Pulitzer winner Charles Krauthammer Dies At 68
New York, June 22 : Pulitzer Prize winner, Harvard-trained psychiatrist and best-selling author Charles Krauthammer, who came to be known as the dean of conservative commentators, has died. He was 68.
The news of his demise was confirmed by friend and fellow commentator Bret Baier.
Krauthammer was a longtime Fox News contributor. His death on Thursday has been expected after he wrote a heartbreaking letter to colleagues, friends and viewers on June 8.
The letter said: "I have been uncharacteristically silent these past ten months. I had thought that silence would soon be coming to an end, but I'm afraid I must tell you now that fate has decided on a different course for me".
Krauthammer had cancer, Fox News reported. It had relapsed. "It is aggressive and spreading rapidly. My doctors tell me their best estimate is that I have only a few weeks left to live. This is the final verdict. My fight is over," the letter added.
In recent years, Krauthammer was best known for his nightly appearance as a panelist on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" and as a commentator on various Fox news shows.
Krauthammer achieved mastery in disparate fields as psychiatry, speech-writing, print journalism and television.
He won the Edwin Dunlop Prize for excellence in psychiatric research and clinical medicine. Journalism honors included the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his Washington Post columns in 1987 and the National Magazine Award for his work at The New Republic in 1984.
His book, "Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics," instantly became a New York Times bestseller, remaining in the number one slot for 10 weeks, and on the coveted list for nearly 40.
He is survived by his wife, Robyn and son, Daniel.
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Govt floats tender for new Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg
Mumbai (PTI): In the wake of collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, the Maharashtra government has issued a tender for the construction of a new 60-foot-tall statue there, nearly twice the size of the previous one, officials said on Wednesday.
The statue will be built at a cost of Rs 20 crore and the government has set a six-month timeframe for the completion of the work, they said.
A 35-foot-tall statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district on December 4 (Navy Day) last year, collapsed on August 26 amid strong winds.
The statue's sculptor, Jaydeep Apte, was later arrested.
The government has faced flak as the opposition parties alleged the decision to install the statue in Sindhudurg was taken haphazardly, which resulted in poor quality of work.
Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) had flagged concerns over rust gathering on Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and suggested permanent measures in a letter sent to a Naval official just six days before the structure collapsed.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.
He claimed winds were blowing at 45 km per hour when the statue collapsed.
A tender has been issued for the construction of a new statue and its height would be 60 feet, a PWD official said.
"The total cost would now be Rs 20 crore, including its engineering, installation and maintenance. The government has given six months to complete the work. The height of the statue would be 60 feet," the official said.
