The killings at Virginia Tech university on Monday will stir fresh debate in the United States over gun control and what drives people to go on shooting rampages through schools and colleges. School shootings have prompted changes to school safety rules and sparked debate over the availability of guns.
A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing at least 31 people and injuring dozens in the deadliest shooting rampage in United States history, government officials said. The gunman was killed, bringing to death toll to 32, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.
Diners at one of Britain’s top restaurants are being invited to listen to MP3 players as they eat because its chef believes sound can make the flavours more intense. Heston Blumenthal already serves up unusual dishes such as snail porridge and bacon-and-egg ice cream at the Michelin three-starred Fat Duck in Bray, west of London.
Zimbabwean authorities have cancelled licences for NGOs in a crackdown on groups accused of planning to oust veteran President Robert Mugabe, state television said on Monday. ”Government has annulled registration certificates of all NGOs in order to sift out those seeking to force regime change in Zimbabwe,” it said.
At least 22 people, including the suspected gunman, were killed in a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech university on Monday, police and university officials said. The rampage took place in two separate areas of the campus during the morning. Police said they believe a single gunman was responsible.
Radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr pulled his six ministers out of Iraq’s beleaguered coalition government on Monday as he pushed his demand for a rapid withdrawal of United States troops from the country. The Shi’ite hard-liner was angered last week when street protests failed to persuade Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to set a timeline for US forces to go home.
France’s presidential campaign entered its final week on Monday, with Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal struggling to stay in the race against right-wing favourite Nicolas Sarkozy. With at least a third of the electorate still undecided ahead of Sunday’s first-round vote, the final stretch of rallies and debates is to play a crucial role.
A Guinean military fighter plane crashed on Monday into a suburb of the capital of the West African country, government and witnesses said. ”A MiG came down around 11.30am [GMT] on an RTG [Guinea Radio and Television] building,” Communication Minister Justin Morel Junior said.
South African residential house-price growth moderated slightly year-on-year in March but prices were not expected to fall despite higher interest rates, a survey showed on Tuesday. The Standard Bank monthly property gauge indicated annualised house-price growth of 8,4% last month, a touch lower than 8,6% growth in February, while month-on-month growth was 1,8%.
Australia is living up to its nickname and turning out to be a ”lucky country” for South African investors, according to Stanlib. The unit-trust company reports that its equity-focused Offshore Australia Fund continues to achieve strong returns on the back of commodity-driven economic growth and a year of consistent gains by the Australian dollar.