By Stefan Bos Ukraine Border 21 December 2007 Celebrations are being held across Eastern Europe as the European Union on Friday formally lifted border checks with nine of its newest member states, most of them former Communist countries. But despite...
By Derek Kilner Nairobi 21 December 2007 Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has said the leader of the rebel Lords Resistance Army is not ready for a peace agreement. As Derek Kilner reports for VOA's East Africa bureau in Nairobi, Museveni has threat...
By Naomi Schwarz Dakar 21 December 2007 Rebels and government troops in Ivory Coast are set to begin the long-awaited disarmament process on Saturday, a critical first step before forming a new national army is the divided country. Ivory Coast Presid...
By Heda Bayron Hong Kong 21 December 2007 Japan has backed down from a highly controversial plan to hunt endangered humpback whales off Antarctica, after fierce criticism by Australia. The Japanese whaling fleet, however, still plans to hunt almost 1...
By Scott Bobb Johannesburg 21 December 2007 Zimbabwe's parliament this week passed new laws easing restrictions on political dissidence and the news media. The laws, which are due to be signed by President Robert Mugabe in the near future, are to pre...
By Jade Heilmann Dakar 21 December 2007 Six French aid workers from the group Zoe's Ark have gone on trial in Chad. The six are accused of the attempted kidnapping of 103 children who were discovered by authorities as they were being flown to Europe...
By Purnell Murdock Washington 21 December 2007 Pakistani officials say at least 50 people have been killed in a suicide bombing at a mosque in the country's restive northwest, during prayers for the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival. Officials say a former...
By Luis Ramirez Bangkok 21 December 2007 Thailand holds general elections Sunday, heralding a return to democratic rule after the military coup of last year. As VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Bangkok, with the return of democracy comes the old pract...
By Sean Maroney Washington 21 December 2007 Earlier this month, Venezuelan voters rejected President Hugo Chavez's sweeping constitutional reform plan. His former defense minister, General Raul Baduel, was among the opponents of the plan, and he tell...
By Tetiana Vorozhko Washington, D.C. 21 December 2007 Christmas trees in the United States are not only a holiday tradition but big business as well. Every year Americans buy some 30 million live trees. They are grown at special farms like the 'Pepe...
By Sonja Pace London 21 December 2007 The British government is set to announce a series of measures early next year to tighten restrictions on immigrant workers. A booming economy has attracted foreigners to Britain from many parts of the world in r...
By Brian Wagner Miami 20 December 2007 In 2007, the number of Cubans caught at sea while trying to enter the United States surged to a 13-year high. In Miami, VOA's Brian Wagner reports more Cubans are leaving the island illegally because of obstacle...
By Mary Morningstar Washington 20 December 2007 Veteran performers and newcomers contributed to the success of Country music in 2007. Although record sales overall continued to fall as digital downloads increased, several Country acts celebrated mult...
By Katherine Cole Washington 20 December 2007 Although the final numbers won't be in for several weeks, the retail music industry is bracing for bad news. Even though 14 million albums were sold during the week after the Thanksgiving holiday, traditi...
By David Gollust State Department 20 December 2007 U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday hailed Canada's military role in Afghanistan and said defeating the Taliban-led insurgency there is crucial to international security. Rice met Canad...
