Zimbabwe: MP arrested for allegedly stealing cell phone

Mugabe and his party, Zanu-PF, continue what Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC describes as a campaign of intimidation: The latests MDC MP to be arrested, Zanu-PF alleges, stole a 15-year old cell phone from Mugabe ally Joseph Chinotimba while Chinotimba wasn't looking.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6732466.ece

China: CCTV to launch Arabic channel

China's state broadcaster, CCTV, seems to plan on becoming a global media presence to rival the BBC. Having already launched international channels in English, Spanish, and French, CCTV now aims to bring "the real China" to Arabic-speaking populations in North Africa and the Middle East. Africa and the Middle East have already seen considerable economic investment come their way from the Middle Kingdom in recent years. This fall, CCTV is set to begin broadcasting in Russian.
Ostensibly, CCTV wishes to counter what it describes as the 'distorted views' of China presented by foreign media.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8166486.stm

Cambodia: Sex workers seek to help take on human trafficking

Like other Southeast Asian nations, Cambodia is home to an extensive sex industry. While some women choose to become sex workers for financial or other reasons, many others are victims of human trafficking. Cambodia's sex workers are now asking NGOs and law enforcement to let them have a say in programs to prevent human trafficking and educate at-risk populations on HIV.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009072827405/National-news/sex-workers-seek-policy-partners.html

Cambodia's government has lately faced international protests over its policy of isolating HIV-positive citizens, many of them sex workers, in a special HIV colony. Colony residents lack clean water and are far removed from jobs, adequate health care, etc.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/28/cambodia.hiv/index.html

Turkey: The balancing act that is current Turkish diplomacy

A popular saying proclaims that Russia has two heads: one facing west, the other facing east. The same is true of Turkey, which has somehow managed to maintain good relations with both Iran and Israel; tout its European mindset to win EU membership; and assert itself as a major power in western and central Asia. This article from The Economist illustrates comprehensively the many issues facing Turkish diplomacy at this moment in history.

http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14098427

Kyrgyzstan: Former beacon of democracy now on the verge of authoritarianism?

Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic in Central Asia, and was once hailed as a stronghold of democracy in a region where dictatorships abound.
The incumbent president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, came to power in 2005's Tulip Revolution. The Tulip Revolution took the form of a nonviolent coup against then-President Askar Akayev, who was perceived to have gone down the path of authoritarianism. The article below suggests that Bakiyev himself may now be turning his back on democracy.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/07/22/kyrgyzstan_to_hold_presidential_election/

Syria: A step forward on honor killings?

Syria is nominally a republic, but has been ruled by the Baath Party for nearly 40 years. The current president, Bashar al-Assad, took office after his father and predecessor as president died in 2000.
Syria is a major regional power and often suspected of subversive activities in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. It has also been at odds with Israel since that country captured Syrian's Golan Heights territory in the 1967 war.


http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14045284

Tuvalu: All energy renewable by 2020

Tuvalu is a tiny island in the Pacific which counts roughly 12,000 inhabitants. While Tuvaluans, a Polynesian people, have a language of their own, English is also an official language, and Queen Elizabeth II is Tuvalu's head of state.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8616500

Israel: Jerusalem's Hasidic community riots over woman's arrest

Jerusalem's Hasidic Jews, a particularly reclusive, ultra-Orthodox community are resorting to violence to protest the arrest of a female member. Authorities arrested the woman after it was alleged that she was starving her child.
Latest reports suggest rioting continues in spite of the compromise referred to in this AP article:

http://www.dailypress.com/news/world/sns-ap-ml-israel-protests,0,5705469.story

Republic of the Congo: Strongman's reelection provokes opposition protests

The Republic of the Congo is also known as Congo-Brazzaville to prevent confusion with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, whose capital is Kinshasa.
Denis Sassou Nguesso has been the country's president since 1979, with a short interruption between 1992 and 1997. His reelection has provoked protest from a deeply fractured opposition. According to Voice of America, the case of the Congo demonstrates that strongmen are likely to remain a dominant feature of African politics in the foreseeable future.

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-07-16-voa2.cfm

United Arab Emirates: Recession sheds new light on politics and business

Opaque politics and business practices seem to contribute to the recession's grave impact on Dubai, the Middle East's development wonderland.
While neighboring emirate Abu Dhabi is no more transparent economically or politically, the Economist argues it may soon be forced to bail out Dubai and the other members of the United Arab Emirates: Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah.


http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13988540

Turkmenistan: A new gas pipeline for Iran

As Iran becomes increasingly isolated internationally, this pipeline deal could mean it is set to strengthen relations with authoritarian governments in Central Asia. The deal also provides an indication that Russia's status as the dominant trade and political power in Central Asia is slipping.
Turkmenistan is a former Soviet Republic, and continues to be ruled by the Communist Party. The country is predominantly Muslim, and famous for the cult-like reverence accorded to President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled the country from 1985 until his death in 2006.

http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/business-23/124742408380150.xml&storylist=business

The Caribbean: A regional perspective on Hugo Chavez

Leaders of a coalition of mostly English-speaking island states off the coast of Venezuela are growing increasingly uneasy over Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's influence on their region:

http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/1131892.html

Peru: Inadequate prenatal care for indigenous women

Peru is a country on the west coast of South America. It was home to the famous Inca civilization, and the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu were named one of the new seven wonders of the world.
As in most Latin American countries, the indigenous population is much more likely to live in poverty than the population of European or mixed ancestry.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/tacoma/24hour/world/story/805084.html

Guinea-Bissau: A troubled country looks to elections for stability

Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony in West Africa. Its capital is Bissau, which is referred to in the country's name to prevent confusion with two other sub-Saharan countries, the Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-25-voa17.cfm

Kosovo: Government resorts to "blackmail" to curb media criticism

The world's youngest nation, the Republic of Kosovo, declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008. Most Kosovars are ethnic Albanians, but there are still sizable Serbian enclaves within Kosovo's territory. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state.

http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13956146

Liberia: Will President Johnson-Sirleaf be forced from office?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8138046.stm

Background:

Liberia's history is unique among African countries: It was colonized in the 19th century by freed American slaves. Its capital, Monrovia, is named after then-US President James Monroe.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president in 2005, promising to rebuild the country and rid it of corruption after two debilitating civil wars. Now, Johnson-Sirleaf may be forced from office after admitting she once supported Charles Taylor, an infamous warlord now on trial at The Hague.


BBC also posted comments on the development from inside and outside Liberia:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8138144.stm

Mission Statement

Dear Readers,


if you are looking for the news that don't make the headlines, you've come to the right place. Sadly, space, time, and financial constraints force many news outlets to limit their world news coverage to a minimum. For that reason, my aim at Obscure World News is to bring the world's news to you - this blog will be an aggregator of news from places you don't usually hear about -be it Liberia, Kazakhstan or Laos.

In addition to posting news articles, I will occasionally comment on the news. I pledge to keep this comment feature clearly separated from the news section of the blog.

Please feel free to comment on any post - I am always open to suggestions on how I can improve Obscure World News in the future.

Enjoy!

Tina