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MURCIA-At least 13 people have died in a fire at a nightclub in the south-eastern Spanish city of Murcia. The blaze broke out in the Fonda Milagros nightclub in the Atalayas area, at around 06:00 (04:00 GMT). Video shared online showed flames raging above the building and thick, dark smoke pouring out of its windows. It is not clear what caused the fire, which broke out when the club was still busy. Officials say the number of deaths could rise. Fourteen people are still missing as emergency services continue searching the building. Police said the fire started at the Fonda Milagros nightclub – known as La Fonda – before spreading to its neighbouring clubs, Teatre and Golden. Local media report that all fatalities are believed to have happened in La Fonda. Diego Seral, of the national police, said “substantial structural damage” had caused a collapse inside La Fonda. A 28-year-old woman sent a voice note to her mother when the fire had started, according to the La Verdad de Murcia newspaper, saying: “Mummy, I love you, we’re going to die.” It She had gone out with her partner and some friends from the nearby town of Caravaca de la Cruz. is not clear if she survived. “They went because in Caravaca there are no nightclubs,” the woman’s father, named as Jairo, told the paper. “It was the second time she had been.” Four people are being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation, and a local sports venue is being used to provide counselling for those affected. Among the victims identified so far, many were attending a birthday party, La Verdad de Murcia newspaper reported. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/02-Oct-2023/nightclub-fire-kills-13-in-spain

ROTTERDAM-A 32-year-old man has been arrested in the Dutch city of Rotterdam following two deadly shooting incidents on Thursday, Rotterdam police said. The number of dead from the shootings is currently unknown. “The two shooting incidents in Rotterdam have resulted in fatalities. We will first inform family and relatives and will explain more later,” the city’s police said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. The suspect was arrested “under the helipad” of Erasmus University’s Medical Center, authorities said. He was armed with a handgun when he was detained. Earlier in the day, police said they received several reports of two shooting incidents in the area of the Erasmus University Medical Center at around 2:25 p.m. local time (8:25 a.m. ET), adding that the incidents took place in a house and in a classroom. The university hospital warned people “not to come” to the medical center due to “various incidents,” in a post on X, previously known as Twitter. Per earlier X posts by police, the suspect was wearing “combat-style” clothes, was tall, with black hair and carrying a backpack. His motive is not yet known. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/29-Sep-2023/multiple-deaths-after-shootings-erupt-in-dutch-city-police-say

New York City is under a state of emergency due to massive flooding on Friday from a storm system expected to dump up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain across the city over a 24-hour period. “This is time for heightened alertness and extreme caution,” Mayor Eric Adams said at a virtual news conference. The torrential rains have already flooded the subway system, while parts of LaGuardia Airport have been shut down, resulting in cancellations and delays throughout the metropolis. Residents of America’s most populous city of nearly 8.5 million people are all under a flash flood watch for the entire day, causing chaos, especially for those who are outdoors. “If you are at home, stay home. If you are at work or school, shelter in place,” Adams emphasized. “If you are out … and encounter a flooded area, be it on a roadway or a subway station, do not enter.” New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a joint state of emergency with Mayor Adams and announced that the National Guard had been deployed to help rescue crews save stranded motorists and those flooded in their homes during this life-threatening weather event. “If people decide to venture out in a vehicle, they do so at their own peril because even 6 inches of rain, one foot of rain, it may look pretty innocuous, it’s safe, but that is a condition where your vehicle can be swept away,” said Hochul. “We lose more lives of people during flooding events … the reason people lose their lives in a flood event, more often than that is they’re swept away in their vehicles.” Officials are stressing safety as the heavy rain and flooding continue as efforts continue to get the subways back up and running. In the meantime, more buses are being put on the streets to help commuters eventually get back home. “We want to make sure we can get the subways, the trains, our communication system, our transportation system up working because there’s children who use the subways to get home from school, people need to be able to know if they can get home from work,” said Hochul. “And so that is priority number one, to make sure our subways and our railway systems are safe.” The storm system is expected to hover over New York City for about 20 hours and officials are warning residents not to be fooled by any lull in the bad weather. “This is a dangerous weather condition and it is not over and I don’t want those gaps in heavy rain to give the appearance that it is over. It is not,” said Adams. “We could possibly see eight inches of rain before the day is over.” Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/30-Sep-2023/new-york-city-under-state-of-emergency-as-massive-flooding-takes-hold

