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Pilgrims pack Mecca ahead of annual haj By Jonathan Wright Fri Dec 14, 10:11 AM ET MECCA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - About 1 million Muslim pilgrims from across the world packed the mosque and streets around the Kaaba shrine in the holy city of Mecca for the last Friday prayers before the annual haj pilgrimage. Pilgrims trekked to the mosque hours in advance to reserve a space for their prayer mats as close as possible to the Kaaba, a cubic stone structure which Muslims regard as the centre of an ancestral monotheistic cult established by the prophet Ibrahim, known to...

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - A tiny snail loathed by Australian grain growers has invaded Tacoma's Tideflats area. Agriculture officials worry that some of the thousands of Mediterranean snails that have been found on a peninsula between the Hylebos and Blair waterways will hitch rides on trucks or trains to Eastern Washington, where wheat, barley and hay are major crops. Native to Europe, the Mediterranean snail has been known to gum up combines and repel livestock. In late October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture told more than a dozen Tideflats property owners to cut brush and spread snail bait on nearly...

MENA, Saudi Arabia, Dec 31 (Reuters) - More than 2.5 million Muslim haj pilgrims performed devil-stoning rites on Sunday, amid tight security to prevent overcrowding and protests following the execution of Saddam Hussein. The 5-day haj, marred by deadly stampedes in recent years, was overshadowed by the hanging on Saturday of the former Iraqi leader, a hero to some Sunni Arabs because of his anti-U.S. stance, but hated by many Shi'ites. "The number one Satan is America," said Iraqi pilgrim Suleiman Awadallah, who described himself as "a resistance fighter", after performing the stoning ritual. "The prayers of all Muslims when...

At least 29 women and children were killed in a stampede after a religious gathering in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi today. Around 20,000 women were gathered with their children in Faizan-e-Madina mosque in the eastern district of the sprawling city to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, which falls on Tuesday. Local police official Zahid Hussain said the stampede occurred after a girl coming out of the mosque fell down. Witnesses said the child cried out, sparking panic among the women who tried to force their way out of the mosque. "All of a sudden there had...

MANILA, Philippines A stampede broke out early Saturday outside a stadium near Manila, killing at least 88 people, and injuring 280, the Philippine Red Cross reported. About 30,000 people were waiting to get inside the stadium for the program "Wowowee" when the mayhem erupted, said Vicente Eusebio, the mayor of Pasig, the Manila suburb where the stampede occurred. The mayor said the melee erupted as the crowd pushed and surged toward the gates, thinking they were open, pinning and trampling those in front. One survivor said some people in the crowd became rowdy when they could not enter. "The gates...

At least 345 die in Mecca stampede Posted: 12-01-2006 , 16:43 GMT At least 345 people were killed in a stampede, which occurred in Mecca as tens of thousands of pilgrims headed toward al-Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin. The Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said 345 people died. More than 1,000 people were wounded, said Dr. Abbasi with the Saudi Red Crescent. State-run Saudi television Al-Ekhbariyah reported that most of the victims were from South Asia. The stampede took place as pilgrims...

MINA, Saudi Arabia — Thousands of Muslim pilgrims rushing to complete a symbolic stoning ritual during the hajj tripped over luggage Thursday, causing a crush in which at least 345 people were killed, the Interior Ministry said. The stampede occurred as tens of thousands of pilgrims headed toward al-Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin. Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said 345 people were killed

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - At least 50 people were killed in crowding during the stoning ritual at the hajj pilgrimage on Thursday, witnesses said. The Arab television news station Al-Arabiya reported dozens of pilgrims died. Reuters journalists counted at least 50 bodies lined up on the ground and covered in white shrouds. Some were being placed on lorries by medics. The stampede broke out as tens of thousands of pilgrims filed past al-Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin.

MECCA, Saudi Arabia — Muslim pilgrims stampeded on the last day of a symbolic stoning ritual at the hajj on Thursday, and the Interior Ministry said an unknown number of people were killed. The Al-Arabiya network reported that dozens of pilgrims died. The stampede occurred as tens of thousands of pilgrims filed past al-Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin. The ritual has seen deadly stampedes in the past, including one in 1990 that killed 1,426 people and another in February 2004 that killed 244.

BAGHDAD. Aug 31 (Interfax) - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani blamed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and militants led by him for a stampede in Baghdad on Wednesday that is feared to have claimed up to 1,000 lives. Talabani, in an exclusive interview with Interfax, said Zarkawi was behind mortar rounds that were fired into a crowd of Shias marching to a shrine for a religious festival and caused panic among them. The president accused Zarkawi of provoking religious strife in Iraq.

