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Licensing firearm owners to possess and carry guns
In Turkey, Debating a Woman's Right to Have a Gun in Domestic Violence
19 May 2012
National Public Radio (USA)
In Turkey, hundreds of women die each year at the hands of a husband or family member, in a society that critics say too often ignores violence against women. After years of frustration, one organization has shaken up the debate with a controversial proposal: arming women and training them to defend themselves.
Looking back, Yagmur Askin thinks perhaps she should have paid more attention on her wedding day, when her husband's family welcomed her by saying, "You enter... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,Turkey,China,Pakistan,Central Asia,Russia,Afghanistan
Where Do 20 Million Illegal Guns Come From? Afghanistan, Says Pakistan
17 May 2012
Express Tribune (Pakistan)
KARACHI - There are an estimated 20 million illegal arms in circulation in Pakistan.
This includes serious firepower: law enforcement authorities are increasingly coming under attack from criminals and terrorists armed with heavy weapons such as grenades (including rocket-propelled ones), long-range sniper rifles and machine guns. The volatile situation in Lyari was a case in point, where despite the fact that police were equipped with tank-like armoured personnel... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Violence in South Africa, a National Public Health Priority - Analysis
17 May 2012
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)
ANALYSIS
South Africa faces numerous challenges in preventing and reducing the levels of violence and crime. The burden of mortality and morbidity arising from violence and injury affects the lives of millions of individuals annually and continues to undermine social harmony and socio-economic development.
This is, now more than ever, a national public health priority - one that needs to be monitored and controlled so as to limit the number of injuries and non-natural... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)
Wildrose Suggests Alberta Appoints Own Firearms Controller [Francais]
16 May 2012
Radio Canada (Canada)
[Translated Summary: Wildrose's Judicial Affairs critique, Shayne Saskiw, is asking the provincial government to better protect the rights of firearms owners in Alberta, by nominating the firearms controller for the province.]
Le critique du Wildrose en matière de Justice, Shayne Saskiw, demande au gouvernement provincial de mieux protéger les droits des propriétaires d'armes à feu en Alberta en nommant le contrôleur des armes à feu de la province.
Le détenteur... (GunPolicy.org)
In Response to 'Shadow' Gun Registry Allegations, Alberta Says No
16 May 2012
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
EDMONTON - Solicitor General Jonathan Denis says Alberta "does not and will not" have a provincial gun registry, though questions remain about the type of data collected by gun shops in the province.
Denis was responding Wednesday to allegations the provincial government has allowed the creation of a "shadow" registry that will effectively replace the controversial federal long gun registry.
"Alberta does not have a gun registry, Alberta will not have a gun registry,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Tories Fight to Suppress Provincial Records of Gun Sales
15 May 2012
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
The province of New Brunswick announced Tuesday that it will adhere to the federal government's wishes and no longer require gun dealers to keep records of sales of long guns and who purchased them.
Not all provinces have been so quick to let go of the record-keeping practice that some have likened to a "back-door" gun registry.
Ontario has balked at the Harper government's directive. Other provinces say they are consulting with their lawyers or seeking further... (GunPolicy.org)
Debate Over Disarmament Bill in Venezuela [Espanol]
14 May 2012
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated summary: A debate over proposals for public policies, which address the situation of gun violence in Venezuela, was held in Caracas. During the meeting, members of the commission highlighted the importance of including people of varied social and religious sectors in formulating legislation for disarmament, after stating that in Venezuela, 98% of homicides are committed with firearms. The possibility of an amnesty was also mentionned.]
CARACAS - Periodistas... (GunPolicy.org)
Ontario Defies Federal Govt's Command to Stop Recording Gun Sales
14 May 2012
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
TORONTO - Ontario's chief firearms officer insists that Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews can't just order him to stop the collection of information on gun buyers.
OPP Supt. Chris Wyatt said federal firearms legislation stipulates he "may" ask gun store sellers to write down the names and gun licence numbers of purchasers — and he intends to continue doing so.
"I don't like being in conflict with the RCMP or the federal minister," Wyatt said. "I want to be... (GunPolicy.org)
Fake Gun Licence Racket Busted, 15 Security Guards Arrested in India
13 May 2012
Times of India
BHARUCH: At least 15 security guards of various private agencies were arrested for running a fake gun licence racket in Bharuch. Police also seized 17 illegal fire arms and 110 cartridges from the security guards working at ATM centres of various banks.
Due to central intelligence agencies' inputs regarding possible terror attacks, Bharuch police officials from C-division police station were carrying out routine checking at Golden Bridge on Narmada.
While checking two... (GunPolicy.org)
Is Bogota's Gun Ban Responsible for 31% Decline in Homicides?
11 May 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The city of Bogota has seen a significant reduction in homicides after passing a ban on carrying guns. If the two developments prove to be related, the ban could provide a model to other violence-plagued cities in the region.
On February 1, newly-elected Bogota mayor Gustavo Petro introduced a three-month ban on carrying guns in public, saying that to carry a weapon represented "not a defense mechanism, but a risk." On April 30, Petro declared that the ban had been a... (GunPolicy.org)
Proposal for Law Against Carrying of Firearms in Honduras [Espanol]
9 May 2012
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated Summary: Honduran social organisations are pushing for the approval of the Law for the control of firearms, munitions, explosives and related materials, so as to stop criminality in the most violent country in the world.]
TEGUCIGALPA - Organizaciones sociales hondureñas impulsan la aprobación de la Ley de Control de Armas de Fuego, Municiones, Materiales Relacionados y Explosivos, para frenar la criminalidad en el país más violento del mundo.
El... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Permits Still Issued too Frequently in Indonesia
7 May 2012
Jakarta Globe
Indonesia's National Police will continue to grant civilians gun permits, despite calls from lawmakers for stricter gun regulations after a series of headline-grabbing reports cast doubt on public safety.
The National Police have issued more than 25,000 gun permits to civilians since 2009, not counting the 10,154 permits for guns that fire rubber bullets and 5,810 permits for airsoft guns, according to National Police spokesman Ins. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution.
Critics... (GunPolicy.org)
Tighter Gun Control Laws Demanded in Indonesia
7 May 2012
Jakarta Post
Tighter gun-controls are being demanded by politicians and activists following a spike in firearm-related violence across the country.
