Gym Turned Into Morgue for Nightclub Fire Victims

Coffins lined a gymnasium in Santa Maria, Brazil, today as family members tried to identify their loved ones after a fast-moving fire tore through a crowded nightclub Sunday morning, killing more than 230 people and injuring hundreds more.A community gym near the popular Kiss nightclub has been converted to a temporary morgue were family members were led in one by one Sunday...

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Nightclub fire kills 245 in southern Brazil

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (Reuters) - A fire in a nightclub killed at least 245 people in southern Brazil on Sunday when a band's pyrotechnics show set the building ablaze and fleeing patrons were unable to find the emergency exits in the ensuing panic, officials said. The blaze in the southern city of Santa Maria was started when a band member or someone from its production team ignited a...

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Syria pledges to end opposition prosecutions

DAMASCUS: Syria's high judicial council has announced a suspension of prosecutions of opposition members so they can join a national dialogue, state media reported on Sunday, without detailing the nature of crimes affected by the ruling.The report comes after Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar had earlier vowed to ease the return of Syrian opposition members living in exile so that they...

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Decision on Telangana deferred yet again

NEW DELHI/ HYDERABAD: A decision on the Telangana statehood demand was deferred today with the Centre and Congress saying there was need for "further consultations" which will take a "little more time" even as pro-Telangana activists intensified their agitation. On the eve of the one-month deadline set by him to arrive at a decision on the contentious issue, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and the...

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CDC: Flu seems to level off except in the West

New government figures show that flu cases seem to be leveling off nationwide. Flu activity is declining in most regions although still rising in the West.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hospitalizations and deaths spiked again last week, especially among the elderly. The CDC says quick treatment with antiviral medicines is important, in particular for the very...

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Authorities: 245 Dead in Brazil Nightclub Fire

A fire swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing at least 245 people and leaving at least 200 injured, police and firefighters said.Police Maj. Cleberson Braida told local news media that the 245 bodies were brought for identification to a gymnasium in the city of Santa Maria.That toll would make it one of the deadliest nightclub fires more than...

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At least 22 die in Egyptian clashes over death sentences

PORT SAID, Egypt/CAIRO (Reuters) - At least 22 people died on Saturday when Egyptians rampaged in protest at the sentencing of 21 people to death over a soccer stadium disaster, adding to bloody street turmoil confronting Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. Armored vehicles and military police fanned through the streets of Port Said after the violence. The state news agency quoted a general...

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SDA's Lim concedes defeat

SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Alliance's Desmond Lim has conceded defeat.He said he would like to thank his supporters, adding that he ran in the election to keep the SDA flame alive.In a statement, Mr Lim said: "It has been a fast but hard race to the end. Entering this contest, I was well aware of the risks and challenges. But it was something the SDA had to do to keep its political...

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Rajasthan must act against Nandy for casteist comments: Mayawati

NEW DELHI: BSP leader Mayawati on Saturday demanded that the Rajasthan government take strong action against social scientist Ashis Nandy for his comments linking OBCs, the SCs and the STs to corruption and that he be told to leave the Jaipur Literature Festival. Talking to reporters here, Mayawati said Nandy's comments were "wrong, baseless and unfortunate" and reflected casteist mindset. They...

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CDC: Flu seems to level off except in the West

New government figures show that flu cases seem to be leveling off nationwide. Flu activity is declining in most regions although still rising in the West.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hospitalizations and deaths spiked again last week, especially among the elderly. The CDC says quick treatment with antiviral medicines is important, in particular for the very...

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