Is the second item in the first group definitely ColUmbia and not ColOmbia?
I don't have an answer but it would make more sense if they were all countries.
5. They have all refused to accept honours (such as OBE, MBE, Knighthood, etc)
(It is not normal for refused nominations to be announced, and the people concerned certainly didn't publicise their refusals - the information was contained in honours committee notes, leaked to the British press in December 2003.)