive any first aid. In Jalal-Abad crowds attacked the hospital where the wounded were receiving treatment. The violence was facilitated by neglect from local police and military. Moreover, many sources and international organizations claimed that the local military actively participated in the ethnic clashes and looting. At least five policemen were reported to have been killed during the clashes.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Victims
The violence caused thousands of people to flee their homes. According to the United Nations and other international organizations, 400,000 refugees were displaced by the pogroms and over 111,000 people fled across the border to Uzbekistan.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Victims
It was reported that local authorities arrested a number of Uzbek activists who were trying to make photo and video evidence of the violence.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
A great number of witnesses and international organizations have suspected the Kyrgyz authorities' hand in the pogroms. Human Rights Watch investigated the violence and published a report entitled "Where is the Justice? ": Interethnic Violence in Southern Kyrgyzstan and its Aftermath. The report seriously questioned the claim that the attacks were spontaneous, citing witnesses who saw firsthand how people in uniforms jumped out of armored personnel carriers and fired automatic weapons shouting anti-Uzbek slurs.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
The attacks on Osh's Uzbek neighborhoods of Cheremushki, Shait-Tepe, Shark, and others, described to Human Rights Watch independently by dozens of witnesses, showed a consistent pattern. In many accounts, individuals in camouflage uniforms on armored military vehicles entered the neighborhoods first, removing the makeshift barricades that Uzbek residents had erected. They were followed by armed men who shot and chased away any remaining residents, and cleared the way for the looters.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
The authorities claimed that Kyrgyz mobs stole the military uniforms, weapons, and vehicles that were used in the attacks. Observers pointed out that if this claim was true, it would raise a separate set of questions regarding the military's loss of control over weapons and equipment that ended up in the hands of mobs attacking ethnic Uzbeks and their property.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
The interim government granted shoot-to-kill powers to its security forces in the south of Kyrgyzstan, which was criticized by human rights organizations. The interim government's shoot-to-kill orders resulted in indiscriminate killing of many ethnic Uzbeks. Different sources suspected the Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence. On 3 May 2011, in the article "Kyrgyzstan's Army Implicated in Ethnic Bloodshed," the Associated Press reported that an international investigation into the causes of the ethnic conflict had concluded that Kyrgyz security forces' handing out of weapons to mobs during the violence was an indication of the military's complicity in the violence. Human Rights Watch also reported some government forces' involvement in the attacks on Uzbek neighborhoods:


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
… the security forces seemed to respond differently to acts of violence depending on the ethnicity of the perpetrators, raising concerns that capacity was not the only reason for the failure to protect ethnic Uzbeks. The security forces seemed to focus resources on addressing the danger presented by Uzbeks, but not by Kyrgyz, even after it became clear that Kyrgyz mobs posed an imminent threat; and the forces took very limited, if any, operational measures to protect the Uzbek population.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
The police and local authorities failed to stop the spread of the pogroms, which was seen as proof of the total ineffectiveness of the interim government headed by Roza Otunbayeva. Although the Kyrgyz government that failed to establish law and order during the violence blamed external forces for the bloody clashes, it did not provide evidence to support this claim.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
Human rights violations were committed by security forces not only during the June events, but also in their aftermath. After the violence stopped, Kyrgyz law enforcement officers carried out arbitrary arrests, ill-treated detainees, beat and insulted residents, and in some cases even killed people. The Kyrgyz security forces carried out sweep operations, purportedly to confiscate illegal weapons. Investigations carried out by international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International concluded that law enforcement agencies had conducted arbitrary raids mainly in Uzbek neighborhoods:


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
After the initial violence subsided security forces started to carry out search operations in villages and homes, ostensibly to seize weapons and detain those responsible for committing violent crimes. These large scale operations were carried out over a couple of weeks until the end of June. There were numerous reports that security forces were using excessive force during these operations and that they were targeting Uzbek neighbourhoods. Human rights organizations, journalists and community leaders reported that hundreds of men, the majority of them Uzbek, were arbitrarily detained and beaten or otherwise ill-treated and tortured during such raids and subsequently during their detention.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
Human Rights Watch received dozens of reports of police officials asking for exorbitant bribes of up to $10,000 for the release of detainees. Security officers demanded money from the families of detainees to free their relatives or prevent others from being arrested. The overwhelming majority of detainees were Uzbeks. Many detainees were ill-treated, intimidated, and brutally beaten. Human rights organizations also reported that the security forces planted evidence, beat people with rifles, destroyed documents, stole possessions, and ill-treated detainees.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
"Many reported being held incommunicado in police or national security custody, beaten, or otherwise ill-treated and tortured to force them to confess to a crime or to incriminate a relative, a neighbour, an employer or a friend." Kyrgyz Security forces injured 39 people, two of whom died in hospital, in the village of Nariman.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
Authorities harassed and attacked lawyers representing clients, predominantly ethnic Uzbeks, with regard to the ethnic violence. Lawyers reported that local authorities prevented them from seeing their clients, let alone helping them. Officials insulted and threatened lawyers defending ethnic Uzbeks on repeated occasions.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Kyrgyz security forces' hand in the violence
Ethnically-motivated attacks continued in the south of Kyrgyzstan after the large-scale violence diminished in intensity. The authorities did little to halt the attacks, either because they were unable to or unwilling to stop them. Human Rights Watch reported a dozen of people, mostly women, were attacked and brutally beaten in front of the Osh City Police Department, while a large number of armed policemen did nothing to stop the attacks. Local authorities did not investigate ill-treatment in custody. The chief military prosecutor told Human Rights Watch that the sweep operation in Nariman would not be investigated because he regarded the actions of the law enforcement agencies—including shooting and brutal beatings that resulted in two deaths—as "lawful and adequate."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Torture and arbitrary arrests in the aftermath of the violence
In trials following the violence in southern Kyrgyzstan, the majority of defendants have been ethnic Uzbek. In early 2012, ethnic Uzbeks made up 77 per cent of those detained and charged for crimes related to the June 2010 violence. This has perpetuated the widely propagated theory in Kyrgyz political circles that the Uzbeks started the violence.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Torture and arbitrary arrests in the aftermath of the violence
Dozens of prominent Uzbek religious and community leaders were arrested by security forces following the riots, including journalist and human rights activist Azimzhan Askarov. Following a trial criticized by several international human rights organizations, Askarov was charged with creating mass disturbances, incitement of ethnic hatred, complicity in murder and was given a life sentence. Various human rights organizations stated that they believed the charges against him and his co-defendants to be politically motivated, and Amnesty International designated Askarov a prisoner of conscience.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Torture and arbitrary arrests in the aftermath of the violence
On 29 March 2012, the International Crisis Group (ICG) published a report which stated that ethnic tensions between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz continue to grow since June 2010 in southern Kyrgyzstan, "largely because of the state's neglect and southern leaders' anti-Uzbek policies." The report noted that the current superficial silence in the south was not a sign of success. According to the ICG, unless systematic measures are taken, further violence may erupt and even the most determined ethnic nationalist like Melis Myrzakmatov is unlikely to keep the Uzbek minority silenced forever.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Torture and arbitrary arrests in the aftermath of the violence
The Crisis Group reported that, contrary to common belief, the violence in southern Kyrgyzstan was not a fringe phenomenon perpetrated by ruthless, uneducated, and unemployed youth and corrupt politicians only. In reality even the more or less educated middle-class Kyrgyz do not have a conciliatory attitude. Few people in southern Kyrgyzstan have had access to any analysis of the riots that challenge the versions that blame Uzbeks as dangerous outsiders. Educated activist and professionals in southern Kyrgyzstan believe that the Uzbeks brought ruin upon themselves.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Torture and arbitrary arrests in the aftermath of the violence
Few Kyrgyz admit that discrimination and humiliation of ethnic Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan has long been unbearable. They dismiss the report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry which documents how weapons, mostly automatic rifles, were distributed to Kyrgyz crowds and that armoured personnel carriers had been surrendered without resistance and subsequently used in attacks on Uzbek communities.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Torture and arbitrary arrests in the aftermath of the violence
