Canada is imposing trade sanctions on Belarus in a bid to pressure the country's rulers to respect human rights and democracy.

A Turkish court today acquitted a writer of charges that he insulted the founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Tony Blair has called on the international community to back Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the Fatah leader called for fresh elections.

President Abbas called for a new vote earlier today in a bid to halt escalating tensions between supporters of the Hamas and Fatah factions. Tony Blair said his speech was "very important" and arrived at a "critical time".

A Zambian court Thursday dismissed charges against main opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front party. In her ruling, Magistrate Sharon Newa said making false declaration of assets and liabilities did not constitute a criminal offense under electoral laws. Supporters of Mr. Sata are urging the court to award government damages to the opposition leader for his legal costs.

Reports from southern Kyrgyzstan say police have released former lawmaker Mamat Orozbaev on health grounds.

Opposition leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich has said he is sure Belarus would become democratic in two years.

Even as doubts about Kazakhstan's commitment to democratic reform have left its bid to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in flux, President Nursultan Nazarbaev used a recent trip to Brussels to drive home his country's growing importance as an energy supplier. These two trends -- doubts about democracy and increasing hydrocarbon clout -- seem poised to determine Kazakhstan's position on the international arena in coming years. How comfortably can they coexist?

South Africa is marking the 10th anniversary (Dec. 10) of the signing of its constitution that formalized the demise of apartheid and the beginning of democratic rule. The charter has been described as one of the most progressive in the world, but it has also generated some controversies. VOA's Southern Africa Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

Ending as it did without major decisions, the December 4-5 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels highlighted the diverging visions pursued by some of the major countries within the organization.

The authorities in Azerbaijan have shut down the country's biggest independent broadcaster TV, ANS. They said ANS's licence was not renewed because it had violated the broadcasting law and disregarded official warnings and fines.