Brazil: Country split over possible gun sales ban: "Rio de Janeiro taxi driver Luiz Marcelo is normally mild mannered, but he loses his temper when Brazil's upcoming referendum on whether gun sales should be banned comes up in a conversation. 'All you see around us in the streets is crime, and the best they can think of is to disarm honest citizens like me and you,' the 50-year-old almost shouts. 'I have a gun at home and another one in this car and I'm not giving them up.' Many Brazilians share this view, saying the state does not give its people adequate protection from violent crime and they need guns for self defense. But others are afraid of having guns at home and don't like the idea of armed citizens walking the streets."


Bill rekindles debate over gun lawsuits: "Legislation that would insulate the gun industry from lawsuits based on the misuse of its products is again on the list of bills that have made it out of committee and are eligible for a vote on the floor of Congress. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act would pre-empt state laws for most negligence and product liability actions in which the defendant is a gun manufacturer, gun seller or trade association. ... 'This is getting to be a joke,' said Don Neudecker, of Neudecker's Guns and Ammo in North Troy. 'The buck has to stop somewhere. People have to be responsible for themselves. It's just like if you sold your car to a neighbor and he drinks and drives and then kills someone, is it then OK to sue Ford?'"


Store owner resists armed robber : "A store owner defended his establishment from a would-be robber Thursday night, according to police reports. The owner of Sandlin Food Mart, 2108 Sandlin Road S.W., told police that when a man wielding a handgun tried to rob his business, he grabbed his own gun and chased the man out of the store. The owner told police he fired his gun three times at the suspect, who fled down an alley. He reported the suspect as a black male wearing a black-and-gray shirt and black sweat pants. The owner was still chasing the suspect when officers arrived around 10 p.m., police said."