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25 people killed in soccer match riot

CAIRO – A riot broke out Sunday night outside of a major soccer game in Egypt, with a stampede and fighting between police and fans killing at least 25 people, authorities said.

The riot, only three years after similar violence killed 74 people, began ahead of a match between Egyptian Premier League clubs Zamalek and ENPPI at Air Defense Stadium east of Cairo.

What caused the violence wasn’t immediately clear.

Security officials said Zamalek fans tried to force their way into the match without tickets, sparking clashes.

Zamalek fans, known as “White Knights,” posted on their group’s official Facebook page that the violence began because authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in. They said that sparked pushing and shoving that later saw police officers fire tear gas and birdshot.

A fan who tried to attend the game, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said that the stampede was caused by police who fired tear gas at the tightly packed crowd.

U.S. military hardware arrives in Lebanon

BEIRUT – The U.S. ambassador to Lebanon said Sunday that $25 million worth of weapons and ammunition have arrived in Beirut, the latest American assistance to Lebanon’s army as it fights Islamic extremists along the border with Syria.

Ambassador David Hale said the equipment includes more than 70 M198 howitzers and over 26 million rounds of ammunition and artillery “of all shapes and sizes, including heavy artillery.”

Islamic extremists have launched several attacks on Lebanese troops over the past months in areas near the Syrian border, killing and wounding scores of troops.

Hale told reporters that Lebanon has become the fifth-largest recipient of U.S. foreign military assistance. He added that weapons worth more than $100 million were given to Lebanon last year and over a $1 billion worth in the last eight years.

Rome officials mull “red light” district

ROME – Rome’s mayor and officials are considering a “red light” district to shield prostitutes from exploitation and families from embarrassment.

Prostitution is legal in Italy, and its practitioners are a common sight along some Rome streets.

City officials in the EUR neighborhood, filled with ministries, office high-rises and residential blocks, want to designate certain streets for prostitutes, starting experimentally in April.

Mayor Ignazio Marino told state TV Sunday the aim is to “find a balance” by pinpointing places, such as parks frequented by children and families, where prostitution won’t be allowed – and designating some streets where it will.

Exploitation of prostitution is illegal. EUR official Andrea Santoro says designated streets will help ensure prostitutes aren’t forced to work there by traffickers, as many now are.

Associated Press



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