Following the June events ethnic Uzbeks have been subjected to arbitrary detentions, extortion and torture. Juan Méndez, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, issued a report in December 2011 in which he wrote: "serious human rights violations committed in the context of ongoing investigations into the events of June 2010 and after have continued unabated in recent months."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Melis Myrzakmatov's emergence as a nationalist leader
Following the violence a new leadership surfaced in southern Kyrgyzstan. Openly nationalist Osh mayor Melis Myrzakmatov, a Bakiyev appointee, emerged as the preeminent political figure in the south. Myrzakmatov and other southern nationalists formed the party Ata-Zhurt which won 28 seats out of 120 in the 2010 Kyrgyzstani parliamentary election. The party initially campaigned to roll back the new constitution and bring Bakiyev back from exile in Belarus.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Melis Myrzakmatov's emergence as a nationalist leader
Myrzakmatov is a radical nationalist leader and openly bears an ethnic Kyrgyz-first policy. He has largely ignored the capital Bishkek in his actions. This situation did not change even after the supposedly neutral northerner Almazbek Atambayev was elected president in December 2011. Senior members of Atambayev's administration "express dismay at tensions in the south but say they have no way of influencing the situation there."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Melis Myrzakmatov's emergence as a nationalist leader
In late 2011, Myrzakmatov published a book entitled In Search of the Truth. The Osh Tragedy: Documents, Facts, Appeals, and Declarations (Russian: В поисках истины. Ошская трагедия: документы, факты, интервью, обращения и заявления), both in Kyrgyz and Russian, in which he presented his own version of the June events. In the book he took a radical anti-Uzbek approach and portrayed Uzbeks as a separatist group and "stressed the need for non-Kyrgyz ethnic groups to understand their future role would be as subordinates."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Melis Myrzakmatov's emergence as a nationalist leader
In his book Myrzakmatov gives a dubious account of the events in Southern Kyrgyzstan. "Many details are questionable, and key events are missing. There is little reference to attacks on Uzbek districts, and no discussion of casualties in Uzbek areas." According to Myrzakmatov, the Kyrgyz were caught off-guard by the attack of Uzbeks who were "armed to the teeth" but the attack was thwarted by Myrzakmatov and a few other similar "heroic" ethnic Kyrgyz who were inspired by Manas, a hero of a Kyrgyz legend.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Melis Myrzakmatov's emergence as a nationalist leader
On 5 December 2013, the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Zhantoro Satybaldiyev issued a decree and dismissed Myrzakmatov from his post as mayor of Osh. Despite being dismissed, Myrzakmatov was allowed to take part in a new mayoral election that was held on January 15, 2014. He was defeated by pro-presidential candidate Aitmamat Kadyrbaev. Both Myrzakmatov's dismissal and his defeat in the election provoked mass protests by his supporters.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Rise of the nationalist party Ata-Zhurt
The support from the United States, Uzbekistan, and Russia for the Uzbek side of the riots has fueled conspiracy theories in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz nationalist party Ata-Zhurt has interpreted the ethnic unrest as fueling from a Kyrgyzstan government failure to promote respect for Kyrgyz language and culture among minorities, such as Uzbeks.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Fate of the Uzbek language
In the aftermath of the ethnic clashes Kyrgyz authorities have taken measures to remove the Uzbek language from public life. Uzbek schools are being pressured to switch to Kyrgyz across Kyrgyzstan. All signs in Uzbek have been removed from public places and Uzbek TV and radio channels have been closed.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, Fate of the Uzbek language
Under Myrzakmatov's leadership a bell was erected in Osh in memory of the victims of the June 2010 violence. Even though the violence took place between the Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, the bell has inscriptions calling for peace in three languages, namely Kyrgyz, Russian, and English, but not in Uzbek.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, International Commission of Inquiry
At the Kyrgyz government's request an independent commission into the events in southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 was formed to study and report on the ethnic clashes. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry (KIC) was formed by the Nordic countries' initiative for an independent international inquiry and was accepted by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Roza Otunbayeva. The KIC published its report, both in Russian and English, in early May 2011. The findings of the report were based on interviews of nearly 750 witnesses, 700 documents, about 5,000 photographs and 1,000 video extracts. The panel of the commission included seven prominent members from Finland, Australia, Estonia, France, Russia, Turkey and the United Kingdom.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, International Commission of Inquiry
The KIC reported that it found serious violations of international law, some of which could amount to crimes against humanity. The report criticized the "ineptitude and irresolution" of the interim government headed by Otunbayeva in preventing and stopping the violence. The KIC noted that weapons, mostly automatic rifles, were distributed to Kyrgyz crowds and that armoured personnel carriers had been surrendered without resistance and later used in attacks on Uzbek communities.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, International Commission of Inquiry
The findings of the KIC infuriated and alarmed the Kyrgyz government and the members of the Kyrgyz parliament declared the commission's chair Dr. Kimmo Kiljunen, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly's special representative for Central Asia, persona non-grata.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, International Commission of Inquiry
The KIC qualified the violations under international law and reported:


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, International Commission of Inquiry
"It is the view of the KIC that the violence of June does not qualify as either war crimes or genocide. However, if the evidence of some acts committed during certain attacks against the mahallas in Osh on 11, 12 and 13 June was proven beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law, those acts would amount to crimes against humanity. These are murder, rape, other forms of sexual violence, physical violence (as another inhumane act) and persecution against an identifiable group on ethnic grounds."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Aftermath, International Commission of Inquiry
The KIC stated that if the security forces had been properly instructed and deployed, the violence would possibly have been prevented or stopped. "The failure of members of the security forces to protect their equipment raises questions of complicity in the events, either directly or indirectly. Further, some members of the military were involved in some of the attacks on the mahallas." The KIC recommended Kyrgyzstan to take a strong stand against nationalism and ethnic exclusivity. It also called for the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission and international follow-up to carry out the recommendations of the report.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Reconciliation efforts
Following the ethnic clashes, several international organizations and NGOs such as the OSCE, UN, and USAID have been supporting reconciliation efforts in affected areas around southern Kyrgyzstan.


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Reconciliation efforts, Community Security Initiative
In November 2010, the OSCE started helping the Kyrgyzstani police in their activities through the Community Security Initiative (CSI) project. The main objective of the CSI was "to increase the respect for and protection of human rights by the police and to build confidence between law enforcement agencies and communities including through the promotion of multi-ethnic policing."


2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, Reconciliation efforts, Community Security Initiative
The CSI worked in collaboration with the OSCE's Police Reform Programme and High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM). The project also collaborated with a large number of national authorities in Kyrgyzstan, including the Ombudsman, Prosecutor General, the State Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Health. The project was officially ended on 11 December 2015.


2010 South Lakeland District Council election
The 2010 South Lakeland District Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of South Lakeland District Council in Cumbria, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats stayed in overall control of the council.


2010 South Lakeland District Council election, Background
Before the election the Liberal Democrats had controlled the council since winning a majority at the 2006 election. Going into the 2010 election they held 36 seats, compared to 14 for the Conservatives and 1 seat for the Labour party.


2010 South Lakeland District Council election, Background
18 seats were being contested in the election with the Liberal Democrats defending all of them.


2010 South Lakeland District Council election, Election result
The results saw the Liberal Democrat maintain their majority on the council despite losing 2 seats to the Conservatives. The Conservatives gains came in the seats of Mid Furness and Staveley-in-Cartmel, and left the Liberal Democrats on 34 seats, compared to 16 for the Conservatives. Overall turnout in the election was 72.25%, due to the election being held at the same time as the general election.


2010 South Sudanese general election
Regional elections were held in South Sudan between 11 and 15 April 2010 as part of the Sudanese general election. The result was a victory for Salva Kiir of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, who received almost 93% of the vote.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season
The 2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season was the 101st in the club's history. It competed in the National Rugby League's 2010 Telstra Premiership and finished 9th out of 16 teams, only just missing out on a place in the finals. The coach of the club was John Lang and club captain was Roy Asotasi.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Pre-season
The South Sydney Rabbitohs pre-season schedule began with a return to spiritual home Redfern Oval on Sunday 7 February, with the Rabbitohs winning 42–12 over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. English Recruit Sam Burgess picked up his first try in Rabbitohs colours; Adam Reynolds, Jason Clark, Brock Molan, Kennedy Pettybourne, Josh Mansour, Curtis Johnston and Matt Mundine each scored a try.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Pre-season
Two weeks later the Rabbitohs took their pre-season to Coffs Harbour, New South Wales to play the Gold Coast Titans at BCU International Stadium in front of 5,500 supporters. The Titans took the match 28–22. Luke Capewell grabbed a double, while Issac Luke and Junior Vaivai scored the other two tries.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Pre-season
The Rabbitohs then took part in the traditional Charity Shield clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons. The Rabbitohs retained the Charity Shield after a 26–26 draw. Fetuli Fetuli Talanoa grabbed a treble; and Ben Lowe and Nathan Merritt scored the other two tries.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Ladder
1 Melbourne were deducted eight premiership points and barred from receiving premiership points for the rest of the season due to gross long-term salary cap breaches.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Kit and Sponsors, National Australia Bank
The National Australia Bank was the Rabbitohs major home sponsor for the 2010 Telstra Premiership.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Kit and Sponsors, DeLonghi
DeLonghi was the major away sponsor for the Rabbitohs in the 2010 Telstra Premiership.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Kit and Sponsors, V8 Supercars Australia
V8 Supercars was the Rabbitohs major sleeve sponsor for the 2010 Telstra Premiership.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Kit and Sponsors, Virgin Blue
Virgin Blue was the Rabbitohs major training sponsor for the 2010 Telstra Premiership.


