7. First ‘honest African leader’ prize given

A prize for good leadership in Africa has been given for the very first time. The winner of the $5 million plus award, set up by the Sudanese telecom tycoon Mo Ibrahim, is Mozambique’s former president Joaquim Chissano. Mr. Chissano will receive a cool half a million dollars every year for ten years and then $200,000 every year for life. Mr. Ibrahim said the prize is to encourage African leaders to be honest and stick to the rules when their time as leader ends. He said he wants to discourage presidents from illegally extending their term of office or turning to corruption. The criteria the judges used in deciding the winner includes being freely elected, leaving their post on time, and making economic and social progress. They seemed to ignore the fact that Mr. Chissano left office amid many allegations of corruption. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan praised Mr. Chissano’s for ending Mozambique’s 16-year civil war and bringing good to his nation. Mr. Annan said: "President Chissano's achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress to his country greatly impressed the committee. So too did his decision to step down without seeking the third term the constitution allowed." He added: "It is a measure of the remarkable change that has taken place that national and regional elections have been contested in a generally peaceful manner by both sides in the bitter civil war." Mr. Annan told reporters that he hopes the prize will encourage African leaders “to follow the highest standards by offering them financial security following retirement from active political life".

8. South Korea loses national treasure in fire

South Korea has lost it’s most important national treasure in a fire. A blaze broke out in the 600-year-old Namdaemun, or Great South Gate, in central Seoul on Sunday night. It was the country's most famous landmark and a symbol of great national pride. Police suspect an arsonist started the fire, which reduced the monument to ashes. Many Seoul residents gathered to watch in horror as firefighting teams fought a losing battle against the flames. More than 100 firefighters tried to put out the inferno, but the flames got the better of them and the centuries-old wooden structure. Initial attempts at extinguishing the fire seemed to have succeeded. However, shortly after midnight it reignited and the whole structure collapsed in ruins and came tumbling to the ground. The Yonhap news agency said a taxi driver saw a man in his 50s at the gate minutes before the blaze started. The loss of the Namdaemun has left South Koreans in shock. One citizen at the scene described his heart was burning along with the burning gate. The gate, surrounded by gleaming modern buildings, was an icon of South Korea’s history. All school children learn about its importance and develop a lifelong pride in it. An onlooker, housewife Lee Mimi said: "It feels like the pride of the nation and hope is lost and crumbled." A spokesman for President Roh Moo-Hyun told of his nation’s grief over the destruction of the gate: "It was our heritage, more significant and more symbolic than any other cultural asset," he said. Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration said in a statement: "We are deeply sorry. No words can express our sadness." An Administration official promised it would rebuild the gate, which would take three years and cost $21 million.

9. ‘Best party ever’ costs parents $20,000

The parents of an Australian teenager may have a $20,000 bill to pay for damages caused at a party held by their son. Corey Delaney, 16, decided to throw a party in his house on Saturday night while his parents were on vacation. He posted an open invitation on the MySpace website, which resulted in 500 teenagers showing up at his Melbourne home. The youths got drunk and started damaging neighbouring properties. After complaints from neighbours, 30 police officers, police dogs and a backup helicopter went to break up the party. The young partygoers threw rocks and stones at the police and their cars. The state police commissioner Christine Nixon told a news conference that Corey "needs to learn a lesson, and one way or another we’ll be making sure that happens." Corey seemed proud of his party when reporters interviewed him. Australia’s Nine Network TV news asked him what advice he had for other teenagers planning a party. His reply was: "Get me to do it for you!” He added that he had organized the "best party ever." Corey explained how the party grew to be so big: "It was just an open house party and a lot of people came and it overflowed onto the street….The cops came and told all the people to quiet down….There were people bottling cars and the whole streets were flooded with people," he said. His parents were furious at their son's actions: "We're absolutely disgusted that he could do this, not only to us but to our neighbourhood," his mother said. Corey was apologetic towards his neighbours, saying: "It was really unfair what happened to them."