India: 'Thousands of people crowding into a small park for a politician’s birthday celebration and to receive free saris stampeded yesterday, killing over 20 women and children, officials said. The disaster came two weeks ahead of parliamentary elections in Lucknow, the capital of India’s politically crucial Uttar Pradesh state and the constituency of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country’s prime minister, who rushed to the city after the tragedy.' (Scotsman)