The annual gingerbread competition at the Architecture and Design Museum in Stockholm is usually filled with wide-eyed children and adults marvelling at the culinary creations of the nation's bakers, but this year the Covid-19 pandemic has put a spanner in the works, which is reflected in the 2020 theme of "distance".

Gingerbread Greta and Anders Tegnell on show at corona-inspired baking competition

The Nobel Prize Banquet has been cancelled for the first time since 1956 due to coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-welcomes-tourists-100-days-after-lifting-coronavirus-induced-lockdown-315171" hreflang="en">Wuhan welcomes tourists 100 days after lifting coronavirus-induced lockdown</a>

The event hosts around 1,300 guests including the Swedish royal family and traditionally marks the conclusion of the Nobel Week. The banquet hosts winners of the coveted prize are invited to the Swedish capital Stockholm for talks and the award ceremony.

This year's Nobel Prize winners will be announced, however, the event that is usually held on December 10 will not take place.

Last time the event was called off in 1956 in a protest against Soviet Union's invasion in Hungary.&nbsp;

The ceremony has also cancelled during World War One and Two.&nbsp;

These coveted prizes have been given to people with achievements in fields such as science, literature and peace since 1901 under the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel.&nbsp;

Nobel Foundation Chairman Lars Heikensten is an interview with Dagens Nyheter, the Swedish newspaper said: “There are two problems. You cannot gather that many people next to each other. And it is uncertain whether people can travel to Sweden to the extent they want.”

In a first, all announcements will be streamed live on nobelprize.org this year.

The Nobel Prize Banquet has been cancelled for the first time since 1956 due to coronavirus pandemic. Also read: Wuhan welcomes tourists 100 days after lifting coronavirus-induced lockdown The event hosts around 1,300 guests including the Swedish royal family and traditionally marks the conclusion of the Nobel Week.

The Nobel Prize Banquet has been cancelled for the first time since 1956 due to coronavirus pandemic. Also read: Wuhan welcomes tourists 100 days after lifting coronavirus-induced lockdown The event hosts around 1,300 guests including the Swedish royal family and traditionally marks the conclusion of the Nobel Week. The banquet hosts winners of the coveted prize are invited to the Swedish capital Stockholm for talks and the award ceremony. This year's Nobel Prize winners will be announced, however, the event that is usually held on December 10 will not take place. Last time the event was called off in 1956 in a protest against Soviet Union's invasion in Hungary. The ceremony has also cancelled during World War One and Two. These coveted prizes have been given to people with achievements in fields such as science, literature and peace since 1901 under the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel. Nobel Foundation Chairman Lars Heikensten is an interview with Dagens Nyheter, the Swedish newspaper said: “There are two problems. You cannot gather that many people next to each other. And it is uncertain whether people can travel to Sweden to the extent they want.” In a first, all announcements will be streamed live on nobelprize.org this year.

Nobel Prize banquet cancelled for first time since 1956 due to COVID-19

President Donald Trump's administration is asking Democratic People's Republic of Korea leaders to resume negotiations over the country's denuclearization, national security advisor Robert O'Brien told Axios. #WION

White House says US has asked North Korea to resume talks

Former Sweden striker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../jose-mourinho-rules-out-zlatan-signing-for- spurs-264565">Zlatan Ibrahimovic</a> was branded "Judas" in graffiti sprayed on a building he owns in Stockholm on Wednesday night following the announcement he had bought a stake in Stockholm club Hammarby.

The entrance to a building owned by the 38-year-old Ibrahimovic was vandalised, police said on Thursday, and Swedish media showed pictures of a gate sprayed with the word "Judas".

Media reported on Wednesday that Ibrahimovic had acquired a stake in Hammarby, prompting angry reactions from fans in Malmo, where he was born and started his professional career.

A Stockholm police spokeswoman said they received a report during the night of graffiti sprayed on the entrance to the building in downtown Stockholm and were treating the incident as vandalism.

A statue of Ibrahimovic, Sweden's leading international goalscorer, outside Malmo Stadium was vandalised on Wednesday and a racist message sprayed on the ground nearby.

Ibrahimovic enjoyed a trophy-laden career after leaving Malmo, playing for Ajax Amsterdam, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris St Germain, and Manchester United before spending the last two seasons in the US&nbsp;Major League with LA Galaxy.

Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was branded "Judas" in graffiti sprayed on a building he owns in Stockholm on Wednesday night following the announcement he had bought a stake in Stockholm club Hammarby.

Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was branded "Judas" in graffiti sprayed on a building he owns in Stockholm on Wednesday night following the announcement he had bought a stake in Stockholm club Hammarby. The entrance to a building owned by the 38-year-old Ibrahimovic was vandalised, police said on Thursday, and Swedish media showed pictures of a gate sprayed with the word "Judas". Media reported on Wednesday that Ibrahimovic had acquired a stake in Hammarby, prompting angry reactions from fans in Malmo, where he was born and started his professional career. A Stockholm police spokeswoman said they received a report during the night of graffiti sprayed on the entrance to the building in downtown Stockholm and were treating the incident as vandalism. A statue of Ibrahimovic, Sweden's leading international goalscorer, outside Malmo Stadium was vandalised on Wednesday and a racist message sprayed on the ground nearby. Ibrahimovic enjoyed a trophy-laden career after leaving Malmo, playing for Ajax Amsterdam, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris St Germain, and Manchester United before spending the last two seasons in the US Major League with LA Galaxy.

Zlatan called 'Judas' in graffiti on Stockholm building

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A Stockholm court on Wednesday convicted US rapper A$AP Rocky of assault and handed him a suspended sentence over a street brawl in June, a case that outraged fans and sparked a diplomatic spat with US President Donald Trump.

The 30-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, and two members of his entourage were found guilty of assaulting a 19-year-old in a fight in central Stockholm on June 30.

The three, who were in the Swedish capital for a concert, "assaulted the victim by hitting and kicking him as he lay on the ground. The artist has also thrown the victim to the ground and stepped on his arm," the court wrote in its verdict, rejecting the defence's argument of self-defence.

The three were "not in a situation where they were entitled to self-defence", the court said.

Mayers was not present in Stockholm for the verdict.

Prosecutor Daniel Suneson had called for a six-month prison sentence for Mayers and two of his crew, while the defence argued they should be acquitted.

Considered a "flight risk", Mayers was held in custody for a month while the case was investigated and throughout his trial.

But <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-cheers-as-rapper-aap-rocky-freed-in-swedish-assault-case-240508">he was released</a> after the close of proceedings on August 2, pending the verdict, and immediately returned to the United States.

Fans, fellow artists and even Trump had called for his release - with the US president's intervention drawing complaints from Swedish politicians.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Robert C. O'Brien to attend the trial, who told reporters: "The president felt they shouldn't have been detained, they were stalked."

An online petition also called #JusticeForRocky garnered more than 640,000 signatures and supporters were urged to boycott Swedish brands such as Ikea.

Rapper felt 'scared'

At his first performance on Sunday following his release, in Anaheim in California, the rapper thanked fans and called the experience in Sweden "scary" and "humbling".

"I need y'all to keep praying for me," he told the crowd, saying he hoped he would not have to return to serve a jail sentence.

The artist maintained his innocence, telling the court he acted in self-defence, saying he felt "scared" and that he and his entourage had repeatedly told the plaintiff to leave them alone.

Mayers conceded he threw the man to the ground and "kicked his arm", but denied the prosecution's claim that a bottle was used and insisted he only acted after the accuser and his friend began attacking his bodyguard.

The plaintiff, a Swedish resident born in Afghanistan, alleged he was attacked by Mayers and his entourage when he followed them to ask about a headphone set broken in an earlier scuffle with the rapper's bodyguard.

Assault carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison in Sweden.

Brawl video published

In one video clip of the brawl published by US celebrity news outlet TMZ, the rapper can be seen throwing a young man to the ground and aiming several punches at him while he is down.

The court was also shown videos posted on the artist's Instagram account, purporting to show the lead-up to the scrap.

Mayers appears to repeatedly ask the man and his friend to stop following him and his entourage. The prosecution argued that the Instagram videos were heavily edited.

Much of the trial also focused on whether a bottle was used as the plaintiff suffered cuts that medical examiners said seemed to be from glass.

In its verdict, the court said that Mayers and two members of his entourage's actions were not severe enough to warrant more time in prison.

"The accused have no criminal record during the past five years... (and) there is no reason to fear that the accused are going to be repeat offenders," it said.

A Stockholm court on Wednesday convicted US rapper A$AP Rocky of assault and handed him a suspended sentence over a street brawl in June, a case that outraged fans and sparked a diplomatic spat with US President Donald Trump.

