U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation.
The stunning choice made Mr. Obama the third sitting U.S. President to win the Nobel Peace Prize and shocked Nobel observers because Mr. Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline. Mr. Obama’s name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president.
“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the committee said. “His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.”
The committee said it attached special importance to Obama’s vision of, and work for, a world without nuclear weapons.
“Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play,” the committee said.
Theodore Roosevelt won the award in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won in 1919. Former President Jimmy Carter won the award in 2002, while former Vice President Al Gore shared the 2007 prize with the U.N. panel on climate change.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
I am shy about my body, says Shakira
Shakier often grabs headlines with her risque outfits and daring dance moves, but the Colombian songstress confesses that she is shy about her body.
The 32-year-old 'She Wolf' hitmaker said that she does not consider herself a sex symbol and prefers to keep her famed body under wraps when not performing, reported Contactmusic.
"When I perform I feel free. But when I'm on the beach I don't run around topless or wobble with my hips. Perhaps it's difficult to understand but I'm kind of shy when it comes to my body," said Shakira.
But the blonde beauty who likes to keep a low profile, said that she has never thought of herself as a sex symbol.
"I think the external appearance in show business is important and over the years I've discovered my assets.
Freida’s body crushing dress grabs eyeballs during Paris show
Freida Pinto was spotted wearing a body-crushing blue frock at the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2010 show in Paris.
The ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ actress was said to have stunned all with the tight-fitting layers.
The 24-year-old allegedly struggled with her attire as she tried to sit down, reports The Sun.
The star was seen pushing the material to its limit as she bent her body.
West Bengal is 'university' of Maoist activities, says Lalu
Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Thursday described West Bengal as an "university of Maoist activities" where the ultras get training and launch armed strikes in other parts of the country.
"West Bengal is a university of Maoist activities. Here the Left wing rebels get arms training," he told reporters at a brief interaction in Kolkata. The RJD supremo was in the West Bengal capital to attend a public programme.
"The Maoists get training in this state and they launch attacks in other states," he said.
The former railways minister declined to comment when asked about the performance of his successor Mamata Banerjee.
"I have no reaction to the issue. People will decide how she (Mamata Banerjee) is performing," he said.
India calls for an international terror treaty
Expressing concern over the terror attack on Indian embassy in Kabul, India's envoy to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri has asked the world leaders to negotiate an international treaty to tackle terrorism expeditiously.
"Our Embassy in Kabul was again subjected to yet another terrorist attack, which has resulted in injury of Indian security personnel as well as death of large number of Afghan civilians," Puri told the committee of the General Assembly that handles a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues.
"While it is important for the international community to condemn terrorism and these attacks in an unequivocal manner, it is also critical that we strengthen the legal framework in the fight against terrorism," he noted.
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