2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season, Current squad
The following list comprises players who were in the Rabbitohs full-time first-grade squad for the 2010 season in the NRL Telstra Premiership.


2010 South Wales Scorpions season
The 2010 season will be the South Wales Scorpions first season of professional rugby league, after they were formed in 2009.


2010 Southampton City Council election
The 2010 Southampton Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of Southampton Unitary Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.


2010 Southampton City Council election, Background
Before the election the Conservatives ran the council with 26 seats, compared to 14 for Labour and 8 for the Liberal Democrats. With the Conservatives defending just 4 of the 16 seats being contested they were almost certain to retain control of the council. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat group leader Jill Baston was among those who stood down at the election, with former Liberal Democrat leader of the council Adrian Vinson attempting to return to the council in the seat she was leaving.


2010 Southampton City Council election, Election result
The results saw the Conservatives keep a majority on the council after gaining 2 seats to hold 28 of the 48 seats. Labour made a net gain of the 1 seat to move to 15 seats, while the Liberal Democrats lost 3 to be reduced to 5 councillors. With the election taking place at the same time as the 2010 general election overall turnout was higher than usual at 59%.


2010 Southampton City Council election, Election result
Both unsuccessful Conservative candidates for Southampton Itchen and Southampton Test in the 2010 general election were among those re-elected to the council. The former Liberal Democrat leader of the council Adrian Vinson, regained a seat on the council in Portswood, 2 years after being voted off the council, while Gerry Drake held Peartree for the Liberal Democrats by 30 votes after 3 recounts. However Labour candidates Keith Morrell and David Furnell gained the seats of Coxford and Millbrook respectively from the Liberal Democrats.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
The 2010 Southeast Asian haze was an air pollution crisis which affected many Southeast Asia countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore during the month of October in 2010.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
This occurred during the dry season in October when forest fires were being illegally set off by Indonesian smallholders residing in the districts of Dumai and Bengkalis, in the Riau province of Sumatra. These farmers adopt the slash and burn method to clear off land rapidly for future farming opportunities.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
On 18 October, the hotspot count in Sumatra reached a maximum of 358.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
Due to the El Nino weather pattern, the westerly winds carried the haze towards Indonesia's neighbouring countries causing the air quality in Malaysia and Singapore to dip towards the moderate to unhealthy range for several days. The hazy conditions not only resulted in the reduction in air quality but also caused poor visibility, multiple closures of schools in Malaysia and an influx of respiratory illnesses.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
During that time of the year, the recorded air quality in Singapore then was the worst it had ever been since 2006.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
Despite ministers meeting up a week before the crisis for the 6th meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) agreement, whereby issues on the transboundary haze and methods to tackle forest fires were discussed, the Indonesian government failed to successfully regulate and enforce laws on illegal logging. This caused Indonesia to face much criticism from neighbouring countries.