Poengky Indarti, executive director of human rights watchdog Imparsial, urged the government and the House of Representatives to work together to change the firearms policy.
"Both should amend the law on the control of firearms and explosive, audit all firearm possession in the country and strengthen supervision and control," she said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Civilians in Public Places Highlight Gun Misuse in Indonesia
5 May 2012
Jakarta Post
The House of Representatives plans to summon National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo in the near future in the wake of a series of incidents involving armed civilians in public places, a lawmaker has said.
A member of House's Commission III overseeing legal, human rights and security affairs, Sarifuddin Sudding, said the meeting would be carried out soon after the currently ongoing recess period ends on May 13.
"We will demand National Police chief explain why there... (GunPolicy.org)
Ivory Coast Government to Mark All of Its Weapons [Francais]
4 May 2012
Abidjan.net (Côte d'Ivoire)
[Translated Summary: Things are going to change in Côte d'Ivoire regarding the conditions for owning small firearms. To this effect, the Ivorian state has decided to proceed with marking all of its weapons.]
Des choses vont changer au niveau des conditions pour la détention d'armes de petits calibres en Côte d'Ivoire. Pour ce faire, l'Etat ivoirien a décidé de procéder au marquage de toutes ses armes.
« Le marquage se fera dans un premier temps sur les armes... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Asia,Turkey,United Kingdom,Mexico,United States
Proposal to Relax Export Restrictions on Firearms in U.S. Unpopular
2 May 2012
Wall Street Journal
U.S. homeland-security and law-enforcement agencies have objected to
Obama administration proposals to relax export restrictions on
high-powered firearms, threatening a centerpiece of the president's
trade and national-security agenda.
The agencies, in internal memos viewed by The Wall Street Journal,
warn the changes could help arm drug cartels and terrorists and make
it harder for the U.S. to crack down on gun-trafficking.
The arms proposal is part of a broader... (GunPolicy.org)
Untrained Police Caught by South Africa's Post-Apartheid Gun Rules
1 May 2012
Telegraph (UK)
Thousands of South African police officers face being stripped of their guns or kicked out of the force entirely after a leaked internal report revealed that one fifth of those with licenses were not qualified to use police-issue weapons.
A total of 27,400 officers failed to complete updated firearms training introduced last year, out of 129,713 armed staff in the nation's force. Following the revelation last month, several district commanders ordered officers who were... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,France,China,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Sweden
Pakistan a 'Very Gun-friendly Society,' 9 in 10 Owners Unlicensed
30 April 2012
Dawn (Karachi)
On January 25 this year, 32-year-old Waqas, a garment factory employee was hit by a bullet in New Karachi and he died. The bullet was not fired from the gun of a target killer, but by friends of a bridegroom amidst late-night wedding celebrations.
Two children aged 10 and 12, died in Sialkot in a similar incident on February 20, when the jubilant brother of a bridegroom unleashed a burst of bullets.
Such accidents, almost an every-day affair in Pakistan, never make it... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Lawyer Protests 'Back Door' Firearm Registration in Ontario
30 April 2012
CNews (Canada)
OTTAWA – Ontario is telling sellers of shotguns and rifles to keep paper records of all the people who buy long guns at their stores — a move one firearms advocate is calling a "back-door" long-gun registry.
The province's chief firearms officer has gun sellers writing down buyers' names, numbers and addresses.
"The long-gun registry was used to target gun owners and confiscate their firearms. That was one of the reasons for scrapping it in the first place,"said... (GunPolicy.org)
Queensland About Face: Mandatory Sentences for Illegal Gun Possession
30 April 2012
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
Illegal firearm traffickers will face a mandatory minimum term of five years in jail, with the Newman government spelling out reforms to clamp down on bikie-related crime in Queensland.
Premier Campbell Newman's embrace of a raft of mandatory minimum sentences mark a shift since last year, when the Liberal National Party leader explained why they were a bad idea.
His post cabinet-announcement of tougher penalties for serious offences comes in the wake of Saturday's... (GunPolicy.org)
Unlicensed, 'Delinquent' Philippine Gun Owners Threatened with Arrest
29 April 2012
Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines — On the heels of a crackdown on loose firearms, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reminded yesterday all gun owners to make sure that their firearm licenses are renewed or face charges and arrest.
Director General Nicanor Bartolome, PNP chief said, an operational plan on the campaign against loose firearms is already being finalized as part of the security measures for the 2013 elections.
He warned all delinquent gun owners of the prospect of... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Justice Minister Admits Gaps in Gun Laws, Tracing, Registration
27 April 2012
ABC News (Australia), Audio
Justice and Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare says there are weaknesses in the nation's gun control laws. He says he is drafting some proposals to take to the next meeting of his state and territory counterparts in June, which include closing loopholes in the national firearms database.
TRANSCRIPT: On the eve of the 16th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre the Federal Government has announced it intends to reform Australia's gun laws.
The Minister for Justice and... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia,Sierra Leone,Côte d'Ivoire,Ghana
Of 230,000 Guns Made in Ghana, 56% Are Unlicensed, in Unknown Hands
26 April 2012
Ghanaian Chronicle (Ghana), Editorial
It is not at the alarm state yet. But, the disclosure that 56 percent of a total of 230,000 small arms manufactured in the country remains unlicensed, and in hands that could not be identified, pose a threat to the security of the state. It means that as many as 125,000 illicit guns are in the system without any means of tracking them.
In addition, there are other light weapons which might have trickled down from conflict areas like Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone and... (GunPolicy.org)
Only Danish Police, Gun Clubs, Hunters May Own Big-bore Airguns [Dansk]
25 April 2012
Berlingske (Denmark)
[Translated Summary: As of June 1st, ownership of airguns over 4.5mm cal will be restricted in Denmark. More than 240,000 Danes currently own larger-calibre airguns, and authorities are anxious to avoid US-style weapon availability.]
Fra 1. juni er det ikke længere lovligt at eje og bruge luftvåben af en særlig kaliber uden at være politimand, medlem af en skytteforening eller jæger.