Four Pak Army soldiers were martyred while three terroists were killed in a crossfire near Pak-Afghan Border, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. According to the military’s media wing, security forces thwarted an attempt of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists’ bid to infiltrate from Afghanistan into Pakistan. The incident took place on September 28 at 5:45pm (PST), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, as law enforcers ramp up efforts against terrorists having safe havens in Afghanistan. As a result of the standoff, four soldiers — Havildar Sattar, Lance Naik Sher Azam, Lance Naik Adnan, and Sepoy Nadeem — embraced martyrdom after having fought valiantly. The soldiers also sent three terrorists “to hell”, the ISPR said, noting that “few” other militants were also injured during the gunbattle. “Security forces of Pakistan will continue to thwart efforts of the enemies of peace and prosperity in the country,” the military’s media wing added. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/29-Sep-2023/four-soldiers-martyred-3-terrorists-killed-in-border-clash-ispr

MADRID-A 14-year-old, described by fellow pupils as hot-headed, on Thursday, stabbed three teachers and two students in a school in southern Spain before being overpowered, police said. The boy, who has not been named, allegedly stabbed the five victims repeatedly shortly after classes started at the school in Jerez de la Frontera, police spokesman Adrian Dominguez told reporters at the scene. “Police located the suspect on the third floor. He had in his possession the two knives used to attack three teachers and two students,” Dominguez said, adding the suspect had been taken to a police station. The spokesman was unable to comment on the extent of the injuries, but Spanish media said one teacher was in serious condition after being stabbed in the eye while the rest suffered light injuries. The attack caused alarm in Spain, where violent crime is fairly rare. Parents rushed to the school after hearing about the stabbing, gathering outside the gates which were cordoned off by police, images broadcast on Spanish TV showed. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/29-Sep-2023/fourteen-year-old-stabs-five-at-spanish-school

A rocket explosion in a house in katcha area of Kandhkot district claimed seven lives and injured six others. “A rocket exploded at a house in Shah Ali Sabzoi village in katcha area leaving seven people dead including four children,” local police said. “Six others were injured in the incident,” police said without elaborating details of the explosion. The injured were transferred to hospitals. The incident has caused a wave of panic and harassment in the area. SSP Kashmore district Rohail Khoso has said that the rocket shell was in the affected house. “Children hurled it in the stove resulting in deadly blast,” district police chief said. “Police has cordoned off the village and conducting a search operation,” police officer said. The family members of deceased and injured protested outside the hospital over absence of doctors in the medical facility. Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Maqbool Baqar while taking notice of the rocket launcher blast in katcha area of Kandhkot, has summoned report from the IG Police. “How the rocket shell reached in Sabzoi Goth. If a consignment of arms was being smuggled in katcha area,” Caretaker CM questioned the police chief. “Are there facilitators of bandits in the village,” he further questioned. “How the rocket exploded, claiming loss of several lives,” the CM further questioned. “I want a detailed report of the incident,” Justice Baqar directed the Sindh Police chief. The Sindh government has decided to launch a law enforcement operation in katcha areas (riverine forests) along the Indus River in upper Sindh districts to curb bandit gangs and other outlaws involved in rampant kidnapping for ransom and other crimes in the region. Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar last Friday okayed a comprehensive joint operation by Pakistan Army and Sindh Rangers’ against dacoits in the katcha area of Sukkur and Larkana divisions. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/27-Sep-2023/eight-killed-four-wounded-as-rocket-launcher-s-mortar-explodes-in-kandhkot

Swedish police are investigating a fire that burned down a mosque in Eskilstuna, central Sweden, as a possible case of arson. The blaze occurred on Monday, causing extensive damage to the mosque, but fortunately, no injuries were reported. In a statement on their website, the police said “The investigation into the fire is continuing. Police will question witnesses and verify whether there were security cameras in the area.” Police have not made any arrests and are currently seeking witnesses and examining security camera footage in their ongoing investigation. “The mosque is almost completely destroyed, nothing can be saved,” mosque spokesman Anas Deneche told AFP. Deneche mentioned that the mosque had been targeted in previous incidents of violence over the past year, and his family had faced threats. However, he emphasised the need to wait for the police to complete their investigation before drawing any conclusions about the cause of the fire. Approximately 15,000 to 20,000 Muslims reside in Eskilstuna, making the mosque an essentially religious and community centre for local residents. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/27-Sep-2023/after-qurans-mosque-burned-into-ashes-in-sweden-police-launch-arson-probe

At least 100 people died in a fire at a wedding celebration in Iraq’s northern Nineveh province, local authorities said Wednesday. Another 500 people were injured in the fire, which broke out at Al Haytham Wedding Hall in Al-Hamdaniya district, local media reported, citing Ahmed Hamdani, deputy director of the Mosul Health Department. There were 800 people at the wedding hall when the fire broke out, according to reports. The Iraqi News Agency (INA) said the fire was caused by fireworks, candles and other materials used during the event. Fire brigades and ambulances from surrounding provinces were dispatched to area. Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari also headed to the region. Footage of the fire breaking out while the bride and groom were dancing was widely circulated on social media, also showing people running left and right in panic. Source:https://www.nation.com.pk/27-Sep-2023/at-least-100-killed-in-fire-at-wedding-celebration-in-northern-iraq