Travel Finance EntertainmentYahoo!My Yahoo!MailMore New User? Sign UpSign InHelp Make Y! your home pageYahoo! SearchSearch: Primary Navigation HomeU.S.BusinessWorldEntertainmentSportsTechPoliticsElectionsScienceHealthMost Popular Secondary Navigation World Video Middle East Europe Latin America Africa Asia Canada Australia/Antarctica Kevin Sites Search: All News Yahoo! News Only News Photos Video/Audio Advanced -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strike shuts Nepal capital 2 hours, 4 minutes ago KATHMANDU (AFP) - A strike called by local groups demanding greater rights closed businesses and schools and left the streets of Nepal's capital deserted on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT "Kathmandu is shut down. But so far there have not been any reports from the field on any destruction, casualties or damage," Kathmandu police superintendant Sarbindra Khanal told AFP. The protest was called by a Maoist-affiliated ethnic rights group -- the Tamang Rastriya Mukti Morcha or national liberation front -- and an association representing members of the "untouchable" caste known as Dalits. "Today's strike has been announced as the government has not been serious in meeting our demands," said Tilak Pariyar, chairman of the Dalit Joint Republican Front. At the bottom of Nepal's caste hierarchy, and making up around five million of Nepal's 27 million people, the Dalits are demanding that 20 per cent of all government department jobs be reserved for them. The two million-strong Tamang ethnic minority want greater representation and also want Nepal to be declared a republic ahead of elections planned for November. "We wrote a letter to the prime minister with 16 demands but the govermnment did not respond," said Tamang front leader Talak Ghising. The November vote is for a body to rewrite the country's constitution and decide the Himalayan nation's political future after a Maoist uprising ended with a peace deal late last year. Email Story IM Story Printable View RECOMMEND THIS STORY Recommend It: Not at All Somewhat Moderately Highly Very Highly Average (Not Rated) » Recommended Stories World News 14 US troops die in copter crash in Iraq AP Dean batters Mexico's oil industry AP U.S.: Iranian cooperation insufficient AP China says mine was natural disaster AP Family worries over Esfandiari's health AP Most Viewed - World Dean batters Mexico's oil industry AP 14 US troops die in copter crash in Iraq AP Bush says Iraqi government must do more AP In Ethiopia, one man's model for a just society The Christian Science Monitor Venezuela Congress OKs Chavez's reforms AP World Video Copter crash kills U.S. troops CNN - 47 minutes ago Tip leads to yard full of crocs AP - 2 hours, 19 minutes ago Masked men set Iraqi child on fire CNN - Wed Aug 22, 2:03 AM ET Weakened Dean expected to refuel over Mexican Gulf CBC.ca - Wed Aug 22, 12:19 AM ET Sponsored Links( What's this? ) House Payments Fall Again $430,000 Loan $1299/mo. No credit check needed. Calculate new payment. www.LowerMyBills.com Too Busy To Go Back To School? Earn a degree in as few as 2 yrs. Get Your Bachelors, Masters & more. www.ClassesUSA.com Ugly Credit? Attractive Card Rebuild credit with our MasterCard. Apply online - instant decisions. www.OrchardBank.com AFP/File Photo: A strike called by local groups demanding greater rights closed businesses and schools and left... World Video Copter crash kills U.S. troops CNN Tip leads to yard full of crocs AP » All news video Elsewhere on the Web CNN.com: Israeli strike kills Gaza militant McClatchy Newspapers: Report: CIA failed to respond to al Qaida threat ABC News: Mexico Braces for Category 5 Monster NEWS ALERTS Get an alert when there are new stories about: Nepal Kathmandu Maoist » More alerts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! - My Yahoo! - Mail Search: All News Yahoo! News Only News Photos Video/Audio Advanced Primary Navigation Home U.S Business World Entertainment Sports Tech Politics Science Health Travel Most Popular Odd News Opinion Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AFP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Agence France Presse. Copyright © 2007 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. Questions or Comments Privacy Policy -Terms of Service - Copyright/IP Policy - Ad Feedback