SHOOTING AT FLA. MALL LEAVES ONE SHOPPER DEAD

Shooting at Fla. mallleaves one shopper dead
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. -- One person was shot to death and three gunmen arrested at a crowded mall on Christmas Eve, prompting police to evacuate the building in a search for more possible suspects, authorities said. Boynton Beach Maj. Frank Briganti told CNN investigators think the person killed was targeted by the suspects at the Boynton Beach Mall, north of Miami. No other injuries were reported. Mall spokesman, Sam Yates, said the shooting was outside of a store inside the mall.
2-year-old stabbedto death; suspect is 9
DALLAS -- A 2-year-old girl left with a dozen other children in a home without adult supervision was stabbed to death, and police suspect a 9-year-old boy was responsible. No charges have been filed so far in the death of Damya Jefferson and police were still trying to piece together what happened when the girl was stabbed Friday night, said Senior Cpl. Janice Crowther of the Dallas Police Department on Sunday.
Treatment errors blamedfor deaths of inmates
LOS ANGELES -- The deaths of at least 14 inmates since 1999 in the nation's largest county jail system came after treatment errors and other breakdowns in their medical care, a newspaper reported Sunday. The jail system lacks enough doctors, nurses and other medical workers, resulting in long delays in treatment for conditions ranging from hernias to heart disease, an investigation by the Los Angeles Times found. Inmates have waited weeks for exams they were supposed to receive within 24 hours of making a request, the newspaper said. Officials acknowledge that 20 percent of inmates who ask to see a doctor are released from jail without ever being examined, according to the Times.
Sunday mail delivery
DENVER -- An army of 1,500 mail carriers fanned out across Colorado and Wyoming on Christmas Eve, making rare Sunday deliveries in a bid to get hundreds of thousands of blizzard-delayed packages to their destinations on time. "This is an unprecedented effort," Postal Service spokesman Al DeSarro said. They all volunteered for the extra duty, he said. Normally, about 100 carriers would be working on Sunday, he said. A blizzard dropped up to 3 1/2 feet of snow on Colorado and Wyoming last week, disrupting mail service for parts of three days amid the Christmas delivery crunch. The storm also shut down roads, businesses, schools and airports -- including Denver International, the nation's fifth-busiest.
Scanner test delayed
PHOENIX -- A test of an X-ray security scanner that can see through clothing, even taking clear pictures of the human body along with concealed weapons, has been delayed until early this coming year at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The federal Transportation Security Administration initially said one machine would be operating at Sky Harbor's Terminal 4 by Christmas. However, the agency said technical difficulties were creating problems in setting up the equipment so it work properly with the airport's wireless connections.
Israeli leader considersrelease of prisoners
JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted Sunday that he might release some Palestinian prisoners in coming days, telling his Cabinet "the time has come to show flexibility and generosity," associates said. Olmert had previously said he would not consider releasing prisoners until Hamas-linked militants freed Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid from Gaza in June. A change in Israeli policy would give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a major boost in his standoff with Hamas, which controls the Palestinian Cabinet and parliament.
Figure in poisoning caseis arrested in Italy
ROME-- An Italian who met with an ex-KGB agent the day the Russian fell fatally ill from radiation poisoning was arrested on Sunday, the man's father said. The accusations against Mario Scaramella -- international arms trafficking and slander -- were not believed to be directly related to the investigation into the poisoning death of Alexander Litvinenko. Scaramella, who is the first person connected to the poisoning case to be arrested, met Litvinenko at a London sushi bar on Nov. 1, the day the former KGB agent fell ill. Litvinenko died of poisoning from radioactive polonium-210 on Nov. 23. Scaramella's lawyer, Sergio Rastrelli, told RAI Tg1 TV news that he was scheduled to be questioned Wednesday. Rastrelli said he expected Scaramella to tell investigators all his actions were "legitimate and rightful."
Associated Press