'Alternative Nobel' goes to two activists, doctor

STOCKHOLM: Two activists from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and New Zealand and a doctor from Australia yesterday won the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the "alternative Nobel," for work to protect rain forests, improve women's health and rid the world of nuclear weapons.

Congolese activist Rene Ngongo, Alyn Ware of New Zealand and Australian-born Catherine Hamlin, who has been based in Ethiopia for five decades, will each receive euro 50,000 ($74,000), the Right Livelihood Foundation said.

The honorary part of the award - without prize money - went to Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki, 73, for raising awareness of climate change.