Danmark må ikke ende med amerikanske våbentilstande, hvor stort set alle med... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaian Police to Crackdown on Illegal Possession of Firearms
25 April 2012
Ghanaian Chronicle (Ghana)
The Head of Small Arms Division at the Police Headquarters in Accra, Chief Superintendent Aboagye Yeboah, has hinted The Chronicle that his outfit would soon embark on an exercise to randomly search all individuals suspected of owning small firearms in the country. The decision, according to him, is to control the proliferation of small arms in the country.
Aboagye Yeboah further told The Chronicle that in collaboration with the Small Arms Commission they (police) had... (GunPolicy.org)
Improved Gun Tracing, Registration Needed in Ghana, Says Commission
25 April 2012
Ghana web (Ghana)
The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCSALW) says there are approximately 30 arms importers licensed in Ghana, with mostly no credible database on their activities.
State institutions do not have exact statistics on the number of arms these licensed arms dealers import annually, or who they sell these weapons to because current State legislations lack the capacity to ensure the effective monitoring of their activities.
There are varied statistics... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Vow to Strip Celebratory Shooters of Licence in Uttar Pradesh, India
25 April 2012
Indian Express
After several incidents of celebratory firings during victory processions of SP leaders and weddings, DGP AC Sharma has issued a circular to book gun licence holders involved in such incidents. The circular also said their licences will be cancelled within a month of the occurrence of such incidents.
The DGP has said that local police station officers will be accountable for such incidents taking place in their areas. The district police chiefs will ensure penal action... (GunPolicy.org)
Poor Records Allow Government Guns to Leak into Ghana Black Market
24 April 2012
Spy Ghana (Ghana)
The Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has raised grave concerns about arms in circulation indicating that about 20 percent of illegally manufactured weapons in circulation are from the nation's security services. According to the Commission, the porous nature of the record keeping and data management systems by the security services has led to the phenomenon, adding that per the records over 200,000 small arms are in the custody of civilians.
Analysts have... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaian Police Urged to Educate Public: There's No Need to Carry Guns
23 April 2012
Joy Online (Ghana)
A Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Cape Coast, Mr Takyi Akonnor, has charged security institutions in the country to 'step up their game' to convince the citizenry of their safety. Doing so, he said, will assure people that there is no need for them to acquire small arms to protect themselves.
Mr Akonnor was speaking in an interview with Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Monday. He was commenting on reports suggesting... (GunPolicy.org)
Increase in Number of Illegal Arms Circulating in Ghana
23 April 2012
Joy Online (Ghana)
One hundred and twenty-five thousand illicit guns are in circulation in the country without any form of data or record indicating where and who owns them, according to a baseline study in 2004.
According to the report, about 400,000 small arms are in circulation in the country. A little over half of the number 220,000 is in civilian hands. Only 95,000, representing 43.2 per cent, are registered, leaving a significant 56.8 per cent or 125,000 unaccounted for.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Battle Over Removal of Firearms from Unfit Officers
23 April 2012
Times (South Africa)
The SA Police Service is locked in a battle with a union over the removal of firearms from more than 27000 officers found unfit to carry them and the placing of seasoned policemen as security guards.
The SA Policing Union made a successful urgent application late last week for an interdict prohibiting Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and acting national police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi from disarming policemen in all nine provinces who have been declared unfit to handle... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shootings Not Tightening US Gun Control Laws Anymore - Expert
22 April 2012
Agence France Presse
CHICAGO — The statistics are staggering, the stories heartbreaking, yet there is little chance that any amount of bloodshed will lead to stiffer gun controls in the United States in the foreseeable future.
"It's not something that any politician thinks is winnable," said Kristin Goss, a politics professor at Duke University and author of "Disarmed: The Missing Movement for Gun Control in America."
Five years after the worst school shooting in US history left 32... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Court Backs Gun Registry, Sets Stage for Federal Legal Battle
21 April 2012
National Post (Toronto)
MONTREAL — The province's gun-control advocates were buoyed Friday by a strongly worded Quebec Superior Court judgment that recognized the recently abolished long-gun registry as an effective and economical crime prevention tool, laying the groundwork for a long legal battle with Ottawa.
The federal government reacted quickly and decisively, in what will no doubt lead to a Supreme Court showdown over the future of the divisive national registry. It said the ruling... (GunPolicy.org)
Temporary Injunction Preserves Canada Long-Gun Registry
20 April 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
MONTREAL - The province's gun-control advocates were buoyed Friday by a strongly worded Quebec Superior Court judgment that recognized the recently abolished long-gun registry as an effective and economical crime prevention tool, laying the groundwork for a long legal battle with Ottawa.
The federal government reacted quickly and decisively, in what will no doubt lead to a Supreme Court show-down over the future of the divisive national registry. It said the ruling... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Police Fear Criminals Stockpiling Stolen Guns for Gang Warfare
20 April 2012
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
Police fear criminals are stockpiling hundreds of firearms stolen in Queensland each year and plan to use them in violent confrontations and possible gang warfare.
The LNP Government yesterday announced a crackdown on illegal firearms after The Courier-Mail revealed gun theft had soared in Queensland, with hundreds stolen in the past year.
In the wake of two recent fatal shootings in Brisbane, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said police feared the weapons would be... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Access to Guns for Minors in Castellón Province, Spain [Espanol]
20 April 2012
El Periódico Mediterráneo (Spain)
[Translated Summary: More than 400 minors have the permission from the province of Castellón to use arms. The accident involving King Felipe's grandson Juan Froilán, in which he accidentally shot himself in the foot with a hunting rifle, has brought the use of firearms by minors back into the spotlight.]
Más de 400 menores tienen permiso de Castellón para usar armas. El accidente del nieto del rey Felipe Juan Froilán, que se disparó accidentalmente en un pie con... (GunPolicy.org)
Proposal to Allow the Right to Carry Hidden Handguns in Mexico [Espanol]
19 April 2012
Milenio (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: University Professor and lawyer Ernesto Villanueva suggests allowing the free carrying of firearms in Mexico, under administrative regulations and ensuring prior technical qualification of the carriers.]
El catedrático y jurista Ernesto Villanueva aseguró que con ello se erradicará el tráfico ilegal y los delitos; además mencionó "pareciera que hay dos cárteles, uno operado por el presidente Calderón y otro operado por las bandas... (GunPolicy.org)
Proper Record Keeping of Small Arms Urged in Ghana
19 April 2012
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (Ghana)
The Executive Secretary of National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Jones Applerh, is calling for proper record keeping of all arms and communication distribution in the country.
