Gun Policy News
Firearm transactions, sales, regulation and policy
Bahamas
Officials say US Gun Checks Would Stop Illegal Guns Getting to Bahamas
18 April 2013
Tribune (Bahamas)
Officials in the Bahamas had hoped that the now failed proposed measure to expand gun background checks in the United States would have assisted law enforcement here to stem the tide of illegal firearms into the country.
Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, speaking to reporters yesterday, said any legislation that would have made it more difficult to traffic in firearms would have had a significant impact in the Bahamas.
"Very early on in our administration, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Tribune (Bahamas)
37346
United States
US Senate Blocks New Laws, Ignore Pleas from Gun Victims
18 April 2013
Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans backed by a small band of rural-state Democrats scuttled the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades Wednesday, rejecting tighter background checks for buyers and a ban on assault weapons as they spurned pleas from families of victims of last winter's school massacre in Newtown, Conn.
"This effort isn't over," President Barack Obama vowed at the White House moments after the defeat on one of his top domestic... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37340
United States
Why Aren't US Gun Control Advocates Focusing More on Online Sales?
17 April 2013
Atlantic (USA)
Despite clear demonstrations of the ease with which anonymous weapons transactions can occur online — including ties to mass shooting incidents — the issue has been largely sidelined during the political debate.
After all, the "gun show loophole" — the shorthand expression for exempting a number of gun buyers from background checks — is much more than a gun show loophole. The image of two guy shaking hands to finalize a sale in a crowded, well-lit conference... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Atlantic (USA)
37348
Kenya
Kenyans Worried Over Use of Pistols, Homemade Guns as Crimes Rise
17 April 2013
Capital FM (Nairobi)
NAIROBI, Kenya – A survey conducted recently has revealed an alarming level of armed robberies and other violent crimes in Nairobi.
According to the study by Security Research and Information Centre, 41 percent of crimes reported are violent robberies and residents in all parts of the city are prone to such attacks.
Inspector General David Kimaiyo welcomed the Nairobi Regional Annual Crime Observatory Report, saying it will help in facilitating stakeholders to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Capital FM (Nairobi)
37336
Portugal,Libya,United States,Guinea-Bissau,Colombia
Alleged FARC Scheme Swapped Cocaine for West African Arms
12 April 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
An international police operation has dismantled a network in which Colombian rebel group the FARC allegedly attempted to exchange cocaine for weapons from the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau.
The investigation, involving US, Colombian, Portuguese, and Guinea-Bissau authorities, lasted over a year, reported EFE. Colombian police arrested two men in Bogota who are accused of serving as as the FARC's intermediaries for the West Africa-based weapons suppliers.
On... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
37314
Syria,North Korea,Iran,United States
Expert Says Explaining Benefits of Arms Treaty will Boost US Support
11 April 2013
New York Times, Opinion
On April 2, the United States joined an overwhelming majority of countries at the United Nations in voting to adopt a treaty regulating the international trade in conventional weapons — a monumental achievement after seven years of diplomacy, lobbying and out-and-out arm-twisting.
The United States pushed for the General Assembly vote last week after securing, in a March conference, the treaty language its negotiators wanted.
Yet now, just days after the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37313
Egypt,Liberia,Mali,Palestine,Chad,Somalia,Tunisia,Algeria,Niger
Egypt Major Recipient of Illicit Libyan Weapons: UN Report
10 April 2013
Daily News (Egypt)
The United Nations published a report on Tuesday which concludes that weapons used during the Libyan civil war against Muammar Gaddafi are being funnelled at an alarming rate to other countries in the region.
The report said these weapons have been found to be used in the recent war in Mali, the West Bank in Palestine and the ongoing Syrian civil war, with Egypt and the Sahel region receiving the most significant amounts. The report said these weapons are fuelling... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily News (Egypt)
37305
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Croatia,Montenegro,Slovenia,Serbia,Macedonia,Romania,Albania,Bulgaria
South East Europe Workshop Confirms Surplus Firearms a Regional Threat
8 April 2013
SEESAC (Belgrade)
On 3-5 April, the 6th Workshop of the Regional Approach to Stockpile Reduction (RASR) of Conventional Weapons and Munitions Initiative took place in Bled, Slovenia. The focus of the 6th RASR workshop were national legal frameworks regulating import, export and transit of weapons, ammunition and dual-use goods, particularly as they relate to the surplus weapons and munitions.
