brdgt: (Ambitious by foggi)
[personal profile] brdgt
Wow, this is exciting!

Kenyan in surprise Nobel peace win

OSLO, Norway (CNN) -- Kenyan Deputy Environment Minister Wangari Muta Maathai has been named winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, beating a number of much better known world names to the prestigious award.

She is the first African woman to win the prize. She was cited for her work as leader of the Green Belt Movement that has planted more than 30 million trees across Africa.

Maathai, 64, awarded the peace prize "for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace," has also campaigned for broader women's rights.


Her win came as a suprise to most observers. U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei had been the clear favorite.

A late tip was Russian anti-nuclear activist Alexander Nikitin, a former navy captain who who leaked details of the nuclear fleet and dumping of radioactive waste from 1965 to 1989.

Others said to be in the running were U.S. Senator Richard Lugar and former Senator Sam Nunn for work to dismantle ageing Soviet nuclear warheads and South African AIDS treatment lobbyist, Zackie Achmat.

Internet bookmaker Centrebet, the first to organize betting on the contest, had listed ElBaradei and the IAEA as favorites at 4-1, with Nunn-Lugar at 6-1 while Achmat, Russian human rights activist Sergei Kovalyov and Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu were all on 7-1.

Centrebet spokesman Mark Worwood told CNN that they had lost money on the contest -- as she was such an outsider, you couldn't bet on Maathai by name, only as "any other" an option which was backed down from 5-1 to 6-4 on the final day.

He added that a significant amount of money had been bet on George W. Bush, forcing the firm to cut their price on the U.S. President from 1000-1 to 25-1.

Norway's NRK public television, which has often predicted the winner, said early Friday -- accurately as it turned out -- the prize might go to an environmentalist.

Along with Baradei it had named as being in the final contenders Maathai and Nikitin.
'Great surprise'

The news that she won the Nobel prize came as a shock to Maathai, who was "going about her business" in a remote area of Kenya when the announcement came from Oslo, her daughter told CNN.

Her family in Nairobi did not wait for her to celebrate, she said. "It's really a great surprise," her daughter said.

With a record 194 nominations, the committee had a broad field to choose from.

"As a country we're greatly honored. This is a great moment in Kenyan history. To us this shows that what Wangari Maathai has been doing here has been recognized. We're very proud of her and she deserves all the credit," government spokesman Alfred Mutua said.

The Nobel Peace Prize, which includes 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.3 million) is always presented on December 10, the anniversary of the death of its founder, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel.

The peace prize is awarded in Oslo, and the other Nobel prizes are presented in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.

Last year, the Nobel committee awarded the prize to Shirin Ebadi, the first Iranian to receive the honor.

Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/10/08/nobel.peace/index.html

Date: 2004-10-08 07:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mosrite.livejournal.com
the only news I get is from your journal posts. haha

Date: 2004-10-08 07:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] brdgt.livejournal.com
That actually warms my heart :)

Of course that also means that all your news has a horribly liberal slant, but you're a Vermonter, so you probably don't even notice ;)

Date: 2004-10-08 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mosrite.livejournal.com
actually, I didn't notice... ha.

Date: 2004-10-08 07:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] astronautical.livejournal.com
I thought this was so cool when I heard about it on npr this morning, and wondered if you'd have the full story in your journal!

Date: 2004-10-08 08:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jangrl.livejournal.com
He added that a significant amount of money had been bet on George W. Bush, forcing the firm to cut their price on the U.S. President from 1000-1 to 25-1.

uh, WHAT???

jangrl

Date: 2004-10-08 09:51 am (UTC)

Date: 2004-10-08 10:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ex-sexus973.livejournal.com


I had a 100 bucks down on Bush to take the prize this year...

Maybe I should stick with betting on the dogs...

Date: 2004-10-10 08:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zorn-von-bulach.livejournal.com
I am happy that the prize went to someone who decided to work in the local arena, perhaps forsaking these types of international recognitions.

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