To Mr Applerh, this is the only effective and easy way to locate and identify the true ownership of arms with the system.
He was speaking on the first sensitisation and capacity building for journalists at Sogakope in the Volta... (GunPolicy.org)
Vigilante Street Shooting a Turning Point in US Gun Control Debate?
19 April 2012
Christian Science Monitor
For years, gun laws had grown less restrictive. But some gun rights advocacy has been curtailed after the Trayvon Martin shooting, which has provided ammunition for gun control groups.
ATLANTA - Will Americans leery of a decade of gun rights expansions stand their ground over the Trayvon Martin case?
The Feb. 26 shooting of the unarmed teenager in Sanford, Fla., by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman, and the initial police decision not to charge Mr.... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Dip in Gun Licence Applications Due to Improved Law and Order?
18 April 2012
Telegraph (India)
Firearms are losing their spark in Patna or so it seems from the decline in the number of people seeking arms licences over the past five years.
Till a few years ago, public display of firearms was common on the roads of the state capital. This trend, however, has taken a beating since 2007 (see chart).
A source in the arms magistrate office said: "From 1990 to 2005, the annual number of applications for arms licences was almost 2,000 on an average but after 2006, the... (GunPolicy.org)
100,000 Imported Handguns a 'Major Public Concern' for Australia
18 April 2012
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
April is an eerie time of year. Sixteen years ago this month, Martin Bryant opened fire at historic Port Arthur in Tasmania, killing 35 people and wounding 18 others. This month also marks the anniversaries of the Columbine massacre of April 20, 1999 in the US, where 13 people were killed and at least 21 injured, the Virginia Tech massacre of April 16, 2007, where 32 people died and 25 were injured, and now Oakland's Oikos University massacre, which happened two weeks... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Gun Permits in Hawaii, More Women Taking Gun Classes
18 April 2012
News Now (Hawaii)
HONOLULU – Numbers released by the Department of the Attorney General show a record number of permits were issued for firearms and a record number of firearms were registered in Hawaii in 2011.
Last year 14,460 permits were issued statewide compared to 12,214 in 2010. And 36,804 firearms were registered in Hawaii in 2011 compared to 31,390 the year before.
"Most of the folks we get are acquiring firearms for the purposes of protection," said Bill Richter, President... (GunPolicy.org)
Cattle Herders Avoiding Disarmament in South Sudan for Fear of Attacks
17 April 2012
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — South Sudan's army (SPLA) says that some Murle cattle herders are avoiding handing over their weapons to the military as part of a statewide disarmament campaign in Jonglei following severe violence earlier this year.
The SPLA captain responsible for disarmament in the Anyidi area, Philip Bol Akuei, said that reports of Murle raiders were reaching his forces but poor roads and the distances involved means that they are not mobile enough to respond.
Some... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia & New Zealand,Australia
Australia's PM Should Follow Her Predecessor and Ban Handguns Now
17 April 2012
Australian (Sydney) / AAP
Prime Minister Julia Gillard needs to step in and work with the states to ban semi-automatic handguns in response to Sydney's plague of drive-by shootings, a gun control group says.
The guns are the weapon of choice for criminals terrorising western Sydney because they are lightweight and easy to handle, says Samantha Lee, chair of the National Coalition for Gun Control.
"Sydney is drowning in drive-by shootings," she told reporters today.
"It is actually time for... (GunPolicy.org)
Battleground America: One nation, under the gun - New Yorker feature
17 April 2012
New Yorker
Just after seven-thirty on the morning of February 27th, a seventeen-year-old boy named T. J. Lane walked into the cafeteria at Chardon High School, about thirty miles outside Cleveland. It was a Monday, and the cafeteria was filled with kids, some eating breakfast, some waiting for buses to drive them to programs at other schools, some packing up for gym class. Lane sat down at an empty table, reached into a bag, and pulled out a .22-calibre pistol. He stood up, raised... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Deadly Devotion to Guns: A British Columnist Meets the NRA
16 April 2012
Guardian (UK)
There are around 90 guns for every 100 Americans yet, despite 85 fatal shootings a day, the mighty US gun lobby is as powerful as ever. In the wake of Trayvon Martin's killing, Gary Younge reports on the country's deadly attachment to firearms
At an organising breakfast for National Rifle Association (NRA) grassroots activists, Samuel Richardson, a man with whom I have not exchanged a word, passes me a note. "Please read the book Injustice by Adams," it reads. "He was... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Gunfest Focuses US Fight Over 'Shoot First' Hidden Handgun Laws
14 April 2012
CBS News (USA)
ST. LOUIS - Avid hunter Rob West drove from Chillicothe, Ohio, to St. Louis this week to join some 70,000 fellow National Rifle Association members at the organization's annual convention, where seven acres of guns and gear were on display and where politics was never far from anyone's mind.
For the NRA, which opposes any restrictions on gun ownership and President Barack Obama's re-election, the Second Amendment right to bear arms is sacrosanct.
"We don't want... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
US Presidential Hopeful: Enshrine 'Right to Bear Arms' in UN Treaty
13 April 2012
C-Span / YouTube (USA), Video
Newt Gingrich, presidential candidate and former US House speaker (1995-99), speaks at the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting.
Right To Bear Arms Is A Human Right (Newt Gingrich)
Play video:... (GunPolicy.org)
Private Guards with Semi-automatic Guns to Defend German Ships from Pirates
13 April 2012
Spiegel (Germany)
Using private security firms to protect ships from Somali pirates has long been a legal gray area in Germany. Conceding that it doesn't have enough soldiers to do the job, the German government is considering a draft law allowing shipowners to deploy private armed guards. But there's one caveat: Security personnel would be limited to using semi-automatic firearms.
Shipping companies and Western governments have been struggling with the problem of piracy off the Horn of... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghanaians Called Upon to Rise Against Gun Violence
13 April 2012
Public Agenda (Accra)
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has noted with grave concern the recent incidence of gun violence reported in the media.
According to the Commission, the growing impact of Small Arms in the country especially as we approach the elections is worrying and must not be ignored by all peace loving Ghanaians.
