Gbowee, Liberian peace activist

Leymah Gbowee: Famous in Liberia for mobilising women against war. The Nobel Committee declared that Leymah Gbowee “mobilised and organised women across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia, and to ensure women’s participation in elections. She has since worked to enhance the influence of women in West Africa during and after war”. She is credited with organising a group of Liberian woman in 2002 to put pressure on then-President Charles Taylor to end the country’s brutal civil war.

They were the mothers, wives and sisters of the men doing the fighting and their victims.

Ms Gbowee is less well known outside Liberia than President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf but is famous inside the country for mobilising women peace protesters ahead of the war’s end in 2003, says the BBC’s Mark Doyle, a regular visitor to Liberia.

One of the most visible protests was an almost permanent prayer meeting on a football field on the edge of Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, our correspondent says.

The women, dressed in white T-shirts, would sign and pray in the hot sun and through heavy rain, he adds.

After the war Gbowee organised hundreds of female Christian and Muslim activists in nine of Liberia’s 15 provinces to help Sirleaf’s successful campaign for the presidency in 2005.

Karman, Yemeni journalist and activist

The 32-year-old mother of three founded Women Journalists Without Chains in 2005. She has been a prominent activist and advocate of human rights and freedom of expression for the last five years. She has led regular protests calling for the release of political prisoners. Karman has led rallies in the continuing protests against the rule of President Ali-Abdullah Saleh.

In April in Sanaa’s Change Square - the heart of the popular demonstrations against Saleh - Karman said she was astonished at the protests: “I could never imagine this. In Yemen, women are not allowed out of the house after 7pm, now they are sleeping here. This goes beyond the wildest dream I have ever dreamt, I am so proud of our women.” She is a member of Yemen’s leading Islamist opposition party, the Islah - a conservative, religious movement that calls for reform in accordance with Islamic principles.She has campaigned to raise the minimum age at which women can marry in Yemen.

She has been jailed several times for her activism, pilloried in the official media and attacked. Unusually for a woman in Yemen, Ms Kamran wears a headscarf, not a full veil.

Apple’s co-founder dies

Apple’s visionary co-founder Steve Jobs died from cancer at 56, a premature end for a man who revolutionized modern culture with ubiquitous inventions like the iPod and the iPad.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” the California-based gadgetmaker said in a statement from its board of directors.

“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.” Tim Cook — who had been handling Apple’s day-to-day operations since Jobs went on medical leave in January, and was made CEO in August — led the praise for the Silicon Valley legend.

“Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor,” he said.

“Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Apple turned its home page into a tribute to Jobs, posting a large black-and-white photo of the bearded high-tech maestro in his trademark black turtleneck and small round glasses.