1.   The French Environment Ministry has announced the award of green medals to companies which have made the most innovative contributions to environmental problems.

2.   Alvaro Umana, the former Costa Rican environment minister and a juror on the prize committee, announced the award Wednesday in Mexico City.

3.   And when the awards were announced last month, GQ was the only magazine to win two.

4.   At the Oscars, nominees do not get up to greet the plumbing two minutes before their awards are announced.

5.   Attorney General Janet Reno said in announcing the awards that she had learned as a Miami prosecutor about the difficulties many local officials face when dealing with illegal immigrants.

6.   Belo was saying Mass in a school in Dili, the East Timorese capital, when the award was announced in Norway.

7.   Blobel knew the award was being announced on Monday, and when he took the call, he first thought it was a prank.

8.   -- The Emmys will be held in Los Angeles, but about five awards will be announced live from New York.

9.   Hirsch got the news late last week but had to keep it secret until the awards were announced.

10.   Kristiansen vowed that he would quit the committee in protest shortly after the award is announced on Friday, the newspaper said.