It therefore reminded all and sundry that the proliferation and misuse of small arms was a threat to the security of people and nations... (GunPolicy.org)
Is Gun Control Dead in America? Adam Winkler in the Washington Post
13 April 2012
Washington Post, Opinion
Monday marks five years since the massacre at Virginia Tech, where a mentally ill student, Seung Hui Cho, used two handguns he had bought legally to kill 32 people and wound 25 others. Other than a relatively minor law to improve the national database used for background checks, no significant gun-control legislation followed that tragedy.
Since then, there have been several mass shootings, including additional school rampages and the attempted assassination last year... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Americans Back Gun Lobby, Right to Use Deadly Force, Shoot to Kill
13 April 2012
Reuters
WASHINGTON - Most Americans support the right to use deadly force to protect themselves - even in public places - and have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association, the main gun-lobby group, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.
The online survey showed that 68 percent, or two out of three respondents, had a favorable opinion of the NRA, which starts its annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday.
Eighty-two percent of Republicans saw the gun lobbying group... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Dealers Faking Gun Licences 'Security Threat' to India
12 April 2012
Nagaland Post (India)
GUWAHATI - Several armed private security guards and criminals of Assam possess firearms bought using fraudulent arms licences procured from Kangpokpi in Manipur and Dimapur in Nagaland.
Sources in the criminal investigation department (CID) of police, which is investigating the matter, said the arms and ammunition procured by using these licences, many of which were fake, had become a threat to public safety and a major concern for security forces.
"If anybody... (GunPolicy.org)
Majority of Illegal Guns in Australia Sourced Locally, Not Smuggled
12 April 2012
ABC News (Australia)
NSW Police say progress is being made in the operation to crackdown on gang related gun violence in Sydney, despite ten reported shootings in as many days.
The head of Operation Spartan, Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli says officers have seen some success however remain frustrated by the wall of silence around victims and witnesses.
Operation Spartan has seen 36 firearms seized since January with 314 people arrested and more than 515 charges laid by... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Mayor Launches Campaign Against 'Shoot First' US Gun Laws
12 April 2012
Washington Post / AP
WASHINGTON — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a national campaign against gun laws that he said "justify civilian gun play."
Bloomberg was joined by the leaders from the NAACP, National Urban League and other groups Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., as he announced "Second Chance on Shoot First."
The campaign aims to repeal or reform the laws that eliminated a person's duty to retreat when threatened with serious bodily harm or... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
A Gun in the Hand Makes a Man Look Taller & Stronger - New Study
12 April 2012
Los Angeles Times
In a study of how people assess danger, participants who looked at photos of hands holding different objects thought the gun bearers were the tallest.
The weapon may not make the man, but it certainly makes him loom larger, according to a new study by a team of UCLA researchers.
Their study, released Wednesday in the journal PLoS ONE, shows that a person holding a gun seems taller and more muscular in the viewer's mind than a person holding a tool or other... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Police Say Scrapping of Long-gun Registry 'Challenges' Tracing
12 April 2012
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA - As it prepares to destroy millions of long-gun records, the RCMP says the Conservative government's decision to scrap the registry will make it tougher to trace firearms used to commit crimes.
The process that will lead to deletion of rifle and shotgun records in the registry is under way — with the exception of Quebec files at the centre of a court action, said Cpl. Laurence Trottier, an RCMP spokeswoman.
"It is a complex IT project involving the... (GunPolicy.org)
Qatar,East Africa,Russia,North Korea,China,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Mali,Libya,Belgium,West Africa
Small Arms Manufactured in Belgium Proliferate in Libya, Mali [Francais]
11 April 2012
L'Express (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: Notwithstanding risks of proliferation, small arms manufactured in Belgium circulate in Libya, Mali, and maybe tomorrow in Syria? Belgium is the biggest european exporter of small arms: in 2010, 32% of european exports of small arms to Middle East and North Africa came from this country.]
Malgré les mises en garde à Bruxelles sur les risques de prolifération, les armes légères fabriquées en Belgique circulent de la Libye au Mali. Et demain,... (GunPolicy.org)
Weeklong Gun Ban in Masbate, Philippines Starts Monday
9 April 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Starting Monday, only soldiers and law enforcers will be allowed to carry firearms in the island-province of Masbate.
Philippine National Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome, in a memorandum on Saturday, ordered the suspension of gun-carrying privileges in Masbate from April 9 to 14, when the annual Rodeo Masbateño Festival is celebrated in the province as a tribute to its cattle industry.
He said that due to the event "all permits to carry firearms outside of... (GunPolicy.org)
11,000 Licensed Guns 'Missing' in South Australia
7 April 2012
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Almost 11,000 licensed firearms have reportedly gone "missing" in South Australia over the past decade.
Among the 10,879 weapons are semi-automatic rifles, pump-action shotguns, pistols and antique guns, SA Police figures reveal.
Firearms classified as missing include those that are lost, unaccounted for from deceased estates, where the licence holder can't be located, firearms destroyed by the owner, or destroyed by other means such as flood and fire.
The figures -... (GunPolicy.org)
The Law of the Gun in Florida - Editorial
5 April 2012
New York Times, Editorial
Florida leads the pack in passing bills written by the gun lobby that block any sensible attempt to control the purchase and use of firearms. The dangerous folly of these laws was on display in the Trayvon Martin shooting, and will again be on display when Republicans gather for their presidential convention in Tampa this August.
The City Council is sensibly preparing tight security precautions for the downtown area by temporarily banning clubs, hatchets,... (GunPolicy.org)
Federally Funded Research on US Gun Violence Banned for 10 Years
5 April 2012
Sacramento Bee (California) / McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Opinion
Yet another senseless killing spree shocked America this week, as word spread of Monday's tragedy at Oikos University in Oakland, Calif.
The pattern is all too familiar: A shooter possessed by pent-up anger or resentment apparently sets out to kill - not necessarily the people who caused his misery, but anyone connected to a place or institution with which it was associated. All of these deaths are tragic, but there is something especially poignant when the setting is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sacramento Bee (California) / McClatchy-Tribune News Service
9-yr Old Boy Accidentally Shot Dead by 13-yr Old in France [Francais]
5 April 2012
Europe 1 (France)
[Translated summary: It is in his father's arms collection that a 13 years old teenager has found the rifle used in the unintentional shooting that killed a 9 years old this week in France. Europe 1 parses French regulations on possession of firearms: categories, storage, conditions for lawful possession and latest amendments.]
