Why haven't we learned from fires?

STORY HIGHLIGHTSPyrotechnics, overcrowding, poor exits have contributed to tragic fires in recent yearsYou would think the world would have learned from past incidents, John Barylick saysConcertgoers have to be their own fire marshals, he saysEditor's note: John Barylick, author of "Killer Show," a book on the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island, is an attorney who represented victims in wrongful...

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IMF grants Mali US$18m emergency loan

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund agreed Monday to provide an US$18.4 million emergency loan to Mali, a move likely to lead other donors to release more funds after having cut off aid following the March 2012 coup.The IMF executive board approved the loan under the Rapid Credit Facility aiming to help the government bridge a huge budget hole as its fights off an Islamist insurgency...

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Netherlands queen to abdicate throne

From Francesca Church, CNNupdated 1:52 PM EST, Mon January 28, 2013Dutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateDutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateDutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateDutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateDutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateDutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateDutch Queen Beatrix to abdicateSTORY HIGHLIGHTSQueen Beatrix to abdicate, handing throne to Prince Willem-Alexander She assured Dutch in televised...

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State Dept.: Iranian space monkey launch unconfirmed

When the Iranian government announced this morning the successful launch of a monkey into space, animal lovers and national security experts alike had reason for concern: Such a move would represent a significant scientific development with regard to Iran's ability to launch long-range ballistic missiles; also, in pictures provided by the Iranian government, the monkey looked pretty terrified. According...

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Boy Scouts to Discuss Lifting National Gay Ban

The Boy Scouts of America, under growing pressure from troops across the country to end its 100-year-old ban on gay leaders and members, said today it is "discussing" ending its national discrimination policy, leaving such decisions to the discretion of individual troops."Currently, the BSA is discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual...

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Women in infantry: Tough challenge?

Hospital Corpsman Shannon Crowley packs for a mission as Lance Cpl.. Kristi Baker sits on her bed in 2010 in Afghanistan.STORY HIGHLIGHTSMaren Leed: Ban on women in combat has hurt operations, women's promotionLeed: Integrating women into the physically demanding infantry presents challenges Women are already in combat; she says, the "front line" and "rear line" no longer existLeed: Research into...

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Asia's gambling apartheid

SEOUL: The casino industry is booming across Asia, offering anyone looking for high-stakes action a wide choice of venues, from high-tech South Korea to the Himalayan nation of Nepal and communist Vietnam.Anyone, that is, except South Koreans, Nepalese or Vietnamese.For conservative Asian countries, the financial pros and social cons of casino gambling pose something of a dilemma - one...

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233 killed in Brazil nightclub fire

Hundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireHundreds dead in Brazil nightclub fireSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: At least 233 people were killed, Brazil's...

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Israel warns of possible pre-emptive strike in Syria

JERUSALEM Israel could launch a pre-emptive strike to stop Syria's chemical weapons from reaching Lebanon's Hezbollah or al Qaeda inspired groups, officials said Sunday. The warning came as the military moved a rocket defense system to a main northern city, and Israel's premier warned of dangers from both Syria and Iran. Play VideoPanetta: No new signs Syria prepping WMDPlay VideoU.S. military...

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Brazil Nightclub Fire: 232 Dead, Hundreds Injured

Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.Witnesses said a flare or firework lit by band members may...

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