A Stockholm court on Wednesday convicted US rapper A$AP Rocky of assault and handed him a suspended sentence over a street brawl in June, a case that outraged fans and sparked a diplomatic spat with US President Donald Trump. The 30-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, and two members of his entourage were found guilty of assaulting a 19-year-old in a fight in central Stockholm on June 30. The three, who were in the Swedish capital for a concert, "assaulted the victim by hitting and kicking him as he lay on the ground. The artist has also thrown the victim to the ground and stepped on his arm," the court wrote in its verdict, rejecting the defence's argument of self-defence. The three were "not in a situation where they were entitled to self-defence", the court said. Mayers was not present in Stockholm for the verdict. Prosecutor Daniel Suneson had called for a six-month prison sentence for Mayers and two of his crew, while the defence argued they should be acquitted. Considered a "flight risk", Mayers was held in custody for a month while the case was investigated and throughout his trial. But he was released after the close of proceedings on August 2, pending the verdict, and immediately returned to the United States. Fans, fellow artists and even Trump had called for his release - with the US president's intervention drawing complaints from Swedish politicians. US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Robert C. O'Brien to attend the trial, who told reporters: "The president felt they shouldn't have been detained, they were stalked." An online petition also called #JusticeForRocky garnered more than 640,000 signatures and supporters were urged to boycott Swedish brands such as Ikea. Rapper felt 'scared' At his first performance on Sunday following his release, in Anaheim in California, the rapper thanked fans and called the experience in Sweden "scary" and "humbling". "I need y'all to keep praying for me," he told the crowd, saying he hoped he would not have to return to serve a jail sentence. The artist maintained his innocence, telling the court he acted in self-defence, saying he felt "scared" and that he and his entourage had repeatedly told the plaintiff to leave them alone. Mayers conceded he threw the man to the ground and "kicked his arm", but denied the prosecution's claim that a bottle was used and insisted he only acted after the accuser and his friend began attacking his bodyguard. The plaintiff, a Swedish resident born in Afghanistan, alleged he was attacked by Mayers and his entourage when he followed them to ask about a headphone set broken in an earlier scuffle with the rapper's bodyguard. Assault carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison in Sweden. Brawl video published In one video clip of the brawl published by US celebrity news outlet TMZ, the rapper can be seen throwing a young man to the ground and aiming several punches at him while he is down. The court was also shown videos posted on the artist's Instagram account, purporting to show the lead-up to the scrap. Mayers appears to repeatedly ask the man and his friend to stop following him and his entourage. The prosecution argued that the Instagram videos were heavily edited. Much of the trial also focused on whether a bottle was used as the plaintiff suffered cuts that medical examiners said seemed to be from glass. In its verdict, the court said that Mayers and two members of his entourage's actions were not severe enough to warrant more time in prison. "The accused have no criminal record during the past five years... (and) there is no reason to fear that the accused are going to be repeat offenders," it said.

A$AP Rocky convicted of assault, gets suspended sentence

The US <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/us-rapper-aap-rocky-goes-on-trial-in-stockholm-239323">rapper A$AP Rocky</a> pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a charge of assault on the first day of a trial in Sweden that has drawn international attention and prompted President Donald Trump to intervene on the artist's behalf.

The 30-year-old performer, producer and model, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was detained on July 3 in connection with a street brawl in Stockholm on June 30, and later charged with assault causing actual bodily harm.

Mayers' lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, told the judge his client, sitting next to him in prison clothes of a green t-shirt and trousers, pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault and had acted in self-defence.

Outlining his case using videos from security cameras and witnesses' mobile phones, prosecutor Daniel Suneson said that following an altercation, Mayers threw the plaintiff on the ground, after which he and two of his entourage kicked and punched him while he was lying on the ground.

The prosecutor also said a bottle was used to hit the 19-year-old man.

Mayers has said the plaintiff provoked him and his two companions, who are also charged with assault. If convicted at the Stockholm district court, they could face up to two years in jail.

The case has drawn huge media attention, forcing the trial to be moved to a secure courtroom where more than 50 journalists, as well as Mayers' mother, watched proceedings.

Both Mayers and the plaintiff will face cross-examination later on Tuesday.

Mayers' detention before his trial has prompted angry responses from fans as well as from several artists and other celebrities ranging from Kim Kardashian to rocker Rod Stewart.

Trump had asked Swedish Prime Minister <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/i-would-personally-vouch-for-mayers-bail-says-trump-238654&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiy-bub2tzjAhWj73MBHQN-CSIQFjAEegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw02yc0WYLbMhIv0KOy3ztCC">Stefan Lofven</a> to help free Mayers, and later tweeted messages saying he was "very disappointed" in Lofven and demanding: "Treat Americans fairly!"

Trump had said he would personally vouch for Mayers' bail. Sweden does not have a bail system.

Lofven has said he will not influence the rapper's case. Sweden's judiciary is independent of the political system.

Present at the courthouse was US diplomat Robert C. O'Brien.

"Special Envoy Ambassador O’Brien travelled to Sweden at the request of the White House. One of the most important tasks of the Department of State and US embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to US citizens who are detained abroad. We engage on these cases at all levels to fulfil our mission to US citizens," a spokeswoman at the US Embassy in Stockholm said in an email.

Swedish fan Ivan Waliullah said "I'm here to show support," adding he thought the three were being charged unfairly.

Mayers, best known for his song "Praise the Lord", was in Stockholm for a concert. He has had to cancel several scheduled shows across Europe due to his detention.

Before his arrest, Mayers uploaded videos on Instagram of the moments before the alleged assault, saying two men were following his team and that he did not want any trouble.

Mayers shot to fame with his 2011 debut "Live.Love.A$AP". His latest album, "Testing", reached the No. 4 spot on the Billboard 200 charts on its release last year.

