Thousands of Kosovo Serbs took to the streets in protest today over their ethnic Albanian leadership’s declaration of the province’s independence from Serbia.

The move by Kosovo to become an “independent and democratic state” is backed by the US and key European allies but bitterly contested by Serbia and Russia.

Kosovo’s prime minister today announced a special afternoon session of parliament where lawmakers planned to declare independence – a bold and historic bid for statehood in defiance of Serbia and Russia.

CONFESSION is good for the soul so, hands up, I was wrong last week. Like everyone else, I expected Barack Obama to win New Hampshire.

US President George Bush was given a hero's welcome in Albania today as he became the first American president to visit the impoverished Balkan nation.