Macedonian policeman shot dead

The authorities in Macedonia say a policeman was shot dead on Saturday night by unknown assailants.

They say the man - who was a part-time police officer - was wearing civilian clothes when he was shot from a passing car in the village of Volkovija in western Macedonia.

Witnesses say the car then sped towards a neighbouring village Cegrane, inhabited by ethnic Albanians.

Last week, parliament in Skopje approved a law granting an amnesty to ethnic Albanian rebels.

It was one of the last steps in the western-brokered agreement that ended a seven-month-long uprising.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service