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Breaking News
I'll be away until the middle of February and unable to update until then.
United States - Major Steven Hall Receives Soldier'sMedal, Highest Peacetime AwardMajor Steven Hall and Chief Warrant Officer Ricky Bullinger received the Solider's Medal
for risking their lives to help rescue a woman who was in danger of
drowning or electrocution at the Lake Hamilton Resort in Hot
Springs. "On August 23, 2008, the Garland County Sheriff's
Department responded to an electrocution/drowning at the Lake Hamilton
Resort on Lake Hamilton. "Three people, a fourteen-year-old girl, a
seven-year-old boy, and a forty year-old woman were swimming in the
lake by the dock area when the automatic lights came on. A short caused
the dock and water to become electrified. Major
Steven Hall and CWO Bullinger were in the dock area and heard the
screaming. Major Hall jumped into the water and was shocked to the
point that his muscles were paralyzed and he sank. Major Hall was able
to come back up to the top of the water and assist CWO Bullinger with a
rescue of the woman who was stuck on a metal ladder on the dock. CWO
Bullinger said he touched the lady and was shocked. They were able to
break the woman free from the ladder with Bullinger stating he received
a bad shock from this action. They were also able to rescue the woman's
son. Major Hall was still in the water trying to find the
fourteen-year-old girl, Sara Crotts. CWO Bullinger joined Major Hall in
the water to look for the girl. They continued diving for about 15
minutes but were unable to find her, and each time they entered the
water, they were shocked. ashleycountyledger.com 11 Jan 10
Georgia - McCain becomes National Hero of GeorgiaGeorgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili decorated visiting US Senator and former
presidential candidate John McCain with the country's highest state
honour, declaring him a national hero. At a ceremony in Georgia's Black
Sea city of Batumi, Saakashvili lavished praise on McCain for his
strong support of Georgia during the August 2008 Russian-Georgian war. The US senator was awarded with the Order of the National Hero of Georgia. "A
friend in need is a friend indeed. Georgia is a free country today ...
because of our friends' support," Saakashvili said in comments
broadcast on Georgian television. "John McCain demonstrated heroism for America and for Georgia." Saakashvili
said McCain called him during the war and told him "not to surrender
and not to say no to freedom" when "some well-known world figures were
telling us to stop resistance." "He told me: 'we will stand by Georgia and we will all be Georgians." rt.com 11 Jan 10
Kosovo - Medal Awarded The President of Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Fatmir Sejdiu has awarded the Golden Medal of Independence to the President of Republic of Croatia. ISRIA 10 Jan 10
The
following news items are for information purposes and will not be
archived:
Bulgaria - President Georgi Purvanov sets a record for granting statedecorationsPresident
Georgi Purvanov has conferred a total of 592 state decorations on
Bulgarian and foreign nationals since he assumed office in 2002,
Bulgarian-language Sega daily said on January 4 2010. In his first two years alone Purvanov gave away 142 Stara Planina first-class
decorations, the country's highest honour, almost as many as his two
predecessors Zhelyo Zhelev and Petar Stoyanov (168 combined) during
their entire terms in office. During his first term in
office (2002-2007) Purvanov conferred 258 Stara Planina decorations to
Bulgarians, foreign ambassadors and heads of states. Forty people have been decorated with the President's Badge of Honour which was designed on Purvanov's request in 2002, Sega said quoting State Gazette's data. Judging
by this rate, Sega noted, another 200 people will have been decorated
by Purvanov by the end of his second five-year term in 2011. Currently
there were 230 decoration nominations, backed by the previous
government, awaiting a final decision from the Presidency. sofiaecho.com 4 Jan 10
Saudi Arabia - Abdullah confers topmedalon researcherCustodian
of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has conferred the prestigious
“First Rank King Abdulaziz Medal” on Saudi female scientist Dr. Khawla
Al-Kuraya in recognition of her achievements in science that have made
her a prominent international figure in cancer research. The highly
acclaimed medal, instituted in commemoration of the Kingdom’s late
founder, is given to individuals in recognition of their contributions
to the country. arabnews.com 4 Jan 10
Ivory Coast - Le Ministre Cissé Bacongo honoré par le Ministre...The Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Cisse Bacongo has been made a Commander in the Order of Sports. Article in French. abidijan.net 30 Dec 09
Philippines - PNP confersmedalto hero cop for saving passengers of M/V Baleno...The
Philippine National Police (PNP) high command will honor a hero cop who
helped save passengers of the ill-fated M/V Baleno 9, which sank off
the waters of Verde Island in Batangas a day after Christmas.PO2 Mark Valiant Rey will receive the Medalya ng Kadakilaan during the weekly flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame, which also coincides with the observance of the 16th PNP Ethics Day. Rey,
28, a member of the 405th Police Provincial Mobile Group based in
Siniloan town, Laguna, was cited for saving more than a dozen
passengers of the ill-fated M/V Baleno 9 on the night of Dec. 26 when
it sank off the waters of Verde Island. balita.ph 4 Jan
Spain - Diagna Ndiaye honoré en EspagneDiagna Ndiaye, president of the Senegal Olympic Committee, has been made aCommandeur de l’ordre d’Isabella La Catholique. Article in French. abidjan.net 8 Jan 10
Chile - Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is seen wearing the recently awarded Order of Merit of the Chilean Air Force in the grade of Great Cross of Aeronautical Merit. She is the first woman to receive this grade. Photo and information by Norberto Traub
India - Rukhsana to getbraveryaward, Taj Hotel hero Zaheen Mateen also in the listPresident
of India has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards to
53 persons. Jeevan Raksha Padak series of awards are given to a person
for meritorious act of humane nature in saving the life of a person.
