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Maoists strike enters Day 2 in Nepal
Krishna to visit Kathmandu next month
China hijacked climate summit: UK
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Stalin’s grandson sues radio station
Snow storm leaves Washington battered, moves north
Brittany Murphy dies at 32
Indian cargo ship adrift in Alaska
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Maoists strike enters Day 2 in Nepal
Life across the country has been adversely affected on the second consecutive day of the three-day general strike called by the agitating main Opposition party Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-M) demanding the establishment of “civilian supremacy”.
Like yesterday, capital Kathmandu, including other major towns across the country witnessed a virtual standstill as the agitating Maoists cadres obstructed vehicular movement and forced market places, educational institutions and factories to remain close. The capital remained peaceful on the second day compared to yesterday, while clashes occurred in different parts with over a dozen reports of vandalism, said state-run Nepal Television. From dawn to dusk the Maoists leaders and cadres demonstrated on the main street in Kathmandu by singing folk and progressive songs, chanting slogans against President Ram Baran Yadav’s May 3rd move to retain the sacked chief of army staff Rookmangud Katawal and the coalition government to step down clearing the deck to form national consensus government under the Maoists leadership. Meanwhile, the coalition government has repeatedly asked the Maoists to call off its protests and sit for negotiating table to resolve the problems through mutual understanding. Cabinet ministers have also delegated the responsibility to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal who returned home from Copenhagen Summit on Sunday to take initiative to hold dialogue with the Maoists and find amicable solution. However, Maoists vice-chairman and chief ideologue Baburam Bhattarai on Monday set pre-conditions before the government saying that they would call off the protests and sit for dialogue if the government assured to correct the President’s move and pave the way to form national consensus government under the Maoists leadership. While addressing the mass in Kathmandu this afternoon, he upheld the violent attack against the police officer on Sunday and said, “Violence is justifiable if its in favour of people’s rights”. He also claimed that the political parties in the government and some regressive elements were hatching conspiracy to dissolve the constituent assembly after May 28 and enforce the Presidential rule. “If anyone dreams so people will resist it and we will introduce People’s Republic constitution unilaterally from the street by seizing the state power,” Bhattarai said.
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China hijacked climate summit: UK
London, December 21 “China vetoed attempts to give legal force to the accord reached at the UN summit in the Danish capital,” Ed Miliband, British climate secretary wrote in ‘The Guardian’. “Never again should we face the deadlock that threatened to pull down those talks. Never again should we let a global deal to move towards the greener future be held to ransom by only a handful of countries,” Brown said in comments released by Downing Street. —
PTI
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Stalin’s grandson sues radio station
Moscow, December 21 Ekho Moskvy radio said the suit was filed against programme host Matvei Ganapolsky, who read a phrase from a book, saying that Stalin had approved the shooting of children as young as 12, The Scotsman reports. Stalin’s legacy has been a subject of fierce debate in Russia. He ordered the deaths of many Soviet citizens during the purges, but he is revered by many for turning a struggling nation into a superpower. Dzhugashvili lost a similar libel case in October. —
ANI
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Snow storm leaves Washington battered, moves north
Washington, December 21 Authorities were forced to suspend public transportation in the capital, declare a state of emergency and plead with residents to stay home as the powerful northeaster blanketed the eastern United States, leaving thousands stranded at airports and bus terminals. Record snowfall totals were reported on Saturday at Washington Dulles International and Reagan National airports. Accumulation of snow at Dulles reached 13 inches, breaking the old record of 10.6 inches set on December 12, 1964. A total of 13.3 inches was reported at Reagan, where the old record was 11.5 inches set on December 17, 1932. All flights to Dulles were cancelled until 6 am and at Reagan until 10 am yesterday. At the snowstorm's peak Saturday afternoon, flakes fell at the rate of two inches an hour. Some areas, particularly in Southern Maryland, experienced wind gusts up to 64 kmph. Bethesda, Maryland, on the outskirts of Washington recorded a whopping 23 inches of snow and Medford, New Jersey, 24 inches of snow fell by early Sunday. Winter storm warnings and advisories remained in effect farther south and East Coast travellers were again warned to expect treacherous roads yesterday and face flight delays and cancellations. The National Weather Service forecast blizzard conditions with winds gusting at 95 km an hour and up to 18 inches of snow along the New England coast and issued blizzard warnings for parts of that area. Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine authorised up to 1,000 National Guardsmen to assist in the state's response to the storm. As snow continued to fall in the mid-Atlantic states, people in western North Carolina were digging out yesterday from the powerful storm. Washington yesterday awoke to a bright sunny day as the relentless fury of the great storm faded into flurries before wearing out by midnight. Yet, authorities said it will be days before things return to normal. — IANS
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Los Angeles, December 21 Los Angeles city firefighters responded to a medical call about 8 am yesterday from the 8,000-sq-ft home the actress shared with her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Atlanta-born actress had apparently collapsed in a bathroom and the firefighters made several unsuccessful attempts to revive Murphy on the way to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre but two hours later she was pronounced dead by the hospital. Hollywood stars expressed their grief over the sudden demise of the American beauty on the micro-blogging website Twitter. "Today the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out to Brittany's family, her husband and her amazing mother Sharon. See you on the other side, kid, Murphy's ex-lover and “Just Married” co-star Ashton Kutcher wrote on his Twitter page. The Los Angeles police are investigating the cause of Murphy's death, said Officer Norma Eisenman. However, no foul play is indicated in the case as Murphy was taking prescription drugs for a variety of medical ailments . According to a Corner's Official an autopsy is planned for Tuesday. "Brittany Murphy was an incredible ray of light to so many people, her smile was contagious. My prayers are with her family and loved ones," singer and actress Jessica Simpson wrote on her Twitter page. The American beauty started her Hollywood career at the young age of 14 starring as Brenda Drexell in the series Drexell's Class. She acted in a number of successful films. — PTI
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Indian cargo ship adrift in Alaska
Washington, December 21 "We have been talking to them all night. He (Master) is just adamant getting off the ship," Wes Parker, Search Rescue Controller, US Coast Guard, told PTI over phone. All 28 crew members abroad Suryavir are Indians and are safe, the official said. Master of the Suryavir has told the Coast Guard that they would abandon the ship as soon as the 1,100 foot goods American vessel comes to the scene around 10 to 10-30 am local time (12.30 a.m. to 1 a.m. India time). The Coast Guard said its C-130 aircraft would again fly over the area around the same time and could drop a raft or some provisions needed, the official said. "We are hoping that the Master would consider at least waiting till this afternoon when we have day light and the conditions are better a little bit," Parker told PTI over phone. He said it is a pretty bad weather. "We have winds around 40 knots and sea is approximately 20-25 feet. This afternoon, the weather was suppose to subside to around 15-18 feet, so it is going to be dropping considerably this afternoon," the official said. —
PTI
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Los Angeles, December 21
