WASHINGTON — Like cigarette makers, gun manufacturers face a round of lawsuits brought by municipalities seeking to recover medical costs. Taking a page from the cigarette industry's playbook, the gun manufacturers are broadening their arguments to attract the same broad-based business groups that entered the fray over tobacco, helping to defeat legislation in the Senate last year. "We felt an obligation with tobacco to stand up and speak out," said Larry Kraus,... (GunPolicy.org)

JOHANNESBURG — A distraught South African college student shot dead three lecturers who he blamed for his poor exam results and then turned the gun on himself, The Citizen newspaper reported on Saturday. "Initial indications are that the lecturers were killed because of an exam-related issue," police Senior Superintendent Phuti Setati said. The 20-year-old man was cornered by police. He shot himself and died later in hospital. His parents told police their son... (GunPolicy.org)

JOHANNESBURG — South African computer experts have developed a system called a smart gun that may help curb this country's horrific firearm death statistics. A smart gun is a personalized firearm, which can only be used by the person accredited to it, according to Saturday Star newspaper. Two methods are being considered to reach that end, according to Nic van Zyl, the coordinating member of the Computerized International Firearm Licensing and Authorization... (GunPolicy.org)