A Chinese writer Mo Yan has today won the 2012 Nobel Prize for literature for works which the awarding committee said had qualities of “hallucinatory realism”.
The prize won by the writer is worth 8 million crowns ($1.2 million) and was given by the Swedish Academy.
The literature prize is the fourth of this year’s crop of prizes, which were established in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and awarded for the first time in 1901.
The three Rwandan inmates that had been nominated for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize 2012 have been dropped from the final list, RNA reports.
Ingabire Victoire, Bernard Ntaganda and Deogratias Mushyayidi did not pass through the EU parliament’s Foreign affairs and Development Committees which voted on Tuesday.
Ingabire was jailed 14 October 2010, for allegedly collaborating with a terrorist organization, dividing the people of Rwanda and denying the 1994 genocide against Tutsi which claimed a million lives.
The committees voted to retain only three finalists for the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. They include: Belarusian Ales Bialiatski; Russia’s Pussy Riot trio; and Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi.
Reports say backing for the Rwandan nominees came from Spanish organizations which were behind the indictment of 40 Rwandan officials back in 2008 for alleged role in the deaths of Spanish nationals after the genocide.
In striking off the Rwandan nominees, the EU parliament select committees said those blocks which selected Ingabire, Ntaganda and Mushyayidi, had not taken due diligence to thoroughly review the candidates.
The final winner from among the finalists (laureate) will be announced on Friday, 26 October following a decision of the EU Parliament’s Conference of Presidents.
The winner will receive €50,000 and be invited to attend the award ceremony on 12 December in Strasbourg (France).
The three Rwandan inmates that had been nominated for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize 2012 have been dropped from the final list, RNA reports.
Ingabire Victoire, Bernard Ntaganda and Deogratias Mushyayidi did not pass through the EU parliament’s Foreign affairs and Development Committees which voted on Tuesday.
Ingabire was jailed 14 October 2010, for allegedly collaborating with a terrorist organization, dividing the people of Rwanda and denying the 1994 genocide against Tutsi which claimed a million lives.
The committees voted to retain only three finalists for the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. They include: Belarusian Ales Bialiatski; Russia’s Pussy Riot trio; and Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi.
Reports say backing for the Rwandan nominees came from Spanish organizations which were behind the indictment of 40 Rwandan officials back in 2008 for alleged role in the deaths of Spanish nationals after the genocide.
In striking off the Rwandan nominees, the EU parliament select committees said those blocks which selected Ingabire, Ntaganda and Mushyayidi, had not taken due diligence to thoroughly review the candidates.
The final winner from among the finalists (laureate) will be announced on Friday, 26 October following a decision of the EU Parliament’s Conference of Presidents.
The winner will receive €50,000 and be invited to attend the award ceremony on 12 December in Strasbourg (France).
Nyagatare district Local leaders have been cautioned against the culture of complacency in promoting Unity and reconciliation values.
The warning was made by Xaveline Uwimana the vice president of the National Unity and reconciliation commission (NURC).
The meeting brought together religious and private sector representatives in the district to discuss the progress made in promoting unity and reconciliation in the district.
Stakeholders contradicted over failure to speed up unity and reconciliation activities in the district.
NURC vice president blamed them for not working to the norms and values of true Rwandan leaders adding that this is a blame everyone should take.
The commission is attached to the office of the president that foresees every step taken in attaining reconciliation of all Rwandans.
However, Participants attributed changes in leadership positions in the district as the main reason for creepy implementation of reconciliation activities in the district.
“It doesn’t mean that if a top leader steps down all other functioning departments stops…committed people are those that even perform in transition period,” Xaveline noted
Nyagatare district Local leaders have been cautioned against the culture of complacency in promoting Unity and reconciliation values.
The warning was made by Xaveline Uwimana the vice president of the National Unity and reconciliation commission (NURC).
The meeting brought together religious and private sector representatives in the district to discuss the progress made in promoting unity and reconciliation in the district.
Stakeholders contradicted over failure to speed up unity and reconciliation activities in the district.
NURC vice president blamed them for not working to the norms and values of true Rwandan leaders adding that this is a blame everyone should take.
The commission is attached to the office of the president that foresees every step taken in attaining reconciliation of all Rwandans.
However, Participants attributed changes in leadership positions in the district as the main reason for creepy implementation of reconciliation activities in the district.
“It doesn’t mean that if a top leader steps down all other functioning departments stops…committed people are those that even perform in transition period,” Xaveline noted
Rwanda is scheduled to host the EAC Armed Forces Field Training Exercise codenamed” Ushirikiano Imara 2012” from 15-28 October 2012.
Ushirikiano Imara means building strong relationship and reflects EAC Armed Forces commitment to work together against complex security challenges.
The Field Training Exercise aims at practicing EAC Armed Forces in planning and conducting Peace Support Operation, Disaster Management, Counter terrorism and Counter piracy.
About 1600 military, police and civilian personnel will participate in the exercise that will take place at Rwanda Military Academy- Gako, Bugesera district and on Lake Kivu in Rubavu district. The troops comprise Land, Air and Navy components.
