A round-up of today's other world news in brief
Shooting at US Holocaust memorial
WASHINGTON – An elderly gunman, believed linked to an anti-Jewish website, shot a security guard at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum yesterday before being wounded when guards returned fire, officials said.
The shooting occurred at about 1pm and the wounded were taken to an area hospital. The security guard was in grave condition suffering from a rifle shot and the gunman was in critical condition, authorities said.
“I think this is an extremely isolated incident,” Washington mayor Adrian Fenty said.
“In these days and times you never know when someone is going to grab a gun and use it in an inappropriate way as was done today.”
Police said investigators had identified James W von Brunn and linked him to a website that expresses anti-government and anti-Jewish sentiments.
The museum, a memorial to the six million Jews killed by Nazis in the Holocaust, is near the National Mall where many of Washington’s monuments are located. – (Reuters)
Top judge shot dead in Russia
NAZRAN, RUSSIA – Gunmen firing automatic weapons shot dead a top judge yesterday in Russias republic of Ingushetia just 18 months after her predecessor was killed.
As security in Ingushetias neighbouring republic of Chechnya has improved, instability has worsened elsewhere in the mainly Muslim North Caucasus region and attacks against the authorities by Islamic insurgents have increased.
Aza Gazgireyeva, deputy chairwoman of the supreme court of Ingushetia, died in hospital after the minibus in which she was travelling was attacked in Ingushetias largest town of Nazran on Wednesday morning.
The gunmen opened fire from a car on the court-owned minibus carrying Ms Gazgireyeva and injured six other passengers before driving away, a source in the local interior ministry said. – (Reuters)
Ahmadinejad in ‘Hitler’ allegations
TEHRAN - Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused his election rivals yesterday of adopting smear tactics used by Germanys dictator Adolf Hitler and said they could face jail for insulting him.
Mr Ahmadinejad was speaking at a rally in Tehran on the final day of an increasingly bitter and hard-fought election campaign, in which he faces a growing challenge from moderate former prime minister Mirhossein Mousavi.
Mr Mousavi and the two other candidates say Mr Ahmadinejad has lied about the state of the economy which is suffering from high inflation and a fall in oil revenues from last years records.– (Reuters)
Nursery worker on child porn charge
LONDON - A 39-year-old female nursery worker was charged yesterday with sexual assault and making and distributing indecent images of children.
Devon and Cornwall constabulary said Vanessa George, from the Efford area of Plymouth, had been charged with two counts of sexual assault. She has also been charged with two counts of sexual assault by touching, and one count each of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children. – (Reuters)
Bonn in nuclear appeal to Russia
MOSCOW - German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged Russia yesterday to work constructively with US president Barack Obama to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles.
Mr Obama is due to travel to Russia next month to hold talks with his counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start), which expires on December 5th. – (Reuters)