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Fire hits Egypt national theatre
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ASIANAGE on 28 September, 2008 05:25:19
 
Cairo, Sept. 28: A fire destroyed the main hall of Egypt's national theatre in
the heart of the downtown Cairo on Sunday, wounding three firefighters, a civil
defence officer said.
Billowing white smoke filled the busy Ataba Square just after sunset as 22
engines responded to the alarms. Dozens of riot police also deployed to keep
back onlookers.
A major general with the civil defence on the scene described the fire as
"almost contained," after high winds briefly drove flames into neighbouring
shops and buildings. Three firefighters were hospitalised for smoke inhalation.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to
speak to the press.
Brig. Gen. Nasr Zakaria of the civil defence operations room told the state
news agency that the fire began with an electrical short that caused an
explosion in the theatre's air conditioning system.
-AP
***
Belarus votes as Opposition cries foul
Minsk, Sept. 28: Belarussians voted on Sunday in parliamentary elections that
could determine whether President Alexander Lukashenko's regime warms to the
West or moves deeper into Russia's orbit.
Mr Lukashenko, dubbed "Europe's last dictator" by Washington, has been courting
the West in the past few months amid signs of wavering loyalty to Moscow over
its energy prices and war in Georgia.
The wily autocrat has ruled the backward former Soviet republic with an iron
fist for the past 14 years, but hopes the European Union and United States will
approve the vote's democratic credentials. Belarus has fallen well short of a
positive assessment during his reign.
-AFP