The US rapper A$AP Rocky pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a charge of assault on the first day of a trial in Sweden that has drawn international attention and prompted President Donald Trump to intervene on the artist's behalf.

The US rapper A$AP Rocky pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a charge of assault on the first day of a trial in Sweden that has drawn international attention and prompted President Donald Trump to intervene on the artist's behalf. The 30-year-old performer, producer and model, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was detained on July 3 in connection with a street brawl in Stockholm on June 30, and later charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. Mayers' lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, told the judge his client, sitting next to him in prison clothes of a green t-shirt and trousers, pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault and had acted in self-defence. Outlining his case using videos from security cameras and witnesses' mobile phones, prosecutor Daniel Suneson said that following an altercation, Mayers threw the plaintiff on the ground, after which he and two of his entourage kicked and punched him while he was lying on the ground. The prosecutor also said a bottle was used to hit the 19-year-old man. Mayers has said the plaintiff provoked him and his two companions, who are also charged with assault. If convicted at the Stockholm district court, they could face up to two years in jail. The case has drawn huge media attention, forcing the trial to be moved to a secure courtroom where more than 50 journalists, as well as Mayers' mother, watched proceedings. Both Mayers and the plaintiff will face cross-examination later on Tuesday. Mayers' detention before his trial has prompted angry responses from fans as well as from several artists and other celebrities ranging from Kim Kardashian to rocker Rod Stewart. Trump had asked Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to help free Mayers, and later tweeted messages saying he was "very disappointed" in Lofven and demanding: "Treat Americans fairly!" Trump had said he would personally vouch for Mayers' bail. Sweden does not have a bail system. Lofven has said he will not influence the rapper's case. Sweden's judiciary is independent of the political system. Present at the courthouse was US diplomat Robert C. O'Brien. "Special Envoy Ambassador O’Brien travelled to Sweden at the request of the White House. One of the most important tasks of the Department of State and US embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to US citizens who are detained abroad. We engage on these cases at all levels to fulfil our mission to US citizens," a spokeswoman at the US Embassy in Stockholm said in an email. Swedish fan Ivan Waliullah said "I'm here to show support," adding he thought the three were being charged unfairly. Mayers, best known for his song "Praise the Lord", was in Stockholm for a concert. He has had to cancel several scheduled shows across Europe due to his detention. Before his arrest, Mayers uploaded videos on Instagram of the moments before the alleged assault, saying two men were following his team and that he did not want any trouble. Mayers shot to fame with his 2011 debut "Live.Love.A$AP". His latest album, "Testing", reached the No. 4 spot on the Billboard 200 charts on its release last year.

US rapper A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in Stockholm assault case

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An Air India plane carrying 179 passengers struck a building at Stockholm's Arlanda airport with its wingtip as it taxied to gate on Wednesday, but no injuries were reported, police said.

"The 179 passengers could disembark from the plane on a mobile staircase and thereafter enter the terminal," police wrote in a statement.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known, police said.

It occurred at 5:45 pm (1645 GMT), about 50 meters (yards) from Terminal 5, the main terminal for international flights.

Pictures from the scene showed the Boeing aircraft parked on the runway with the very tip of its left wing stuck in the side of a building.

Several police cars and fire trucks were parked by the plane. According to airport operator Swedavia's website, the flight had originated in New Delhi.

An Air India plane carrying 179 passengers struck a building at Stockholm's Arlanda airport with its wingtip as it taxied to gate on Wednesday, but no injuries were reported, police said.

An Air India plane carrying 179 passengers struck a building at Stockholm's Arlanda airport with its wingtip as it taxied to gate on Wednesday, but no injuries were reported, police said. "The 179 passengers could disembark from the plane on a mobile staircase and thereafter enter the terminal," police wrote in a statement. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, police said. It occurred at 5:45 pm (1645 GMT), about 50 meters (yards) from Terminal 5, the main terminal for international flights. Pictures from the scene showed the Boeing aircraft parked on the runway with the very tip of its left wing stuck in the side of a building. Several police cars and fire trucks were parked by the plane. According to airport operator Swedavia's website, the flight had originated in New Delhi.

Air India plane with 179 on board hits building at Stockholm airport

A campaign group seeking a global ban on nuclear arms won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, given the award by a Nobel Committee that cited the spread of weapons to North Korea and said the risk was growing of nuclear war.

The award to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was unexpected, particularly in a year when the architects of the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran had been seen as favourites for achieving the sort of diplomatic breakthrough that has won the prize in the past.

Supporters described the award as a potential breakthrough for a global movement that has fought to ban nuclear arms from the day the first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in August 1945.