The award is given in three categories, namely, Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha
Padak, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan RakshaPadak. Rukhsana
Kausar has been selected for the highest award Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha
Padak along with Narender Kaushik of Delhi. Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha
Padak is awarded for conspicuous courage in saving life under
circumstances of very great danger to the life of the rescuer.
Displaying rare courage, 20-year-old Rukhsana Kauser axed to death an
armed Lashkar-e-Toiba commander and then, along with her 18-year-old
brother, snatched guns and opened fire on two other militants, wounding
one and forcing them to flee. President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram hugely praised Rukhsana
for her daring act. For Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Shri Mushtaq Ahmed
and Ajaz Ahmed of Jammu & Kashmir made it to the final list along
with Syed Areef Sujauddin of Andhra Pradesh. Syed Areef Sujauddin will
be awarded posthumously. Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak is awarded for
courage and promptitude in saving life under circumstances of great
danger to the life of the rescuer. Six Muslims are in the list of 44
selected for Jeevan Rakhsha Padak. Jeevan Raksha Padak is awarded for
courage and promptitude in saving life under circumstances of grave
bodily injury to the rescuer. Names of K Faseeb and Thahir of Kerala,
Rukhsana Bano of Karnataka, Shahanshah of Uttar Pradesh, Hina Quereshi
and Zaheen Mateen of Rajsthan have been approved by the President for
the medal. Zaheen Mateen laid his life saving guests of Taj Hotel on
27th Nov 2008 during terrorist attack. Born in Bhilwara, Rajsthan on 20
Aug.1983, Zaheen Mateen , was working as the Assistant Chef for past
four years in the kitchen of The Zodiac Grill at Taj Mahal Palace and
tower, Mumbai . He will be awarded posthumously. The decoration of the
award (medal, certificate signed by the Home Minister and demand draft
for lump sum monetary allowance) is presented to the awardee in due
course by the respective Government of the State to which the awardee
belongs. The lump sum monetary allowance is given at the rate of
Rs.75,000, Rs.45,000 and Rs.30,000 to the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha
Padak, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan Raksha Padakawardee
respectively. twocircles.net 8 Jan 10
Ethiopia - French Ambassador bestows high honors on two Ethiopian womenThe French Ambassador has bestowed the Order of Merit and Legion of Honoron
two Ethiopian women at a ceremony held at the embassy. Tigist Yima
and Sinidu Araya received the honors from John Christoph, the French
ambassador to Ethiopia. Tigist Yilma, who is owner and managing
editor of the English weekly Capital Newspaper, was awarded the Order of Merit and Sinidu Araya Selassie, who is the founder and manager of a local NGO Vision of Africa, was awarded the Legion of Honor. nazret.com 19 Dec 09
The
following news items are for information purposes and will not be
archived:
Libya - Zimbabwe: Libyan Envoy PresentsMedalto PresidentPresident Mugabe received the 40th Anniversary Medal from Libya's Brother Leader Muammar Gaddafi. The medal is a golden chain with a star.The
medal signifies Libya's recognition of President Mugabe's efforts to
bring peace, justice and promotion of equality in the world. allafrica.com 12 Dec 09
Britain - In a ceremony held at the embassy to grant Britain's highestMedal...British Ambassador to Kuwait Mr. Michael Aron presented Mr. Mohammed Abdulaziz Alshayawith an honorary CBEin recognition of his outstanding services in developing the British-Arabic business relation. Presenting
the award on behalf of her Majesty the Queen, the Ambassador said that
her majesty had appointed Mr. Alshaya to be an honorary Commander of
the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of these
services. pr2live.com 27 Dec 09
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