Washington - Seven new countries will be added to the United States' visa-waiver programme after meeting new security requirements aimed at reducing the threat of terrorism, President George W Bush announced Friday.

In about one month, citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea will be able to visit the US for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

The admission was part of a long process that began some two years ago and has strained relations with US allies. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, the US has placed a variety of new security requirements on all foreign travellers.

Washington - Seven new countries will be added to the United States' visa-waiver programme after meeting new security requirements aimed at reducing the threat of terrorism, President George W Bush announced Friday.

In about one month, citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea will be able to visit the US for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

Vienna - After years of roaring growth, eastern Europe's economies look increasingly fragile as the global financial crisis spreads.

European Central Bank action Thursday to ease a credit crunch in Hungary was a warning that the area from the Baltics to Bulgaria is ripe for spillover. Now analysts are speculating which country might be next to come under attack.

Washington - The United States is admitting seven new countries to its visa waiver programme after finalizing security arrangements, President George W Bush announced Friday.

Within one month, citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea, will be able to visit the US for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

Bush called it a "new chapter in the relationship between the United States and your nations."

Frankfurt - A tumultuous trading week on global share markets drew to a close Friday, with European bourses defying renewed volatility on Wall Street and holding on to gains run up during the day.

After closing down 5 per cent on Thursday, Europe's blue-chip Stoxx 50 index headed toward the end of the week up 3.8 per cent, at 2,219 points.

The close came despite the fact that Wall Street opened down as further data underscored the grim state of the US housing market, which is already in crisis.

London, Europe's leading stock market, headed into the end of week with a gain of about 2 per cent, while Paris's CAC 40 index edged up 0.91 per cent, following a 4.37-per-cent jump shortly after opening on Friday.