RASR is a regional initiative which aims to coordinate and support countries of South East... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SEESAC (Belgrade)
37295
Canada
Concerns About Influence of Canada's Gun Lobby on Arms Trade Treaty
4 April 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario)
The champagne was flowing Tuesday afternoon in the office of the Canadian charity Project Ploughshares.
Hours earlier, the United Nations in a 154-3 vote agreed to approve an arms trade treaty, a pact that has the promise to regulate the cross-border sale of conventional weapons. In theory, the treaty should stop arms makers from being able to sell so easily to countries with spotty human-rights records.
Tanks, combat aircraft, naval vessels, missiles and launchers,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario)
37288
Africa
Africa: Making the Arms Trade Treaty Work in Practice is Real Challenge
3 April 2013
Institute for Security Studies (South Africa)
An outcome that does not make everyone happy is the hallmark of a successful negotiation process, to paraphrase Australian Ambassador Peter Woolcott, president of the United Nations' Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). He and his team certainly achieved that goal. Most states and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) agree that the treaty text does not meet the expectations that were created over the past two decades. However, mitigating this situation is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (South Africa)
37287
India,Egypt,Russia,China
China Says UN Arms Treaty Lacks Consensus
3 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
There is no consensus on an international arms trade treaty, major weapons exporter China said on Wednesday, after it abstained as the UN General Assembly passed the measure by 154 votes to three.
The only votes against the first treaty on the conventional arms trade were from Syria, North Korea and Iran.
The 23 countries abstaining included Russia and China, ranked respectively as the number two and five weapons exporters by the Stockholm International Peace Research... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
37276
Americas,Asia,Africa,Oceania,Europe
UN Approves Global Gun Trade Treaty: NRA, Iran, N Korea, Syria Oppose
3 April 2013
Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to create the first treaty regulating the international arms trade, a landmark decision that imposes new constraints on the sale of conventional arms to governments and armed groups that commit war crimes, genocide and other mass atrocities.
The vote was hailed by arms-control advocates and scores of governments, including the United States, as a major step in the global effort to put in place... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37271
Iran,Syria,United Kingdom,Kenya,North Korea
Iran, N. Korea, Syria Block Arms Trade Treaty at Last Minute
29 March 2013
Australian (Sydney)
Iran, North Korea and Syria have held up agreement on the first global treaty on the $US80 billion ($A76.97 billion) a year conventional arms trade.
The three states twice blocked moves to adopt a treaty by consensus at the end of 10 days of arduous talks at the UN headquarters.
Kenya announced that a coalition of countries from around the world would now take the treaty straight to the 193-member UN General Assembly next week for approval. It can be passed with a two... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Australian (Sydney)
37253
India,Pakistan,China
India to Reject Arms Trade Treaty, Alleges Bias Against Arms Importers
28 March 2013
Times of India
NEW DELHI - New Delhi is set to reject a global arms trade treaty (ATT) since the agreement is heavily loaded against weapons-importing countries like India, and let exporting nations like the US and China call the shots. The treaty, meant to regulate all transfers of conventional arms around the world, is likely to be passed by the UN General Assembly next week. India's inability to establish an indigenous defence production industry may now become a strategic... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
37251
Canada
Canadian Firearms Instructor Arrested Over Illegal Sales, Restricted Guns
27 March 2013
CBC News (Canada)
Winnipeg police have laid charges against a firearms safety instructor after seizing 101 firearms from a St. Boniface-area home.
On Feb. 26, a 54-year-old man from Winnipeg was charged with uttering threats and a variety of firearms related offences. A shot gun was seized at the time of the arrest, according to police.
Shortly after the incident, officers began looking into where the gun came from.
After a lengthy investigation, officers executed a search warrant at... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBC News (Canada)
37249
Philippines,Austria
Corrupt Glock Police Pistol Deals Feed Philippine Crime Gun Market
26 March 2013
Investvine (Hong Kong)
Austrian gun maker Glock has been accused of supplying the black market in the Philippines with firearms in deals that were originally sealed with the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Over the past years, Glock delivered several batches of its highly demanded 9mm pistols to the PNP. The most recent deal was 12,000 pistols worth around $30 million ordered by the country's police forces as a first shipment of the biggest firearms procurement of the PNP so far, delivered... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Investvine (Hong Kong)
37240
Germany,Mexico,United Kingdom,Ghana,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty Talks Enter Stormy Final Round
26 March 2013
Rappler / Agence France Presse
More than 100 countries complained Monday that talks on a conventional arms trade treaty had gone "backwards" from a vow to conclude a strong accord on the $80 billion a year trade.
The major western powers, who expressed confidence that an accord could be reached, face tough criticism over the treaty as talks at the UN headquarters entered the final straight.
