World news: Politician shoots rival in Albania's parliament

Tirana (Reuters) - The Albanian Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, yesterday appealed for calm after a member of his ruling Socialist Party shot and seriously wounded a political rival inside the country's parliament building.

A police spokesman said Socialist MP Gafur Mazreku had been charged with the attempted murder of opposition deputy Azem Hajdari, a former student leader who in 1990 helped topple the country's 45-year Stalinist regime.

One witness said Mr Mazreku had shot Mr Hajdari four times with a pistol in the most serious political incident since a general election in June largely subdued widespread violence across the Balkan nation. The two politicians had earlier been involved in a fracas in the chamber on Tuesday.