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BREAKING NEWS The 2017 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) <a href="https://twitter.com/nuclearban?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuclearban</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NobelPrize?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NobelPrize</a> <a href="https://t.co/I5PUiQfFzs">pic.twitter.com/I5PUiQfFzs</a>
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ICAN&#39;s Executive Director Beatrice Fihn told Reuters the group was elated. &quot;This. Is. Surreal.&quot; she later tweeted.

Asked if she had a message for North Korea&#39;s Kim Jong-Un, who has tested nuclear arms in defiance of global pressure, and President Donald Trump, who has threatened to &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea to protect the United States and its allies, Fihn said both leaders need to know that the weapons are illegal.

&quot;Nuclear weapons are illegal. Threatening to use nuclear weapons is illegal. Having nuclear weapons, possessing nuclear weapons, developing nuclear weapons, is illegal, and they need to stop,&quot; she told Reuters.

Two days before her group won the prize, Fihn had tweeted that Trump was &quot;a moron&quot;. She told Reuters she had written this in jest, in the context of news reports that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had used the same word to describe his boss. But she said Trump&#39;s impulsive character illustrated the importance of banning nuclear arms for all countries.

&quot;A man you can bait with a tweet seems to be taking irrational decisions very quickly and not listening to expertise, it just puts a spotlight on what do nuclear weapons really mean. There are no right hands for the wrong weapons,&quot; she said.

ICAN describes itself as a coalition of grassroots non-government groups in more than 100 nations. It began in Australia and was officially launched in Vienna in 2007.

In her speech announcing the prize, Berit Reiss-Andersen, the leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the risk that nuclear weapons might be used was now &quot;greater than it has been for a long time&quot;.

&quot;Some states are modernising their nuclear arsenals, and there is a real danger that more countries will try to procure nuclear weapons, as exemplified by North Korea.&quot;

The award was hailed by anti-nuclear campaigners around the world. &quot;Now more than ever we need a world without nuclear weapons,&quot; United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted.

Mikiso Iwasa, an 88-year-old Hiroshima survivor, told Reuters the prize would help push the movement forward.

&quot;It is wonderful we have this Nobel Peace-Prize winning movement. All of us need to join forces, think hard and walk forward together to turn this momentum into something even bigger,&quot; he said.

Nuclear tensions

The prize seeks to bolster the case for disarmament amid nuclear tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, as well as uncertainty over the fate of the 2015 deal between Iran and major powers to limit Tehran&#39;s nuclear programme.

The prize-giving committee made no mention of Iran in its award citation. It raised eyebrows with its decision to award the prize to an international campaign group with a relatively low profile, rather than recognise the Iran deal, a complex agreement hammered out over years of high-stakes diplomacy.

&quot;Norwegian Nobel Committee has its own ways, but the nuclear agreement with Iran achieved something real and would have deserved a prize,&quot; tweeted Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister who has held top posts as an international diplomat.

The Iran accord, which Trump has repeatedly called &quot;the worst deal ever negotiated&quot;, is seen as under particular threat this week. A senior administration official said on Thursday Trump is expected to &quot;decertify&quot; the pact, a step which could allow Congress to restore sanctions on Iran.

The committee may have been reluctant to reward the Iranian government for its role in the nuclear deal because the only Iranian winner so far, 2003 laureate Shirin Ebadi, a lawyer and human rights campaigner, is forced to live in exile.

&quot;I think the committee has thought about the human rights situation in Iran. It would have been difficult to explain the prize even though it has a favourable view of the Iran deal,&quot; Asle Sveen, a historian of the Nobel Peace Prize, told Reuters.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee denied that giving the prize to an anti-nuclear group was intended either as a rebuke to Trump, or as a snub to the architects of the Iran nuclear deal.

&quot;The Iran treaty is a positive development, a disarmament development that is positive, but the reason we mentioned North Korea (in our statement) is a reference to the threat that people actually feel,&quot; Reiss-Andersen told Reuters. &quot;Iran has not voiced recent threats to use nuclear weapons.&quot;

ICAN has campaigned for a U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted by 122 nations in July this year.

That agreement is not signed by -- and would not apply to -- any of the states that already have nuclear arms, which include the five U.N. Security Council permanent members, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, as well as India, Pakistan and North Korea. Israel is also widely assumed to have nuclear weapons, although it neither confirms nor denies it.

Major allies of the declared nuclear powers also oppose the new treaty. Nevertheless, campaigners see it as a framework that would make it easier for countries that have nuclear arms to work towards eliminating them.

NATO member Norway congratulated ICAN but said it would not sign the treaty to ban nuclear weapons. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a committee appointed by the Norwegian parliament.

&quot;Norway will not support proposals in the UN that would weaken NATO&#39;s role as a defence alliance,&quot; Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.

Nuclear-armed nations, including the United States and Russia, back the U.N.&#39;s 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty which sets limits on the spread of atomic weapons and has a long-term goal of nuclear disarmament.

