United States
Virginia Lawmakers Vote for Guns in Cars, Restaurants, Bars - Everywhere
Washington Post, Editorial
29 Feb 2008
Although they paid lip service to honoring the victims of last spring's massacre at Virginia Tech, state lawmakers in Richmond have been busy dishonoring their memory. The General Assembly, long in thrall to the gun lobby, has forged ahead with bills to make it easier to carry concealed weapons in cars, bars and restaurants. Never mind that police and relatives of the Virginia Tech victims oppose such legislation. In its wisdom, the legislature has decided that citizens will benefit from a proliferation of hidden weapons -- here, there and everywhere. A pair of such bills has cleared both houses of the legislature. One would allow motorists to stash their guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US State Attorneys-General Divided Over Supreme Court DC Gun Ban Case
Stateline.org (USA), Web Page
29 Feb 2008
A gun-control case to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court March 18 has exposed a division among state attorneys general over the meaning of the Second Amendment, the fiercely debated constitutional provision that guarantees Americans the right to "keep and bear arms." Attorneys general from 31 states have filed a legal brief urging the high court to strike down the law being challenged in the case, the District of Columbia's strict, 32-year-old ban on handguns. Led by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R), the group backs a security guard who wants the district's statute to be ruled unconstitutional. Lending their support to the District of Columbia... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Republicans Use Democrats' Fear of Gun Vote to Derail Unrelated Laws
New York Times, Editorial
29 Feb 2008
After the shootings at Northern Illinois University earlier this month, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made statements about guns. Still, gun control has hardly been a big subject in this year's presidential primary. It isn't just the presidential candidates who have tried to finesse the subject. Congressional Democrats have also been wary. For example, a major and seemingly non-controversial bill to change the way the federal government manages public housing programs made it to the House floor for final debate this week. But the measure was suddenly pulled back. The reason: Republicans had offered an amendment focusing on the fact that many public housing... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
In 'Liberal' Mumbai, Indian Police Give 6 Out of 10 Applicants a Gun Licence
Daily News & Analysis (Mumbai)
29 Feb 2008
MUMBAI -- The Mumbai Police issued 416 firearm licences in 2007, more than double compared to the year before. And, the trend is only continuing with as many as 127 licences issued in less than two months in 2008. This was despite no significant increase in the number of applications for such licences (see table), prompting people to believe that the police are now more liberal in issuing firearm licences. The police commissioner's office got 656 applications for firearm licences in 2007 and sanctioned 416, which works out to be 63.4 per cent of the total applications. This information was furnished by the police to Chetan Kothari under the Right to Information... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Boy's 'Obnoxious' Text Messages Led to Gunshot Injury at Pakistani School
Daily Times (Lahore)
29 Feb 2008
ISLAMABAD -- A student on Thursday was accidentally shot and injured in a scuffle between two other students in front of Federal Government Model School for Boys, I-8/4. Industrial Area police said that 16-year-old Abdul Rehman, a grade nine student of the said school, was injured when 17-year-old Ansar Muhammad, a student of private technical institute located in Sector H-8, allegedly opened fire on Usman -- the victim's schoolfellow. Police, while quoting Rehman, said he was awaiting public transport after attending the school when a stray bullet hit him. He was shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Science, where his condition was stated to be... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Bill to Ban .50-Calibre Sniper Rifles, Machine Gun Ammo Fails in Hawaii
Honolulu Advertiser (Hawaii)
29 Feb 2008
Gun enthusiasts were relieved yesterday when the state House Judiciary Committee fell short of a quorum to move a bill that would have banned .50-caliber Browning machine gun rifles and cartridges. Earlier this month, the committee deferred the bill. But committee leaders agreed to try to round up votes after the Honolulu Police Department said it was a priority on its agenda. A committee hearing yesterday did not attract enough lawmakers for a quorum, so the bill could not go forward. A similar bill in the state Senate has also failed to move as the deadline for bills to cross over between chambers approaches next week. Lawmakers said the idea is essentially... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Armed Robber Targets Vancouver Gun Shop, Takes Several Handguns
Vancouver Province (British Columbia)
29 Feb 2008
An armed robber escaped with several handguns after targeting an East Vancouver hunting-goods store. In a takeover-style armed robbery, the thief burst into Italian Sporting Goods in the 800-block Renfrew Street just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday. He ordered staff and customers to the floor, then smashed a display case and grabbed several handguns. The man fled in a waiting vehicle, which police have yet to find. Nobody was injured. Police are concerned about what the thief intends to do with the guns. "The motivation could be for sale, for export, for personal use," said Const. Jana McGuinness. "It's difficult to say.... ( gunpolicy.org )
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