Has lifted the restrictions that were placed on federal funding for research into new stem cell lines. Obama's executive order is a major reversal of U.S. policy, and he has pledged to support the new research. George Bush had blocked the use of government money to fund it. Scientists have said that the research will lead to medical breakthroughs, but religious groups are opposed to the development of embryonic stem cells.

Fighting continues in the Serbian province of Kosovo as Kosova continues in it's fight for independence from Serbia. Kosova is made up of 90% Ethnic Albanians who are an Islamic minority in Serbia. The Kosovo Liberation Army ( KLA ) has committed a number of attacks on Serbia over the past few months pushing for independence but Serbian forces are now carrying out reprisal attacks against ethnic Albanian rebels causing many to flee the country.