In the World
No winner picked for African prize
LONDON - In a snub, organizers of a multimillion-dollar annual prize for good governance awarded to African leaders who voluntarily step down when their terms are up said yesterday they had decided not to give out the award this year.The Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership - $5 million over 10 years and $200,000 annually for life thereafter - is awarded only to democratically elected heads of state who have left office in the previous three years. That eliminates the continent's many strongmen.
The committee considered "some credible candidates" but could not select a winner, said former Botswana President Ketumile Masire, a board member of the group that awards the prize. - AP
Gorbachev faults Putin's party
MOSCOW - Former Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev harshly criticized recent regional elections in Russia, describing them as a mockery of democracy in an interview published yesterday.Gorbachev said the Oct. 11 vote had discredited Russia's political system, according to Novaya Gazeta newspaper. "The elections have turned into a mockery of the people and showed utter disrespect for their votes," Gorbachev was quoted as saying.
The United Russia party, led by Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, swept the Oct. 11 ballot by winning more than 7,000 local elections in 75 of Russia's 83 regions. United Russia is a power base for Putin, who has not ruled out a return to the presidency in 2012.
Independent observers and opposition parties, including the Communists, insisted there were mass electoral violations during the voting. - AP
Kurds on peace mission to Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey - A group of Kurds, including unarmed rebels in combat dress, marched into Turkey from northern Iraq yesterday in a show of support for peace with the Turkish government.The 34 Kurds, including eight rebels belonging to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, were immediately detained by Turkish paramilitary police after crossing the Iraqi-Turkish border gate at Habur and taken for questioning, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
The group was carrying a letter to Turkish officials saying they hoped to make a "modest" contribution to peace with their journey, and listing requests, including an end to military operations against the rebels, the pro-Kurdish news agency Firat News said.
The PKK - considered a terror organization by the United States and European Union - said its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan had given instructions for "peace groups" to travel to Turkey to promote reconciliation. - AP