&quot;There is a strong logic in this peace prize,&quot; said Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute &quot;It&#39;s all about encouraging governments to do what they have promised to do in the non-proliferation treaty.&quot;

The Nobel committee said the prize was awarded to ICAN for its 'work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons'?

A campaign group seeking a global ban on nuclear arms won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, given the award by a Nobel Committee that cited the spread of weapons to North Korea and said the risk was growing of nuclear war. The award to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was unexpected, particularly in a year when the architects of the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran had been seen as favourites for achieving the sort of diplomatic breakthrough that has won the prize in the past. Supporters described the award as a potential breakthrough for a global movement that has fought to ban nuclear arms from the day the first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in August 1945. BREAKING NEWS The 2017 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) @nuclearban #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/I5PUiQfFzs — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 6, 2017 × Watch the very moment the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize is announced! #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/H0AtcRU7tn — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 6, 2017 × ICAN's Executive Director Beatrice Fihn told Reuters the group was elated. "This. Is. Surreal." she later tweeted. Asked if she had a message for North Korea's Kim Jong-Un, who has tested nuclear arms in defiance of global pressure, and President Donald Trump, who has threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea to protect the United States and its allies, Fihn said both leaders need to know that the weapons are illegal. "Nuclear weapons are illegal. Threatening to use nuclear weapons is illegal. Having nuclear weapons, possessing nuclear weapons, developing nuclear weapons, is illegal, and they need to stop," she told Reuters. Two days before her group won the prize, Fihn had tweeted that Trump was "a moron". She told Reuters she had written this in jest, in the context of news reports that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had used the same word to describe his boss. But she said Trump's impulsive character illustrated the importance of banning nuclear arms for all countries. "A man you can bait with a tweet seems to be taking irrational decisions very quickly and not listening to expertise, it just puts a spotlight on what do nuclear weapons really mean. There are no right hands for the wrong weapons," she said. ICAN describes itself as a coalition of grassroots non-government groups in more than 100 nations. It began in Australia and was officially launched in Vienna in 2007. In her speech announcing the prize, Berit Reiss-Andersen, the leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the risk that nuclear weapons might be used was now "greater than it has been for a long time". "Some states are modernising their nuclear arsenals, and there is a real danger that more countries will try to procure nuclear weapons, as exemplified by North Korea." The award was hailed by anti-nuclear campaigners around the world. "Now more than ever we need a world without nuclear weapons," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted. Mikiso Iwasa, an 88-year-old Hiroshima survivor, told Reuters the prize would help push the movement forward. "It is wonderful we have this Nobel Peace-Prize winning movement. All of us need to join forces, think hard and walk forward together to turn this momentum into something even bigger," he said. Nuclear tensions The prize seeks to bolster the case for disarmament amid nuclear tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, as well as uncertainty over the fate of the 2015 deal between Iran and major powers to limit Tehran's nuclear programme. The prize-giving committee made no mention of Iran in its award citation. It raised eyebrows with its decision to award the prize to an international campaign group with a relatively low profile, rather than recognise the Iran deal, a complex agreement hammered out over years of high-stakes diplomacy. "Norwegian Nobel Committee has its own ways, but the nuclear agreement with Iran achieved something real and would have deserved a prize," tweeted Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister who has held top posts as an international diplomat. The Iran accord, which Trump has repeatedly called "the worst deal ever negotiated", is seen as under particular threat this week. A senior administration official said on Thursday Trump is expected to "decertify" the pact, a step which could allow Congress to restore sanctions on Iran. The committee may have been reluctant to reward the Iranian government for its role in the nuclear deal because the only Iranian winner so far, 2003 laureate Shirin Ebadi, a lawyer and human rights campaigner, is forced to live in exile. "I think the committee has thought about the human rights situation in Iran. It would have been difficult to explain the prize even though it has a favourable view of the Iran deal," Asle Sveen, a historian of the Nobel Peace Prize, told Reuters. The Norwegian Nobel Committee denied that giving the prize to an anti-nuclear group was intended either as a rebuke to Trump, or as a snub to the architects of the Iran nuclear deal. "The Iran treaty is a positive development, a disarmament development that is positive, but the reason we mentioned North Korea (in our statement) is a reference to the threat that people actually feel," Reiss-Andersen told Reuters. "Iran has not voiced recent threats to use nuclear weapons." ICAN has campaigned for a U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted by 122 nations in July this year. That agreement is not signed by -- and would not apply to -- any of the states that already have nuclear arms, which include the five U.N. Security Council permanent members, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, as well as India, Pakistan and North Korea. Israel is also widely assumed to have nuclear weapons, although it neither confirms nor denies it. Major allies of the declared nuclear powers also oppose the new treaty. Nevertheless, campaigners see it as a framework that would make it easier for countries that have nuclear arms to work towards eliminating them. NATO member Norway congratulated ICAN but said it would not sign the treaty to ban nuclear weapons. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a committee appointed by the Norwegian parliament. "Norway will not support proposals in the UN that would weaken NATO's role as a defence alliance," Prime Minister Erna Solberg said. Nuclear-armed nations, including the United States and Russia, back the U.N.'s 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty which sets limits on the spread of atomic weapons and has a long-term goal of nuclear disarmament. "There is a strong logic in this peace prize," said Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute "It's all about encouraging governments to do what they have promised to do in the non-proliferation treaty."