C'est dans la collection d'armes à feu de son père que l'adolescent de 13 ans aurait trouvé le fusil qui a tué un enfant de 9 ans mercredi... (GunPolicy.org)
Rise in Justifiable Homicides Linked to Weak US Gun Control Laws
5 April 2012
Guardian (UK)
NEW YORK - Rising numbers of civilian justifiable homicides across the US are closely linked to states with both weak gun controls and stand-your-ground laws, according to a Guardian analysis of FBI and other data, which show a 25% increase in such killings since the controversial self-defence laws started being introduced around 2005.
Stand-your-ground (SYG) measures, which have attracted increasing scrutiny since the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,East Africa,Ireland,Palestine,Africa,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Libya,Belgium
Special Report on Belgian Arms Exports in Middle East and North Africa - Blog
5 April 2012
New York Times, Blog
The uprisings in Libya and Syria have cast the Belgian small arms industry as a case study of the difficult balances within a Western arms-manufacturing community that seeks exports to preserve revenue and local jobs, but risks compromising European policies and human rights values.
Belgium is one of Europe's busiest exporters of small arms and light weapons. As late as 2010, the last year for which publicly released data is available, 32 percent of the small-arms... (GunPolicy.org)
US: We Need To Talk About Guns - Blog by Andrew Rosenthal
5 April 2012
New York Times, Blog
How many students have to be shot to death in their schools before this country has a serious discussion about guns? Are the 10 who have been gunned down just since Feb. 27 enough?
The question of the constitutional right to own guns is irrelevant here—even if you believe that the Constitution gives every last American the right to own a firearm (which The Times editorial board does not, but many other reasonable people do).
There is simply no defending the many... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Pleads Guilty in Botched 'Fast and Furious' US Gun-running Sting
5 April 2012
Reuters
PHOENIX - A man pleaded guilty on Thursday to two felony counts of purchasing and running high-powered rifles to Mexico from Arizona under the botched "Fast and Furious" federal sting operation tied to the murder of a U.S. federal agent.
Jaime Avila Jr. was among a ring of 20 defendants charged with buying high-powered firearms including Kalashnikov type assault rifles and Barrett sniper rifles to run to the Mexican cartels.
The purchases were made in the Phoenix area... (GunPolicy.org)
Bogota Mayor Requests that Ban on Gun Carrying Be Extended [Espanol]
5 April 2012
El Universal (Colombia)
[Translated summary: The Mayor of Bogota requested that the restriction on the carrying of firearms be extended until the first of May 2012. This request has been motivated by a 6% homicide reduction in the capital.]
BOGOTÁ - El Secretario de Gobierno (e) de Bogotá, Jorge Rojas Rodríguez, solicitará a la Brigada número 13 del Ejército que se amplíe la medida de restricción de armas de fuego hasta el primero de mayo del 2012.
Esto con motivo de una reducción... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners in Canada Alarmed by Ammunition Rules, Storage Requirements
4 April 2012
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
Hunters and shooters are up in arms about the federal government's proposed new explosives regulations, which they say will interfere with everything from big-game hunting and ammunition storage, to re-enacting historic battles.
The changes require - for the first time in Canada - gun owners to lock away all ammunition. At present, guns must be locked, but not ammunition. The proposed rules will require all gun owners to install a locking box or safe in their... (GunPolicy.org)
Fearing the Public, US Politicians Carry Hidden Handguns in State Capitols
4 April 2012
Agence France Presse
CHICAGO — When Wisconsin lawmakers gather to discuss the business of the day at least one of them is legally packing a concealed weapon, amid the ever-present and heated gun law debate in the United States.
Wisconsin is one of just nine US states -- out of 50 -- which have expanded conceal-carry laws to allow gun owners to enter state capitols with their weapons, including on the assembly floor.
After the law was passed in November, state representative Bill Kramer... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Votes to Kill Long Gun Registry, Delete Data on Gun Owners
4 April 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
OTTAWA — The Conservative government vowed during the 2011 election to eliminate the long-gun registry. On Wednesday night, the bill to officially end the registry had its final vote in the Senate — leaving only a signature from the Governor General needed to officially kill the registry.
That signature signing Bill C-19 into law should come Thursday morning.
By a vote of 50-27, senators approved the bill, marking the last political hurdle needed to kill the... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Seeks Injunction to Stop Canada Deleting Gun Registry Records
4 April 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
After months of threatening legal action against the federal government to preserve records on the 1,560,359 long guns registered in Quebec, Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier announced Tuesday that he will challenge in Quebec Superior Court the constitutionality of Bill C-19, empowering Ottawa to destroy the records.
Quebec has asked repeatedly that records on Quebec residents be transferred so the province can create its own registry. As well, the National Assembly... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Shoots Dead His Brother with Licenced Gun in Tafara, Zimbabwe
3 April 2012
Herald (Zimbabwe)
Police yesterday confirmed the arrest of Tendai Mungororo of Tafara on charges of fatally shooting his brother Tichafunga in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau said Tendai Mungororo was facing murder charges and was being held in police cells as investigations continue.
"I can also confirm that the firearm Mungororo used in the murder of his brother was licensed for the purposes of cash-in-transit.
"We are also getting reports... (GunPolicy.org)
20 Licensed Dealers Struck Off, Supplying Crime Guns in Australia
1 April 2012
Age (Melbourne)
Gun dealers are hiring out shotguns and rifles indefinitely to shooters dodging registration requirements, with dozens of the guns disappearing, raising concerns they may be used for criminal purposes.
The guns are hired out at the full purchase price and are essentially de facto sales. The issue is of increasing concern given the recent spate of gang shootings in the northern and western suburbs.
By law, guns can be hired out only to licensed shooters, but the... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawyer Kills Police Officer in India - Handgun Licence Obtained in Jail
31 March 2012
Indian Express
A probe has been ordered into how lawyer Saurabh Verma, who shot dead sub-inspector (S-I) Devendra Kumar and injured a constable with his licenced revolver inside Naubasta police outpost on Thursday night, had procured firearms licence.
Verma has several criminal cases pending against him and is learnt to have procured the arms licence while he was in jail in 2004.