2010 Southeast Asian haze
On 24 October 2010, rainy conditions returned to Indonesia which helped to reduce the production of haze and provided relief to air quality levels.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Causes
Forest fires are mainly set off illegally by farmers who adopt the slash and burn method to clear large areas of peat and land for future plantation opportunities such as palm oil and pulp wood plantations. Although it is illegal to clear land using the slash and burn method in Indonesia, smallholders choose to ignore the law and to continue with this practice due to its perceived economical and environmental benefits. Not only is the slash and burn method efficient and cost effective, it is also believed to be advantageous towards crop yield and growth.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Causes
Through the slash and burn method, ash is produced and used as fertilizers by smallholders due to its ability to enhance soil nutrients, balance soil pH levels, eradicate pests as well as prevent the growth of weeds. Furthermore, as  alternate land clearing methods are known to be more expensive and less beneficial, farmers tend to ignore the law and continue with illegal logging activities.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Causes
Although land fires contribute a great amount of smoke released into the air, 90% of haze produced originates from peatland fires. Peatland fires are known to have the ability to generate up to 6 times more particulate matter than normal land fires. Additionally, peat fires are commonly found to be 3 to 4 metres underground making it harder to put out fires.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Causes
The El Nino weather conditions in 2010 also caused a delay in the monsoon season resulting in a drought and impacting water and crop supplies. Due to the extreme weather patterns faced, farmers were pressured to make up for lost time by illegally setting off forest fires to clear land at a rapid rate. The dry conditions in Indonesia together with the combustible litter left behind from past illegal logging activities played a major role in turning forests and peatlands into potential fire starters.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Causes
The large amount of dense smoke produced from the forest fires in Sumatra were then carried by the westerly winds across the Straits of Malacca polluting and deteriorating the air quality in Malaysia and Singapore.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Countries affected, Malaysia
The cloud of thick smog produced from the forest fires in Indonesia drifted across Malaysia's west coast affecting the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and other areas such as Malacca and Johor. Muar, a coastal town located in Johor, experienced a hazardous Air Pollution Index (API) of 432 while the air quality in Malacca deteriorated to an unhealthy API of 106. This caused for government hospitals and clinics to be placed on standby to cater to the high influx of haze related respiratory illnesses.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Countries affected, Malaysia
As a preventive measure, schools in Muar were also shut down to prevent any adverse respiratory illnesses to children and respiratory masks were distributed to the public. Vessels travelling along the Malacca Straits were also advised to travel with caution due to the poor visibility which fell to 2 nautical miles.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Countries affected, Singapore
The transboundary haze crisis in Singapore lasted for approximately 4 days from 20 October to 23 October 2010. During this period, the overall 24-hour Pollutant Standard Index (PSI), recorded by the National Environment Agency (NEA) was mainly in the high-moderate range while the hourly PSI crept into the unhealthy range of 108. This was the highest PSI recorded since 2006 and the first time in 4 years that the PSI had reached the unhealthy range in Singapore. A nationwide health advisory was issued by the NEA whereby the public was advised to stay hydrated and to refrain from participating in outdoor activities due to the poor air quality and visibility.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Countries affected, Singapore
Up till the 2010 Southeast Asian haze, Singapore had yet managed to experience a year without any haze related incidences within the last decade. Prior to the 2010 Southeast Asian Haze, Singapore had been experiencing fair air quality within the good to moderate range.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Countries affected, Singapore
Prior to August 2012, NEA provided 24-hourly PSI updates on the air quality in Singapore once a day at 4pm. Since then, NEA has increased the frequency of PSI updates from once a day to 3 times day to hourly PSI updates in June 2013 for a more accurate representation of the air quality experienced in Singapore.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Economic
Due to the transboundary haze, a drop in the percentage of tourists visiting affected countries can be seen during these periods due to the air pollution experienced. During this crisis, travel warnings are often issued out to warn tourists about the deterioration in the air quality and the lack of visibility.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Economic
The lack of visibility can bring about many disruptions to the economy, trade and daily life. Due to poor visibility, transportation services like aviation, maritime and land public transport systems are delayed and often put on hold affecting tourism and the daily lives of many individuals. Singapore and Malaysia are countries that rely heavily on trade as being a major source of income and, due to poor visibility, cargo ships carrying goods are forced to travel with caution at a slower pace delaying the shipment process. Furthermore, outdoor constructions are also affected due to the unsafe working conditions.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Economic
Not only does this deter tourists from visiting the affected countries, it may also deter prospective migrants who are considering migrating over to seek better living conditions and to take up future job opportunities.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Economic