A group representing 103 countries blasted the latest text as a step "backwards."
A statement by the 103,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Rappler / Agence France Presse
37236
Oceania,Europe,Africa,Asia,Americas
Conflicts of Interest Plague Arms Trade Treaty Talks
22 March 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
The U.N. organ tasked with maintaining international peace and security harbours a serious conflict at its core.
The Security Council's five permanent members (P5) – United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France – along with Germany, are the world's six leading arms exporters, often shipping weapons used to perpetuate violence across the globe.
Meanwhile, over 150 member states have gathered at U.N. headquarters, from Mar. 18-28, to negotiate an Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
37223
United States
One Stolen Gun Blazes a Violent Path – A Typical Tale from Any City
22 March 2013
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
Thomas Allen Hoffman was looking for a "cheapie."
In the spring of 2007, he browsed a North Mankato gun dealer's collection for a Hi-Point pistol, one of the least expensive handguns on the market.
Hoffman wanted the gun for personal protection.
He paid $150 to the Red Bear Hunting Emporium and took home a Hi-Point C-9 9mm semiautomatic pistol, serial #P1352366. But soon the gun was stolen, changed hands, then changed hands again, spiraling beyond the bounds of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
37222
Sweden
School Shooting 'Likely' in Sweden - Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
21 March 2013
Local (Sweden)
There will likely be a school shooting in Sweden sometime in the foreseeable future, according to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, which warned that local authorities are woefully unprepared to deal with such an event.
"Many people have access to hunting weapons, even if you can't go to just any store and buy a gun, access to them is nevertheless pretty wide," MSB risk analyst Magnus Winehal told the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.
In a report looking at... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
37213
Philippines,South East Asia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty or What? - Opinion
21 March 2013
Philippine Star, Opinion
In the next week or so, the members of the United Nations have an opportunity to agree an historic Treaty that would make a lasting difference to people across the world. It's not front-page news most of the time, but the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is within our grasp — and, with it, comes a chance to make a major contribution to the security of humankind. It will help to ensure that the uncontrolled movement of arms no longer threatens the security and prosperity of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Philippine Star
37209
United States,Mexico
Mexico Gun Trafficking Benefits Nearly 50% US Dealers - Study
20 March 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A new study found that nearly half of United States firearms dealers are economically dependent on demand from Mexico, while under 15 percent of illicitly trafficked arms are seized at the border, highlighting the US role in Mexican gun violence.
The study, titled "The Way of the Gun: Estimating Firearms Traffic Across the U.S.-Mexico Border," aimed to quantify the US role in feeding Mexico's gun violence, which continues to rise despite tight gun control policies and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
37212
Caribbean
Caribbean Community Countries to Press for Greater Arms Trade Regulation
20 March 2013
Caribbean 360
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries will be pressing for a successful conclusion to the final negotiation session of the United Nations Diplomatic Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty which began at the United Nations on Monday, according to a statement issued by the CARICOM Secretariat.
It said such an outcome to the 10-day conference is of vital importance to CARICOM, noting that at the CARICOM Inter-Sessional summit in Haiti last month,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Caribbean 360
37210
South America,Eastern Europe,Thailand,Italy,Canada,United States,Philippines
The Gunmakers of the Philippines
20 March 2013
BBC News
CEBU, Philippines - A shot rings out from a factory on the outskirts of the Philippines' second-biggest city, Cebu.
But this isn't an all-too-frequent drive-by killing or an argument that has become violent.
The sound is from a testing range at Shooters Arms, the country's second-largest gun factory.
Shooters Arms produces about 20,000 pistols and shotguns every year, 85% of which are sold abroad - mainly to the US, Canada, Italy and Thailand.
Operations manager... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
37208
United States
Did the Doomed Assault Weapon Ban Kill Most Other US Gun Control?
20 March 2013
Daily Beast (USA)
Sen. Harry Reid announced Tuesday that he would not be including Sen. Dianne Feinstein's proposal to ban the sale of assault weapons in the package of gun legislation he'll bring to the floor of the Senate. This all but ends gun control advocates' hopes of reinstating the ban on assault weapons, although Feinstein can offer it as an amendment once Reid's package is being debated. Reid, however, says there aren't anywhere near the 51 votes for passage, much less the 60... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Beast (USA)
37207
Romania,Burkina Faso,Poland,Russia,Latvia,Tunisia,Guinea,Senegal,Bulgaria,China,Africa,Europe,Côte d'Ivoire
Arms Proliferation and Abuse Shatter Communities in Côte d'Ivoire - AI
20 March 2013
Amnesty International (London)
Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.