Kanpur SP (City) Umesh Kumar Singh told The Indian Express that the lawyer has been jailed thrice in... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Acquires Two Marking Machines to Help Stem Illegal Gun Trafficking
30 March 2012
Caribbean Press Releases
KINGSTON - The Government is to acquire two firearm marking machines to assist with efforts to stem the illegal trafficking in small arms.
The Dot Peen machines will allow the authorities to trace weapons by placing marks on them, which cannot be easily erased, should they fall into the possession of criminals.
They will be procured by the Ministry of National Security as part of a co-operation agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS), which was signed... (GunPolicy.org)
Tory MP in Hot Water after Guns-for-All, Especially Girls Speech in Ottawa
30 March 2012
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Saskatchewan Tory MP Garry Breitkreuz found himself in hot water Thursday after an Ottawa mother complained he told a Grade 10 class that everyone in Canada should be armed - especially girls.
Dianna Sakisheway wrote a scathing letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews this week. Her complaint stems from a speech Breitkreuz - known as the father of the legislation to repeal the long-gun registry - gave during a career day at Ottawa's Canterbury high school on March... (GunPolicy.org)
The Fatal Flaw in Florida-Style 'Shoot First' Gun Laws – NY Times Editorial
29 March 2012
New York Times, Editorial
As the investigation of the shooting death of the teenager Trayvon Martin by a self-appointed neighborhood watchman goes forward in Florida, news accounts are reporting a toll of shootings, knifings and other violent homicides in which the state's dangerous Stand Your Ground law was successfully claimed as a defense.
The killings included domestic disputes, barroom brawls and drug violence, according to The Tampa Bay Times, which surveyed 130 cases in which the 2005... (GunPolicy.org)
In 23 Rich Nations, 80% of Gun Death, 87% of Kids Shot Are American
28 March 2012
New Jersey Today
In a report released this month, the Children's Defense Fund has analyzed recent national data on gunfire deaths and produced some alarming figures on child casualties.
The report also criticizes a wave of new state gun-rights laws that the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group argues put children in ever more peril.
The nonprofit advocacy group dedicated its report, "Protect Kids, Not Guns 2012,"to Florida teen Trayvon Martin, who was shot dead in February by a... (GunPolicy.org)
Nearly Twice as Many US Preschoolers Die by Gunshot Than Police
28 March 2012
New Jersey Today
In a report released this month, the Children's Defense Fund has analyzed recent national data on gunfire deaths and produced some alarming figures on child casualties.
The report also criticizes a wave of new state gun-rights laws that the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group argues put children in ever more peril.
The nonprofit advocacy group dedicated its report, "Protect Kids, Not Guns 2012,"to Florida teen Trayvon Martin, who was shot dead in February by a... (GunPolicy.org)
For Every 300 Guns in Mexico, 299 Are Carried Without a Licence [Espanol]
28 March 2012
Quadratin (Mexico)
[Translated summary: For every 300 firearms that exist in Mexico, 299 are possessed without a licence. Of those, 270 are for criminal use, said researcher and writer Ernesto Villanueva, citing data of the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA).]
MORELIA, Mich. - Por cada 300 armas de fuego que existen en México, 299 se portan sin permiso y de esas, 270 son para uso delictivo, afirmó el escritor e investigador Ernesto Villanueva, aludiendo datos duros de la... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handgun Permit Holders Killed 391 US Civilians, Police in 5 Years
28 March 2012
New York Times, Column
The debate over the shooting death of Trayvon Martin seems to be devolving into an argument about the right to wear hoodies, but it really does not appear to be a promising development.
Congress, which never draws any serious conclusions from terrible tragedies involving gunplay, did have time on Wednesday to fight about whether Representative Bobby Rush of Chicago violated the House dress code when he took off his suit jacket, revealing a gray sweater he was wearing... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Do Americans Love Their Guns, Fiercely Defend Gun 'Freedom'?
27 March 2012
al Jazeera, Video
As thousands die from gunshots every year we ask why most people are still fiercely defending the gun culture in the US.
There are more guns legally held per person in the US than in any other developed nation. And despite a string of high-profile shootings in recent years guns are embedded in the American culture.
The right of individuals to carry arms is enshrined in the Second Amendment of the US constitution, written in 1791. And today, it is one of the most... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia Govt Seizes Shotguns, Handgun from US Vehicle
27 March 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
LA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivia's interior minister says his government has seized three shotguns, a revolver and more than 2,300 rounds of ammunition from a vehicle owned by the U.S. Embassy.
The minister claims the weapons were being transported without authorization and posed a security threat.
But the U.S. Embassy says the weapons confiscated Tuesday were being transferred under an agreement with Bolivia's police. It said in a statement that Washington routinely... (GunPolicy.org)
Multiple Shootings Highlight Growing Illegal Gun Trade in France
27 March 2012
Christian Science Monitor
France's strict gun laws sharply limit legal ownership. But illegal trafficking is on the rise – at prices that people like Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah can afford.
PARIS - As the prosecutor listed the weapons gunman Mohamed Merah amassed before going on a shooting rampage in Toulouse, French citizens received a stark reminder that gun trafficking doesn't only affect unstable countries. It's happening in France, too – a nation that is anything but gun-friendly.... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police Plan More Gun Control, Visits to 'Delinquent' Gun Owners
26 March 2012
Journal (Manila)
MAMANG PULIS -- Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome has ordered the implementation of stricter gun control measures aimed at reducing by 10 percent gun-related crimes and reducing by 3.38 percent the number of loose firearms in the country.
He tasked the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management to spearhead the massive nationwide gun control campaign aimed also at accounting for loose firearms and tens of thousands... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania
Gun Abolitionists 'Salivate Like Dogs' as UN Arms Trade Treaty Nears - NRA
23 March 2012
National Rifle Association of America
Every year about this time, the warmer weather gives every manner of fast-growing weed the opportunity to appear out of nowhere and begin consuming people's lawns. Deny it an environment in which it can thrive, by spreading a grass fertilizer and weed killer mix from your home and garden store, and it somehow finds its way to your neighbor's grass.