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

A Palestinian man stabbed a British woman in Jerusalem, media reports said. The woman died soon after she was rushed to hospital, reports added.

Media reports said the Palestinian stabbed her multiple times.

The man attacked the British woman in her early 20s as she was&nbsp;travelling&nbsp;on the light rail near Jerusalem&#39;s Old City, reports said.&nbsp;

The area was packed with Christians celebrating Good Friday and Jews celebrating Passover.

Developing

(WION)

&nbsp;

A Palestinian man stabbed a British woman multiple times in Jerusalem, the woman later died in hospital

A Palestinian man stabbed a British woman in Jerusalem, media reports said. The woman died soon after she was rushed to hospital, reports added. Media reports said the Palestinian stabbed her multiple times. The man attacked the British woman in her early 20s as she was travelling on the light rail near Jerusalem's Old City, reports said. The area was packed with Christians celebrating Good Friday and Jews celebrating Passover. Developing (WION)

British woman stabbed on Jerusalem light rail: Reports

Bob Dylan accepted the Nobel Prize for literature, but not in person. He was busy that night. &quot;Pre-existing commitments&quot;. But he sent Patti Smith to&nbsp;sing &quot;A Hard Rain&#39;s a-Gonna Fall&quot;, while the US ambassador to Sweden, Azita Raji,&nbsp;gave a speech to all assembled at the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Here is the speech in full:

Good evening, everyone. I extend my warmest greetings to the members of the Swedish Academy and to all of the other distinguished guests in attendance tonight.

I&rsquo;m sorry I can&rsquo;t be with you in person, but please know that I am most definitely with you in spirit and honored to be receiving such a prestigious prize. Being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature is something I never could have imagined or seen coming. From an early age, I&rsquo;ve been familiar with and reading and absorbing the works of those who were deemed worthy of such a distinction: Kipling, Shaw, Thomas Mann, Pearl Buck, Albert Camus, Hemingway. These giants of literature whose works are taught in the schoolroom, housed in libraries around the world and spoken of in reverent tones have always made a deep impression. That I now join the names on such a list is truly beyond words.

I don&rsquo;t know if these men and women ever thought of the Nobel honor for themselves, but I suppose that anyone writing a book, or a poem, or a play anywhere in the world might harbor that secret dream deep down inside. It&rsquo;s probably buried so deep that they don&rsquo;t even know it&rsquo;s there.

If someone had ever told me that I had the slightest chance of winning the Nobel Prize, I would have to think that I&rsquo;d have about the same odds as standing on the moon. In fact, during the year I was born and for a few years after, there wasn&rsquo;t anyone in the world who was considered good enough to win this Nobel Prize. So, I recognize that I am in very rare company, to say the least. 
I was out on the road when I received this surprising news, and it took me more than a few minutes to properly process it. I began to think about William Shakespeare, the great literary figure. I would reckon he thought of himself as a dramatist. The thought that he was writing literature couldn&rsquo;t have entered his head. His words were written for the stage. Meant to be spoken not read. When he was writing Hamlet, I&rsquo;m sure he was thinking about a lot of different things: &ldquo;Who&rsquo;re the right actors for these roles?&rdquo; &ldquo;How should this be staged?&rdquo; &ldquo;Do I really want to set this in Denmark?&rdquo; His creative vision and ambitions were no doubt at the forefront of his mind, but there were also more mundane matters to consider and deal with. &ldquo;Is the financing in place?&rdquo; &ldquo;Are there enough good seats for my patrons?&rdquo; &ldquo;Where am I going to get a human skull?&rdquo; I would bet that the farthest thing from Shakespeare&rsquo;s mind was the question &ldquo;Is this literature?&rdquo;

When I started writing songs as a teenager, and even as I started to achieve some renown for my abilities, my aspirations for these songs only went so far. I thought they could be heard in coffee houses or bars, maybe later in places like Carnegie Hall, the London Palladium. If I was really dreaming big, maybe I could imagine getting to make a record and then hearing my songs on the radio. That was really the big prize in my mind. Making records and hearing your songs on the radio meant that you were reaching a big audience and that you might get to keep doing what you had set out to do.