Over 600 Iraqis Killed in Bridge Stampede Wednesday, August 31, 2005 BAGHDAD, Iraq — More than 600 pilgrims heading for a Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad (search) on Wednesday were killed in a huge crush when a railing on a bridge across the Tigris River (search) collapsed, a police commander said. Iraqi Police told Fox News that at least 635 people were killed and at least 237 were wounded. Brig. Gen. Khalid Hassan said that many of the people had died in the crush or were drowned after falling off the al-Aima Bridge (search). Hassan, who commands the police in...

BAGHDAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Up to 500 people died when a crowd of Iraqi Shi'ites stampeded off a bridge over the River Tigris in Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraq's deputy Health Minister Jalil Al-Shumari told Reuters. The crowd, on its way to the Kadhimiya mosque for an important religious ceremony, panicked as rumours spread that a suicide bomber was preparing to blow himself up. Earlier at least seven people died in three separate mortar attacks on the crowd.

(Excerpt)PHOTOS as it happened: SlideshowMore Photos: SlideshowUPDATED: 8:08 p.m.Chaos erupted this morning at the Richmond International Raceway as thousands of people stampeded through the gates in a rush to buy used iBook laptop computers for $50 each.There were several minor injuries and one person was taken to a hospital with a leg injury, fire Battalion Chief Steve Wood said during a 1 p.m. news conference. In all, 17 people were treated, the majority for heat- or diabetic-related problems, he said.Thousands of Henrico County residents and/or taxpayers stood in a half-mile-long line as dawn broke while others waited in cars parked...

The Greeley group of Freepers had a Float in the Greeley Independence Parade and took home the Independence Award for outstanding Community Float.#16: #19: #23: #31: #34: #35: #43: #47: #48: #51:

STAMPEDE!! Injuries at IKEA opening By MICHAEL MCDONOUGH - Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A man was stabbed and five other people were taken to hospital after thousands of customers caused a stampede at the midnight opening of a new IKEA furniture store in north London, British authorities said Thursday. The Swedish retailer expressed regret at the incident. The stabbing victim, a man in his 20s, was attacked at around 1:30 a.m. near the IKEA store, a spokeswoman for London’s Metropolitan Police said, adding that his condition did not appear life-threatening. The new IKEA warehouse in the Edmonton district had...

MAKKAH, January 22 (IslamOnline.net) – At least ten pilgrims died and 30 others sustained injuries Saturday, January 22, in a minor stampede at the Jamarat stoning site in Mina. “Some ten pilgrims died and 30 others were injured earlier today (Saturday) in Mina,” IslamOnline.net’s correspondent quoted eyewitnesses as saying. Around 2.5 million pilgrims have poured into the Jamarat area since Thursday, January 20, the first day of the stoning ritual and the start of `Eid al-Adha. Saudi Arabia has revamped the Jamarat area, where pilgrims amass to stone pillars symbolizing Satan, after a stampede tragedy last hajj killed 251 pilgrims....

Work in Full Swing to Head Off Hajj Stampedes A giant project to develop the Jamrat bridge where pilgrims amass to stone pillars symbolizing Satan is near completion. By Fawaz Mohammad, IOL Correspondent RIYADH, January 10 (IslamOnline.net) – With some two million Muslims expected to perform hajj this year, Saudi government plans are in full swing to head off potential tragic stampedes and make the holy rituals easier for the faithful. A giant project to develop the Jamrat bridge where pilgrims amass to stone pillars symbolizing Satan is near completion. After a stampede tragedy last hajj which killed 251 pilgrims,...

<p>LUCKNOW, India — Thousands of people crowding into a park for a politician's birthday celebration and to receive free saris (search) stampeded Monday, killing 21 women and children, officials said.</p> <p>The stampede came two weeks ahead of parliamentary elections in Lucknow, the capital of India's politically crucial Uttar Pradesh state and the constituency of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (search), who was headed to the city after the stampede.</p>

10.50am DAMASCUS - Five people, including three children, were killed and more than 100 injured on Friday after fighting erupted at a premier league football match in the northeast Syrian town of Kameshli, hospital officials said. At least three of the victims died in a stampede as panicked fans tried to escape the fighting, witnesses said. State-run Syrian Radio reported the deaths as it began live coverage of the match, which was quickly called off. Police surrounded the stadium and fired shots in the air, but it was not clear whether they had been able to stop the fighting. Officials...

Jakarta: Four people have been killed and dozens injured in a stampede during a rock concert in Indonesia's South Kalimantan province, police said Tuesday. The stampede happened Monday night as thousands of mostly young fans jostled to leave a soccer stadium at Banjarmasin city after a performance by a local rock group called Sheila on 7, said Sri Kustini of the provincial police. "The stadium was packed and the fans started pushing and shoving as they tried to get out. They said it was very hot inside," she said. In 2000 four Sheila on 7 fans also died in a...