The same is true about international activists and representatives of various countries' governments who periodically... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Wild West Gun Laws Unlikely to Change - Bernd Debusmann
23 March 2012
Reuters, Column
The killing of a black teenager by a self-appointed vigilante in Florida has trained a spotlight on gun laws reminiscent of the Wild West in 24 U.S. states. Despite widespread outrage over the Florida case, gun-friendly senators in Washington want to make it easier to extend those laws to most of the country.
That would set the United States, where there are more firearms in private hands than in any other country, even farther apart from the rest of the industrialized... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama,Liberia,Oman,Yemen,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Mauritius,Seychelles,Mongolia,Djibouti,Madagascar,United Arab Emirates,United Kingdom,Somalia,Kenya
Anti-piracy Security Firms Keep Guns in Floating Armouries to Avoid Law
22 March 2012
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say.
Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Police Report the Seizure of 11 Guns Per Day in 2012 [Espanol]
22 March 2012
La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador)
[Translated summary: The Civil National Police (PNC) of El Salvador seized 901 firearms in 2012. According to Police, these firearms are linked to 56 homicides, 22 injuries, 27 robberies, 2 extortions and 6 thefts.]
La Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) reportó el decomiso de 901 armas de fuego y la captura de 11,667 personas entre el 1.º de enero y el 19 de marzo en todo el país, según el subdirector de Seguridad Pública, comisionado Howard Cotto.
"Esto es el... (GunPolicy.org)
'Desperate, Dangerous' US Gun Lobby Reaches New 'Levels of Craziness'
21 March 2012
New York Times, Column
There is nothing so dangerous as a lobbying organization that's running out of stuff to lobby about.
I am thinking in particular of the National Rifle Association. These people are really in desperate straits. The state legislatures are almost all in session, but some of them have already pushed the gun-owner-rights issue about as far as it can go. You can only legalize carrying a concealed weapon in church once.
This year, in search of new worlds to conquer — or... (GunPolicy.org)
Killer of Florida Teen Should at Least Lose Hidden Handgun Permit
21 March 2012
Chicago Tribune
Activists argued today that state officials should investigate whether neighborhood-watch volunteer George Zimmerman should carry a gun considering he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26.
The Florida Civil Rights Association, a group of Orlando pastors and various attorneys gathered with about two dozen sign-waving residents outside of a regional office for the state's licensing division — the agency that issues gun permits — and demanded officials... (GunPolicy.org)
Holding a Gun Increases the Shooter's Perception of Threat - Study
21 March 2012
CBS News (USA) / AP
NEW YORK - No one knows what led a Florida neighborhood watch captain to shoot Trayvon Martin, a teenager carrying no weapon.
But a new study raises an intriguing question: Could the watch captain have been fooled into thinking the youth was armed in part because he himself was holding a gun?
In the study, volunteers who held a toy gun and glimpsed fleeting images of people holding an object were biased toward thinking the object was a gun.
It's another indication... (GunPolicy.org)
African Countries Urge Gun Making Countries to Curb Sales to Govts
20 March 2012
Leadership (Abuja)
African countries have called on major arms-producing states to ensure that the supply of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) is limited only to governments.
The African Group made the call at the preparatory committee meeting for the second United Nations (UN) conference to review the progress made in the implementation of the programme of action to prevent, combat and eradicate indiscriminate circulation of SALW.
The UN Correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)... (GunPolicy.org)
France 'Awash' with Illegal Firearms Imported Across Porous EU Borders
20 March 2012
Press Association (UK)
France is awash with illegal firearms transported into the country across porous European borders, it was claimed.
While gun laws are strict, it is not difficult for unauthorised members of the public to get their hands on weapons, according to the president of the Union Francaise des Amateurs d'Armes, a French gun society.
Jean-Jacques Buigne suggested the killer responsible for the attacks outside a school in Toulouse most likely did not have a licence for the heavy... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudan,Syria,Russia,China,Papua New Guinea,Fiji,Oceania
Pacific Nations Push for Global Arms Trade Treaty to Curb Gun Trade
19 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
Every year illicit trade in small arms results in thousands of deaths. Most of them in developing countries, including the Pacific, where the impact of gun violence has been devastating.
Now the international community is to meet at the United Nations to finalise the first ever global arms trade treaty.
HELEN HAKENA, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: I was seven months pregnant when gunmen came into our village terrorising the entire village community. My house was burnt to... (GunPolicy.org)
Toulouse Mass Shootings: What Is an 11.43mm (.45cal) Pistol? [Francais]
19 March 2012
Le Point (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: The handgun used in the Toulouse school shooting and in the shooting of military officers was an 11.43mm (.45cal) pistol, known to be a weapon for settling scores.]
Le pistolet utilisé pour la fusillade de Toulouse et les meurtres de militaires est connu comme étant l'arme des règlements de comptes.
Le pistolet de calibre 11,43 mm, utilisé pour tuer trois parachutistes à Toulouse et Montauban et employé dans la fusillade lundi devant une... (GunPolicy.org)
Vanuatu Lauded for UN Arms Trade Treaty Programmes
19 March 2012
Vanuatu Daily Post
PORT VILA, Vanuatu – Vanuatu was represented at the Pacific regional workshop on small arms and light weapons and the arms trade treaty.
This 3-day workshop, held in Australia at Brisbane's Novotel Hotel, was organized by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in conjunction with AusAID and Oxfam.
It was intended to provide a forum for discussion by Pacific Region representatives on the implementation of the UN Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico, Awash in Illegal Firearms, Has Just One Legal Gun Store
19 March 2012
Kansas City Star (Missouri)
MEXICO CITY — Mexico has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world. If any of the nation's 112 million citizens want to buy firearms, there's only one store where they can do it legally. It's on a sprawling military base and run by the army.
That, however, hasn't stopped Mexicans from acquiring firearms. The country is awash in illegal guns, many of them assault weapons in the hands of merciless criminal gangs. President Felipe Calderon says authorities have... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan Vice President Stressed the Importance of Firearm Safe Storage
19 March 2012
Government of South Sudan (Juba), Media release
JUBA — The Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan Hon. Dr. Riek Machar Teny has stressed the importance of safe storage of firearms and ammunition in the country if people are to minimise the dangers associated with poor storage of arms and ammunitions.
In his opening remarks at a one-day workshop on the management of arms and ammunitions at Home and Away Business Centre organised by the Bureau of Small Arms Control, Dr. Machar said that the workshop has come... (GunPolicy.org)
