Russian officials say the suspected gunman in the 2006 killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya has been arrested.

Security forces today freed seven hostages held by alleged Islamic extremists in a police station and a store, trying to clear the remaining rebels who simultaneously attacked police and government buildings across the southern Russian town of Nalchik yesterday.

Security forces today freed an unspecified number of police officers from a police station where they had been caught in a battle with Islamic extremists, while security forces stormed a store held by the last rebel holdouts in Nalchik, the regional president’s press service said.

A court sentenced a police captain to seven years’ jail today for negligence in failing to prevent the bombings last year of two Russian passenger jets that killed 90 people aboard.

The final day of the traditional 40 day mourning period for the victims of the bloody Russian school siege in Beslan is tomorrow.