Verbatim

'Where in the world has one ever seen a nation that erects memorials to immortalize its own shame?' AVI PRIMOR, former Israeli ambassador to Germany, praising Germany for taking responsibility for its history. The country will begin construction of two new memorials: one commemorating murdered Gypsies and a second for gays and lesbians killed in the Holocaust

'If I had the chance, I would have spit in his face.' TOMMASO BARBATO, Italian Senator, about colleague Stefano Cusumano, who supported Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a confidence vote. Prodi lost the vote and resigned, ending Italy's 61st government since World War II

'Too often, where we need water, we find guns instead.' BAN KI-MOON, U.N. Secretary-General, urging world leaders to put the looming water-shortage crisis at the top of this year's global agenda

'I am determined that my children should have no financial security.' NIGELLA LAWSON, celebrity chef, on why she will leave none of her fortune to her children

'That is the most overrated aspect of American politics.' JOHN MCCAIN, on friendship among politicians. Despite recent endorsements from a number of gop leaders, the presidential hopeful maintained that his victories in New Hampshire and South Carolina were due to 'electability'

'I want to thank anyone in the Screen Actors Guild for considering me an actor at all.' TINA FEY, star of NBC's 30 Rock, who took home a sag award for her role on the show

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Sources: New York Times; Sydney Morning Herald; AP; Daily Mail; New York Times; UPI