Texas: Bar owner shoots and kills suspected burglar in parking lot "A bar owner apparently shot and killed an alleged would-be burglar at his business early Monday morning. Harris County Sheriff's deputies were called to the Circle M Bar and Grill on Telge at 5am. Before they got there, the call was upgraded to a shooting. Deputies arrived to find Kevin Miller, 22, in the parking lot. He had been shot in the stomach. The bar owner, Robert Mitchell, was also in the parking lot, armed with a pistol. Miller was taken to Cy-Fair Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Deputies say Mitchell, who lives nearby the bar, was responding to a burglar alarm at the business when he encountered Miller. The two apparently had a confrontation in the parking lot, and Miller was shot several times."

Maine picks on gun owners: "A gun and ammunition tax that would create a fund to increase security at the state's courthouses has been proposed by several members of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. The 7 percent tax would be in addition to the 5 percent state sales tax that consumers already pay when they buy guns and ammunition from licensed dealers in the state. George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, said on Monday that while the organization supports improved security at courthouses, it would oppose the bill. "Making law abiding citizens who are gun owners pay the entire cost of something that serves all the people is the wrong approach," he said. "I can't see any justification in this particular funding source. Why not knives and other items?"

South Africa: Last chance for illegal gun owners: "Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula says people in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition have until the end of this month to hand these to the police. The amnesty that entails indemnity against prosecution for possessing firearms and ammunition illegally commenced 1 January and will end on 31 March. The Minister said there had since been a steady flow of firearms and ammunition handed in at police stations across the country. In this regard, about 5 395 illegal guns had been confiscated, 2 787 found and 7 881 were brought to the police voluntarily."