President Robert Mugabe addresses media after voting in Harare, 27 Jun 2008

No final voting results have yet been released, although the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission says the vote count was complete Saturday less than 24 hours after polls closed. Officials’ comments indicate totals will be announced soon.

The state commission waited more than a month before releasing results of the first round of Zimbabwe’s presidential election on March 29. In that vote, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat President Mugabe, although the reported results said he fell short of a majority.more..

[Editor’s note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the second in a two-part series examining the state of Cambodian health care.]

Parties hope the poor healthcare system, especially in rural areas, will take votes away from the ruling party.

Government health officials say they are improving the ethics and practices of the nation’s doctors step by step, but competing parties are using the rural hospitals, which are often rundown, and underpaid doctors, to build campaign platforms against the ruling party.more…

Editor’s note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the first in a two-part series examining the state of Cambodian health care.]

Cambodia’s health system remains poor, but in the time since the last general election, the government has worked hard to improve it and hopes to do more in the next term, the nation’s top health official said.more…

Prime Minister Hun Sen, a candidate for Kandal province, joined Cambodian People’s Party rallies in Phnom Penh Thursday.

Party supporters followed their leaders, bedecked in new T-shirts and ball caps bearing party logos, and adorned with face stickers of party symbols or, simply, the numbered slot each party holds on the ballot.

Police sedans, sirens silent, headlights flashing, led the convoys, along with National Election Committee vehicles, keeping the streets relatively snarl free and preventing clashes between opposing supporters.more..

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Friday he was dropping a defamation suit to help a secure election environment.

Hor Namhong said he was dropping his suit against Dam Sith because he did not want to interfere with the political atmosphere ahead of general elections.

The defamation suit, filed in April, stemmed from a story published in Dam Sith’s newspaper, Moneaksekar Khmer, which quoted opposition leader Sam Rainsy accusing the foreign minister of involvement in the Khmer Rouge. Dam Sith spent a week in jail following Phnom Penh Municipal Court investigations, worrying observers that press freedom was eroding ahead of July’s national election.more…