Well, I&rsquo;ve been doing what I set out to do for a long time, now. I&rsquo;ve made dozens of records and played thousands of concerts all around the world. But it&rsquo;s my songs that are at the vital center of almost everything I do. They seemed to have found a place in the lives of many people throughout many different cultures and I&rsquo;m grateful for that. 
But there&rsquo;s one thing I must say. As a performer I&rsquo;ve played for 50,000 people and I&rsquo;ve played for 50 people and I can tell you that it is harder to play for 50 people. 50,000 people have a singular persona, not so with 50. Each person has an individual, separate identity, a world unto themselves. They can perceive things more clearly. Your honesty and how it relates to the depth of your talent is tried. The fact that the Nobel committee is so small is not lost on me.

But, like Shakespeare, I too am often occupied with the pursuit of my creative endeavors and dealing with all aspects of life&rsquo;s mundane matters. &ldquo;Who are the best musicians for these songs?&rdquo; &ldquo;Am I recording in the right studio?&rdquo; &ldquo;Is this song in the right key?&rdquo; Some things never change, even in 400 years.

Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, &ldquo;Are my songs literature?&rdquo;

So, I do thank the Swedish Academy, both for taking the time to consider that very question, and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer.

My best wishes to you all,

Bob Dylan

(WION)

Read his acceptance speech here. 'Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, Are my songs literature?'

Bob Dylan accepted the Nobel Prize for literature, but not in person. He was busy that night. "Pre-existing commitments". But he sent Patti Smith to sing "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall", while the US ambassador to Sweden, Azita Raji, gave a speech to all assembled at the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm, Sweden. Here is the speech in full: Good evening, everyone. I extend my warmest greetings to the members of the Swedish Academy and to all of the other distinguished guests in attendance tonight. I’m sorry I can’t be with you in person, but please know that I am most definitely with you in spirit and honored to be receiving such a prestigious prize. Being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature is something I never could have imagined or seen coming. From an early age, I’ve been familiar with and reading and absorbing the works of those who were deemed worthy of such a distinction: Kipling, Shaw, Thomas Mann, Pearl Buck, Albert Camus, Hemingway. These giants of literature whose works are taught in the schoolroom, housed in libraries around the world and spoken of in reverent tones have always made a deep impression. That I now join the names on such a list is truly beyond words. I don’t know if these men and women ever thought of the Nobel honor for themselves, but I suppose that anyone writing a book, or a poem, or a play anywhere in the world might harbor that secret dream deep down inside. It’s probably buried so deep that they don’t even know it’s there. If someone had ever told me that I had the slightest chance of winning the Nobel Prize, I would have to think that I’d have about the same odds as standing on the moon. In fact, during the year I was born and for a few years after, there wasn’t anyone in the world who was considered good enough to win this Nobel Prize. So, I recognize that I am in very rare company, to say the least. I was out on the road when I received this surprising news, and it took me more than a few minutes to properly process it. I began to think about William Shakespeare, the great literary figure. I would reckon he thought of himself as a dramatist. The thought that he was writing literature couldn’t have entered his head. His words were written for the stage. Meant to be spoken not read. When he was writing Hamlet, I’m sure he was thinking about a lot of different things: “Who’re the right actors for these roles?” “How should this be staged?” “Do I really want to set this in Denmark?” His creative vision and ambitions were no doubt at the forefront of his mind, but there were also more mundane matters to consider and deal with. “Is the financing in place?” “Are there enough good seats for my patrons?” “Where am I going to get a human skull?” I would bet that the farthest thing from Shakespeare’s mind was the question “Is this literature?” When I started writing songs as a teenager, and even as I started to achieve some renown for my abilities, my aspirations for these songs only went so far. I thought they could be heard in coffee houses or bars, maybe later in places like Carnegie Hall, the London Palladium. If I was really dreaming big, maybe I could imagine getting to make a record and then hearing my songs on the radio. That was really the big prize in my mind. Making records and hearing your songs on the radio meant that you were reaching a big audience and that you might get to keep doing what you had set out to do. Well, I’ve been doing what I set out to do for a long time, now. I’ve made dozens of records and played thousands of concerts all around the world. But it’s my songs that are at the vital center of almost everything I do. They seemed to have found a place in the lives of many people throughout many different cultures and I’m grateful for that. But there’s one thing I must say. As a performer I’ve played for 50,000 people and I’ve played for 50 people and I can tell you that it is harder to play for 50 people. 50,000 people have a singular persona, not so with 50. Each person has an individual, separate identity, a world unto themselves. They can perceive things more clearly. Your honesty and how it relates to the depth of your talent is tried. The fact that the Nobel committee is so small is not lost on me. But, like Shakespeare, I too am often occupied with the pursuit of my creative endeavors and dealing with all aspects of life’s mundane matters. “Who are the best musicians for these songs?” “Am I recording in the right studio?” “Is this song in the right key?” Some things never change, even in 400 years. Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, “Are my songs literature?” So, I do thank the Swedish Academy, both for taking the time to consider that very question, and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer. My best wishes to you all, Bob Dylan (WION)

Bob Dylan accepts Nobel Prize for Literature, but not in person

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