During the worst haze experienced in 1997 which lasted for 3 months, Southeast Asia incurred an estimated loss of $9 billion to health expenses, air travel, retailers, hotels, trade, businesses and tourism.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Health
As countries such as Malaysia and Singapore are not affected by the transboundary haze throughout the entire year, but usually only during certain months of the year for a short period of time, residents of the affected countries are often prone to short-term health effects brought by the haze rather than long term effects. Individuals who have encountered short term exposure may experience symptoms such as irritation to the eyes, nose and throat due to the haze particles.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Health
Those who are elderly, young, pregnant, asthmatic and with poor immunity such as respiratory illness, lung diseases and cardiovascular diseases are more susceptible to the effects of the haze. When air quality is low, a higher chance of developing breathing difficulties can arise causing multiple health complications and a higher influx of patients in hospitals and clinics.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Environmental
Indonesia's forest is home to over 3000 animal and plant species such as the Sumatran Tigers, Komodo dragons and orangutans. The destruction of forests by burning practices not only brings about multiple environmental consequences such as soil erosion, water pollution, global warming and climate changes but also threatens the livelihood of multiple animal species pushing many of them to the brink of extinction.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Environmental
Approximately 80% of Indonesia was forested in 1960s, however less than a 50% remains forested today. This is due to urbanization, corruption and illegal logging activities such as the slash and burn method, which poses a great threat to biodiversity.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Environmental
For instance, due to burning land clearing methods practiced by smallholders, many species of animals and plants are unable to withstand the high temperatures of heat and fail to escape the fires or successfully migrate to a new home.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Negative impacts, Environmental
Additionally, fire land clearing practices contributes a significant release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Such release of greenhouse gases from peatland fires aids in the exacerbation of global warming and has the ability to affect a change on the region's climate and weather. It is known that Indonesia is ranked as one of the world's higher carbon emitters with approximately 900 million tons of carbon emitted into the atmosphere in 2010.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, Strengthening governance
When it comes to issues regarding the transboundary haze and illegal logging, there is no quick or short-term solution to this problem. In order to curb the magnitude and the impact of the haze, Indonesia must first strengthen its government by implementing stricter policies and regulations regarding land access and management. Even though policies and regulations such as obtaining certifications and rights for clearing land purposes are in place, these policies still often fall short due to poor enforcement of laws and corrupt government officials in Indonesia.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, Strengthening governance
As a result, when it comes to illegal logging through the use of the slash and burn method, perpetrators continue to violate the zero-burning policy without any fear of repercussions. This in turn also influences other smallholders to follow suit, making it hard for government officials to monitor and enforce laws thoroughly. Thus, many government officials end up overlooking those who violate the law while some even go to the extent of rendering aid in the rule breaking process for a small fee.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, Strengthening governance
Over the years, there have been many incidences that have shown how corrupt government officials have aided smallholders and plantation companies in the violation of the rules and regulations set by the Indonesian government. For instance, even though a regulation prohibiting the establishment of oil palm plantations on peatlands which extend more than 3 metres underground has been implemented, it is known that more than 25% of oil palm plantations in Indonesia violates that rule.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, Strengthening governance
Additionally, companies such as the Duta Palma which is notoriously known for participating in illegal logging activities manage to escape routine checks by government officials due to the company's deep ties with the Indonesian military. Furthermore, even though many companies and smallholders have had their land clearing licenses revoked due to their participation in the 1997 Southeast Asian Haze, it is known that many of them still continue to ignore the law by clearing land using the slash and burn method.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, Strengthening governance
Additionally, educating and holding smallholders accountable for succumbing to illegal land clearing practices is also imperative in reducing the occurrence of illegal logging.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, ASEAN Agreement
On 13 October 2010, the 6th ASEAN meeting was conducted whereby the transboundary haze issues were discussed. Countries such as Singapore and Malaysia also pledged to support and render aid to Indonesia in its fight against illegal logging and forest fires.


2010 Southeast Asian haze, Preventive measures, ASEAN Agreement
Despite having the 6th ASEAN meeting held a week before the 2010 transboundary haze crisis, Indonesia failed to enforce its logging laws in Sumatra leaving forests vulnerable to destruction. This led to the arise in political tension with neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore.