Berlin-based Werkstatt Deutschland on Saturday reversed its decision to award Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin the prestigious Quadriga prize due to massive criticism.
The organization said its plans to give Putin the Quadriga Award as a "role model for enlightenment, dedication and the public good" had come under massive attack in the media and the political community.
Putin was to be honored for his contribution to Russia's"stability through the interaction between prosperity, economics and identity," as well asto the reliability of German-Russian ties.
But many German publicfigures have protested the plan, saying his human rights record made him an unacceptable candidate.
The prize, a small statue of the quadriga - a chariot pulled by four horses - on top of the Brandenburg Gate inBerlin, was to have been bestowed upon the Russian prime minister October 3, the Day of German Unity.
Putin served with the KGB in East Germany forfive years until German reunification in 1990.
Several Quadriga board members, including Cem Ozdemir, a co-chairof the German opposition Green party, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and history professor EdgarWolfrum, withdrew from the board in protest against the decision.
Ozdemir said there were "differences" between him and otherboard members in the evaluation of Putin's contribution to"democracy" and the rule of law, while Wolfrum described the decision as"scandalous."
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Iran lawmakers reject Russia's nuclear proposals
Iranian lawmakers on Saturday dismissed Russia's "step-by-step"approach on Iran's nuclear program as a bid to revive Moscow's own political influence inthe region, Press TV reported.
The approach, laid out by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, would enable Iran to address questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over its nuclear program.
MP Mohammad Karami-Rad said Iran has already responded to questions and ambiguities regarding its nuclear program, adding that "new conditions for resumingnegotiations are not acceptable."
Lavrov suggested Iran could revive negotiations to alleviate IAEA concerns about its nuclear activities and be rewarded by partial removal of sanctions.
Iran insists that as an IAEA member and a signatory to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it has the right to the peaceful applications ofnuclear energy for electricity generation and medical research.
Karami-Rad's remarks echo comments by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's Majlis (parliament) Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, who also dismissed the Russian proposal as"repetitious."
Tehran says it has been fully cooperative with the Agency over its nuclear program, urging the body not to be swayed by certain Western countries.
The approach, laid out by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, would enable Iran to address questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over its nuclear program.
MP Mohammad Karami-Rad said Iran has already responded to questions and ambiguities regarding its nuclear program, adding that "new conditions for resumingnegotiations are not acceptable."
Lavrov suggested Iran could revive negotiations to alleviate IAEA concerns about its nuclear activities and be rewarded by partial removal of sanctions.
Iran insists that as an IAEA member and a signatory to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it has the right to the peaceful applications ofnuclear energy for electricity generation and medical research.
Karami-Rad's remarks echo comments by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's Majlis (parliament) Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, who also dismissed the Russian proposal as"repetitious."
Tehran says it has been fully cooperative with the Agency over its nuclear program, urging the body not to be swayed by certain Western countries.
YORUBA STAR ACTOR FEMI ADEBAYO,FINALLY OPENS UP ABOUT HIS ROMANCE WITH FUNKE AKINDELE
Femi Adebayo, the popular son of Adebayo Salami, one of the ace actors in the country, recently talked about his relationship with Funke Akindele.
Excerpts from the interview;
you are one of those actors that have been able to succeedvarious scandals. If I may ask you, did the scandals keep you moving or weigh youdown?
I love scandals, let them keep coming and Iknow I will ever succeed them.
we want you talk about Funke Akindele, a lot of things have been said about you and her?
Funke Akindele is my colleague, she remains my colleague and my very good friend and nothing will change that.
There was this news sometime that you divorced your wife (Iya Ibeji) because ofher?
Iya Ibeji, my wife was right at home eating Eba before I even left Ibadan (laughs)
If Funke Akindele proposes to you, will you marry her?
No comment
Excerpts from the interview;
you are one of those actors that have been able to succeedvarious scandals. If I may ask you, did the scandals keep you moving or weigh youdown?
I love scandals, let them keep coming and Iknow I will ever succeed them.
we want you talk about Funke Akindele, a lot of things have been said about you and her?
Funke Akindele is my colleague, she remains my colleague and my very good friend and nothing will change that.
There was this news sometime that you divorced your wife (Iya Ibeji) because ofher?
Iya Ibeji, my wife was right at home eating Eba before I even left Ibadan (laughs)
If Funke Akindele proposes to you, will you marry her?
No comment
Russia to complete recovery of boatwreckage July 17-18
Operation to rise the wreckage of Bulgaria cruise boat from the riverbed of Volga will finish on Sunday or Monday, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said.
Two large floating cranes, one from Moscow and another one from Volgograd, have arrived at the sitewhere the recovery operation will be carriedout, ministry spokesman Andrey Rodygin said. Military divers were brought in mid-week to aid in the search efforts.
"We have no difficultiesnow. We have the necessary equipment and human forces. We plan to complete the recovery by July 17-18,"Rodygin said.
The bodies of 114 victims have been recovered, while 79 people were rescued after the boat sank on Sunday in the Volga River about 80 kilometers south of Kazan, the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. There were 208 people on board thevessel, which was designed for 120 passengers.
Russian authorities on Friday folded efforts tofind the bodies of another 15 people believed to have died in the sinking.
Two large floating cranes, one from Moscow and another one from Volgograd, have arrived at the sitewhere the recovery operation will be carriedout, ministry spokesman Andrey Rodygin said. Military divers were brought in mid-week to aid in the search efforts.
"We have no difficultiesnow. We have the necessary equipment and human forces. We plan to complete the recovery by July 17-18,"Rodygin said.
The bodies of 114 victims have been recovered, while 79 people were rescued after the boat sank on Sunday in the Volga River about 80 kilometers south of Kazan, the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. There were 208 people on board thevessel, which was designed for 120 passengers.
Russian authorities on Friday folded efforts tofind the bodies of another 15 people believed to have died in the sinking.
Gaddafi rejects international recognition of rebels
Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi has rejected the recognitionby 40 countries and other world powers of the rebel Transitional National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.
"Trample on those recognitions, trample on them under your feet ... They are worthless," Gaddafi told his supporters in an audio message broadcast Friday night on state-run Libyan TV."Their decisions ... their recognition ... they are all now under your feet.Stomp on them."
The Libya Contact Group, which met on Friday in Istanbul, announced that it recognized the Libyan rebels' council as "the legitimate governing authority in Libya" until the establishment of an interim authority.
Libya has been rocked by fighting between pro- and anti-government forcessince mid-February. An international military operation began on March 19 following a UNresolution and has beenextended until September.
UN Security Council Resolution 1970, passed in February, prohibited states from providing any kind of arms to Libya. Resolution 1973, passed a month later, authorized countries"to take all necessary measures" to help protect Libyan civilians.
"Trample on those recognitions, trample on them under your feet ... They are worthless," Gaddafi told his supporters in an audio message broadcast Friday night on state-run Libyan TV."Their decisions ... their recognition ... they are all now under your feet.Stomp on them."
The Libya Contact Group, which met on Friday in Istanbul, announced that it recognized the Libyan rebels' council as "the legitimate governing authority in Libya" until the establishment of an interim authority.
Libya has been rocked by fighting between pro- and anti-government forcessince mid-February. An international military operation began on March 19 following a UNresolution and has beenextended until September.
UN Security Council Resolution 1970, passed in February, prohibited states from providing any kind of arms to Libya. Resolution 1973, passed a month later, authorized countries"to take all necessary measures" to help protect Libyan civilians.
Chavez heads to Cuba for further cancer treatment
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez plans to fly to Havana on Saturday to begin a new phase of cancer treatment, including chemotherapy sessions.
"I need to continue completing the strict plan designed by the medical team that is accompanying me on this ascent of the mountain," Chavez said on Friday in comments carried on state television.
The 56-year-old left-wing populist had surgery in Cuba last month to remove a cancerous tumor from his pelvic region.
'I'm going to begin the second stage of this slow, complex process of recuperation,' he saidon state television. "It will start with chemotherapy."
"I'm asking for legislative authority to absent myself from the country from Saturday, July 16, in order to continue the treatment plan in Havana needed for me to recover my full health," Chavez said.
Brazil's official news agency earlier reported that Chavez had accepted to be treated at the same Sao Paulo hospital that treats Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, who is also suffering from cancer.
"I have faith in God, medical science and our Cuban and Venezuelan doctors and finally in my own will to live - to live for my people, for my daughters and grandchildren and myself - that we will continue along the pathto recovery," Chavez added
"I need to continue completing the strict plan designed by the medical team that is accompanying me on this ascent of the mountain," Chavez said on Friday in comments carried on state television.
The 56-year-old left-wing populist had surgery in Cuba last month to remove a cancerous tumor from his pelvic region.
'I'm going to begin the second stage of this slow, complex process of recuperation,' he saidon state television. "It will start with chemotherapy."
"I'm asking for legislative authority to absent myself from the country from Saturday, July 16, in order to continue the treatment plan in Havana needed for me to recover my full health," Chavez said.
Brazil's official news agency earlier reported that Chavez had accepted to be treated at the same Sao Paulo hospital that treats Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, who is also suffering from cancer.
"I have faith in God, medical science and our Cuban and Venezuelan doctors and finally in my own will to live - to live for my people, for my daughters and grandchildren and myself - that we will continue along the pathto recovery," Chavez added
Panic, gridlock in Lagos over another rain
THERE was panic in Sogunle, Pleasure, Caaso and Kollington areas of Lagos State, on Thursday, following an early morning downpour. Some residents of the Lagos communities drowned during last Sunday’s downpour with many ofthem yet to recover from the trauma of thefloods.
The Thursday rain threw residents of Oyegunmade, Saka, Wuraola Ayinke, Alhaji Ajani, Fabukade, Ajisegiri and Olori at Sogunle into serious panic and confusion.
Some of the residents, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, lamented the pains thatthey had been suffering, since the Sunday downpour and expressed their fears at the Thursday rain.
A resident, who identified himself as Damilola Motunrayo, informed the Nigerian Tribune that two residents of Sogunle were swept away by the Sunday downpour, while properties worth several millions of naira were lost.
Motunrayo also stated that some of the residents, four days after the rain, were stillscooping water out of their apartments, as many of them had “nowhere to relocate to. “
The Thursday rain threw residents of Oyegunmade, Saka, Wuraola Ayinke, Alhaji Ajani, Fabukade, Ajisegiri and Olori at Sogunle into serious panic and confusion.
Some of the residents, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, lamented the pains thatthey had been suffering, since the Sunday downpour and expressed their fears at the Thursday rain.
A resident, who identified himself as Damilola Motunrayo, informed the Nigerian Tribune that two residents of Sogunle were swept away by the Sunday downpour, while properties worth several millions of naira were lost.
Motunrayo also stated that some of the residents, four days after the rain, were stillscooping water out of their apartments, as many of them had “nowhere to relocate to. “
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