Here is the second installment of my world news series. Expect a new installment on InsideVandy every week that features top international headlines with quick synopses and links to the full stories.

The national media will not be reporting as much international news until the US presidential election is over (it’s imperative that they follow the election 24/7, letting us know each time a candidate speaks to a crowd of 23 in Anytown, USA, and every time a candidate drops one percentage point in some obscure poll). Thus, I’m making it my personal mission to bring world news to the ‘bubble in the simplest format possible. No excuses for being uninformed: just check InsideVandy every week! :-)

Kosovo Declares Independence
Pristina, Kosovo
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Sunday afternoon, Feb 17. The former province consists of 90% ethnic Albanian Muslims, while the rest of Serbia consists mainly of Christian Orthodox Serbs. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said that Kosovo is "independent and democratic." He also pledged to establish a new government office that will protect the rights of minorities.
Russia and Serbia oppose the declaration of independence, while the United States and European Union are expected to recognize Kosovo as a new state. Serbia does not plan to use military force against Kosovo, but Serbia’s Prime Minister asserted that the country will not "acknowledge the creation of a false state on [its] territory."
For more, see http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/17/kosovo.independence/index.html

President Bush Tours Africa
Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Liberia
US President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush left for a 5-Nation Africa tour on Friday, Feb 15th. The first stop was Benin on Saturday. Bush praised Benin government officials for fighting corruption and carefully spending U.S. aid money. President Thomas Yayi Boni inducted Bush into the National Order of Benin and thanked him for US aid earmarked to fight poverty, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. Benin’s president also asked for help with their struggling cotton industry. Bush said that the US is willing to make concessions, but no specifics were discussed. The US has already given Benin a $307 million, 5 year grant to fight poverty.
Bush then travelled to Tanzania on Sunday and met with President Jakaya Kikwete. President Bush signed a compact giving a $698 million grant to Tanzania to purchase mosquito netting and insecticide to prevent the spread of malaria. He also attended a discussion of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, program. Bush has requested $30 billion over 5 years for the program, which increases accessibility of anti-viral drugs.
Bush’s next stops are Rwanda, Ghana, and Liberia. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Kenya on Monday to aid reconciliation efforts. Kenya has experienced ethnic violence since an alleged rigged presidential election in December.
For more, see http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/17/bush.africa/index.html

Swiss Cops Find Two Stolen Paintings
Zurich, Switzerland
Four paintings worth an estimated $163 million were stolen from a Swiss museum on Feb 10. Two of the paintings, worth a total $64 million, were discovered in an unlocked car in a nearby psychiatric clinic parking lot on Tuesday, Feb 19th. The paintings were in perfect condition and will soon be on display again. A clinic employee discovered the paintings during a routine check of the parking lot and will receive a portion of a $90,000 reward.
Art experts believe that the thieves abandoned the two paintings because they were two bulky to transport easily. The thieves are probably not art savvy and did not realize how hard it would be to sell such well known works. The other two stolen paintings are still missing.
For more, see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23235270/

Edison Chen is Center of Hong Kong Sex Scandal
Hong Kong
Edison Chen is a popular singer, actor, and TV host and appears in the American movie, "The Dark Knight," which will debut later this year. He is also the center of one of Hong Kong/China’s biggest recent scandals. Chen took his laptop to a computer service center for repairs, and employees there stole over 1300 racy photos of Chen with other celebrities. The photos were leaked onto the internet and show him in sexual acts with at least two female celebrities. Tabloids and the public suspect that more women could be involved.
The case has sparked controversy over ambiguous privacy rights and the police’s ability to fight cyber crime. Hong Kong civil liberties groups and legislators were angered when police suggested that mere possession of the photos could be grounds for arrest. Tens of thousands of people had already seen the photos, and protestors accused the police commissioner of fear mongering. In any event, police have already arrested eight of the computer center employees. Chen is suspected of taking advantage of girls in the photos. No charges are pending, and it is yet to be determined if the bad publicity has severely damaged Chen’s career.
For more, see http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/14/665099.aspx

Israeli Military Has "Free Hand" Against Attackers in Gaza
Sderot, Israel
Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave his military freedom to attack militants in Gaza on Sunday, Feb 17th, after a rocket slammed into a house in Sderot. Sderot is a town of 20,000 people less than a half mile from the Gaza fence that is battered by rockets nearly every day. Olmert describes it as terrorism and blames Hamas. U.N. Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes condemns the rocket fire because it is random and not aimed at a military target. Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed dozens of militants but fail to stop the rocket attacks, and a broad ground operation is increasingly likely.
Israel refuses to talk to Hamas but is in negotiations with West Bank-based government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Olmert said that Abbas’ administration is committed to peace, and the two have agreed on December 2008 as the target date for a final agreement.
For more, see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23211771/

Women Deterred from Voting in Pakistani Election
Pakistan
Voter turnout among women was low in Pakistan’s election on Monday. Women are legally able to vote, and polling stations were provided, but many men were afraid to take their women with them to vote. Muslim women can not leave their home without a male escort, and men in rural areas feared that bomb blasts made the situation to dangerous for women. Some parties are allegedly using scare tactics to discourage female voting because they fear that women will favor Bhutto’s party out of sympathy for the slain leader. Pro-Taliban militants have gained influence in the Pashtun belt near Afghanistan. Insurgents have attacked girls’ schools, beheaded and stoned women accused of adultery, and warned women against voting. Women are reserved a quota of 60 (out of 342) seats in the National Assembly, but rights workers say that women remain politically marginalized because of obstacles preventing them from voting.
For more, see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23224831/

Cyclone Ivan Hits Madagascar
Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island and located in the Indian Ocean near southeast Africa. Cyclone Ivan hit Madagascar on Monday, Feb 18th, bringing 125 mph winds and flooding to all areas hit by the storm. At least two people are dead, and 13 were killed by Cyclone Fame earlier this month. The country’s Disaster Response Management Office has yet to confirm total damages or death count for Ivan because of failed radio and telephone links. Cyclone Ivan is expected to hit Mozambique by Wednesday; the poor nation is already experiencing its worst flooding since 2001’s floods that killed about 800 people.
For more, see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23226436/

US Skeptical of Castro’s Replacement
Washington, D.C.
Cuba’s longtime dictator, Fidel Castro, has announced that he will not accept another term in office when parliament elects a new president this weekend. The United States has a long history of strained relations with Castro and plans to keep its five decade long trade embargo against Cuba. The US sees Castro’s brother Raul as the obvious replacement, and State Department spokesman Tom Casey referred to Raul as ‘Fidel Lite’ and a continuation of dictatorship. President Bush remarked that the Cuban people have suffered most under Castro, and expressed wishes that Cuba enter a democratic transition. Bush stated, "The United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty." It is unclear what he meant by this statement, since he is not lifting the embargo or hopeful that change will occur under Raul Castro.
Raul Castro has made repeated offers to smooth relations with the US. Since taking the provisional presidency in July 2006, he has extradited three US fugitives, decreased the number of political prisoners by 20%, and pledged to recapture any terror suspects who escape from Guantanamo prison. He has also hinted that he favors greater, albeit still limited, economic freedom and public criticism of the government.
For more, see http://news.aol.com/story/_a/us-says-policy-on-cuba-wont-change/n20080219142709990021?ecid=RSS0001