“Ushirikiano Imara 2012” is a continuation of the EAC Command Post Exercise (CPX) held in the then Rwanda Military Academy Nyakinama in October 2011 whereby troops exercised on War Gaming procedures.
This time it will be about the field practice of the CPX War Gaming exercise.
Previously such kinds of Exercises were held in Tanzania in 2004 and 2009, Kenya in 2005 and Uganda in 2006.
EAC treaty and various agreements among which is the MOU on defence cooperation mandates Armed Forces from Partner States to cooperate in military training, joint operations, technical assistance and exchange of information as well as visits to each other’s militaries.
Rwanda is scheduled to host the EAC Armed Forces Field Training Exercise codenamed” Ushirikiano Imara 2012” from 15-28 October 2012.
Ushirikiano Imara means building strong relationship and reflects EAC Armed Forces commitment to work together against complex security challenges.
The Field Training Exercise aims at practicing EAC Armed Forces in planning and conducting Peace Support Operation, Disaster Management, Counter terrorism and Counter piracy.
About 1600 military, police and civilian personnel will participate in the exercise that will take place at Rwanda Military Academy- Gako, Bugesera district and on Lake Kivu in Rubavu district. The troops comprise Land, Air and Navy components.
“Ushirikiano Imara 2012” is a continuation of the EAC Command Post Exercise (CPX) held in the then Rwanda Military Academy Nyakinama in October 2011 whereby troops exercised on War Gaming procedures.
This time it will be about the field practice of the CPX War Gaming exercise.
Previously such kinds of Exercises were held in Tanzania in 2004 and 2009, Kenya in 2005 and Uganda in 2006.
EAC treaty and various agreements among which is the MOU on defence cooperation mandates Armed Forces from Partner States to cooperate in military training, joint operations, technical assistance and exchange of information as well as visits to each other’s militaries.
Emirates has offered the world’s first in-flight mobile phone service onboard the A380 aircraft.
In partnership with Emirates connectivity partner, OnAir, passengers aboard Emirates’ A380 aircraft will now be able to stay in touch via phone calls or through the mobile data link on their personal devices while in-flight.
The service is in addition to the OnAir Wi-Fi service already available on Emirates A380 aircraft.
The OnAir system allows passengers to use their own mobile phones to make and receive phone calls and text messages from Emirates A380 aircraft in-flight, just as they would on the ground, using EDGE/GPRS connections through their mobile service provider.
Emirates first A380 equipped with the full suite of OnAir connectivity departed from Dubai international Airport to Munich International Airport on October 2 and the first recorded A380 in-flight call was placed to China while the aircraft cruised at 11,500 metres flying across the Gulf.
“Our goal on every flight is to exceed our passengers’ expectations. We believe that exceeding expectations should not only apply to our Cabin Crew’s award-winning in-flight service and our Skytrax ‘World’s Best Airline In-flight Entertainment’ ice system, but also to our passenger’s desire to stay in touch while travelling,” said Khalid Bel Jaflah, Emirates Vice President for East Africa region.
The airline has long set the industry standard for the latest in-flight innovations and connectivity.
Emirates has offered the world’s first in-flight mobile phone service onboard the A380 aircraft.
In partnership with Emirates connectivity partner, OnAir, passengers aboard Emirates’ A380 aircraft will now be able to stay in touch via phone calls or through the mobile data link on their personal devices while in-flight.
The service is in addition to the OnAir Wi-Fi service already available on Emirates A380 aircraft.
The OnAir system allows passengers to use their own mobile phones to make and receive phone calls and text messages from Emirates A380 aircraft in-flight, just as they would on the ground, using EDGE/GPRS connections through their mobile service provider.
Emirates first A380 equipped with the full suite of OnAir connectivity departed from Dubai international Airport to Munich International Airport on October 2 and the first recorded A380 in-flight call was placed to China while the aircraft cruised at 11,500 metres flying across the Gulf.
“Our goal on every flight is to exceed our passengers’ expectations. We believe that exceeding expectations should not only apply to our Cabin Crew’s award-winning in-flight service and our Skytrax ‘World’s Best Airline In-flight Entertainment’ ice system, but also to our passenger’s desire to stay in touch while travelling,” said Khalid Bel Jaflah, Emirates Vice President for East Africa region.
The airline has long set the industry standard for the latest in-flight innovations and connectivity.
Russia’s judo-mad President Vladimir Putin, who turned 60 earlier this week and in the past sparred with top judokas, has been promoted to the eighth dan in the sport, the International Judo Federation (IJF) said on Wednesday.
The ninth dan indicates the rank of a grand master, and only a few living people in the world are believed to have the highest 10th dan.
“President Putin represents a high expression of the judo values in the world,” IJF president Marius Vizer said in a statement.
Putin is the martial art federation’s honorary president.
He started practicing sambo — the official in-house martial art of the KGB security services — when he was in his early teens before switching to judo.
Putin, who is often pictured by the media wearing his judo uniform of zubon pants and jacket fastened by a black belt, also penned a judo manual and recorded an instructional DVD with world champion Yasuhiro Yamashita from Japan.
Putin’s minders often use his judo training sessions to demonstrate that the Russian leader, who returned to the Kremlin for a third term in May, is in top physical shape.