The 33-page report, Communities shattered by arms proliferation and abuse in Côte d'Ivoire, documents how a handful of states and a network of multinational arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37206
Germany,United Kingdom,France,Mexico,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,China,Russia,United States
Armed Violence Kills 66,000 Women and Girls Each Year
20 March 2013
New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has urged the world's nations to agree on a strong UN treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade in the next two weeks, saying it will save lives and make it more difficult for warlords, organised criminals and terrorists to obtain weapons.
Hopes of reaching agreement on what would be a landmark treaty were dashed last July when the United States said it needed more time to consider the proposed accord - a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
37202
United States,Mexico
More Than 250,000 Guns a Year Illegally Smuggled into Mexico - Study
19 March 2013
Fox News Latino
The Fast and Furious gun-running scandal that continues to haunt the U.S. Department of Justice highlighted a frightening fact: Illegal firearms are flowing into Mexico from the U.S. at an alarming rate.
More than two percent of all firearms bought in the United States -- about 253,000 -- end up south of the border, up from 1.75 percent in 1990, according to a binational report by the Trans-Border Institute in San Diego and the Igarape Institute, a research center in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Fox News Latino
37201
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Is a Global Arms Trade Treaty possible? - Video
19 March 2013
Inside Story, al Jazeera, Video
Human Rights groups say one person is killed every minute because of armed violence, through conflict and crime, but no globally agreed standards exist to regulate the international trade in arms, a trade in dangerous and deadly products, designed to kill and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inside Story, al Jazeera
37200
United States,Switzerland
What's Worked, and What Hasn't, in Gun-Loving Switzerland
19 March 2013
NPR (USA)
Switzerland has an entrenched gun culture that is embraced by most of its 8 million citizens, some of them as young as 10 years old.
Every Swiss community has a shooting range, and depending on who is counting, the alpine country ranks third or fourth in the number of guns per capita.
"You can walk into a cafe in a town where there is a shooting festival and you'll see rifles hanging on the hat rack. It's just incredible. It's just proliferation all over the place,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: NPR (USA)
37199
Congo (DRC),Zimbabwe,Mozambique,Angola,Zambia,Africa
Zambia Calling for a 'Bullet-Proof' Arms Trade Treaty
18 March 2013
Times of Zambia
TODAY (March 18, 2013) will be a crunch day of epic proportions when the United Nations Organisation (UN) convenes at its New York Headquarters to start negotiations to conclude an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that has the potential to forever regulate the hitherto unregulated trade in conventional weapons.
The global trade in conventional weapons - from warships and battle tanks to fighter jets and machine guns - remains poorly regulated. No internationally agreed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of Zambia
37197
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
37196
Canada
Canadian Gun Advocates Want Provincial Firearms Officers Scrapped
18 March 2013
CBC News (Canada), Canadian Press
A pro-gun advocacy group that has two representatives on a federal firearms advisory panel wants the Conservative government to eliminate all provincial firearms offices, saying they have "poked the lion" once too often.
The Canadian Sports Shooting Association has launched a national petition that asks Ottawa to establish a single "civilian agency" in place of provincial and territorial firearms officers that oversee licensing and other gun regulations.
The group is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBC News (Canada), Canadian Press
37195
China,Russia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
UN Revives Effort on Pact to Regulate Arms Trade
17 March 2013
New York Times
In the shadow of the re-energized gun-control debate in the United States, negotiators at the United Nations will reconvene this week to try to reach a final agreement on a treaty to regulate the global trade in conventional weapons, a lucrative business that rights groups call the main source of illicit arms fueling deadly conflicts around the world.
"I am confident that member states will overcome their differences and muster the political will needed to agree on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37194
United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
US Gun Lobby Stepping Up Its Opposition to UN Arms Trade Treaty
17 March 2013
Guardian (UK)
The National Rifle Association is stepping up its opposition to a UN treaty aimed at halting the illicit trade of guns into conflict zones, after months of silence on the issue believed to be due to its focus on domestic gun control.
Human rights campaigners said that the resurgence of the NRA's campaign was designed to "stir up anti-UN panic" ahead of the UN conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, which opens on Monday in New York. The Obama administration indicated in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
37193
Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
NRA Opposes UN Arms Trade Treaty
16 March 2013
Washington Post
The National Rifle Association, which is battling a raft of gun control measures on Capitol Hill, also has an international fight on its hand as it gears up to oppose a U.N. treaty designed to restrict the flow of arms to conflict zones.
Negotiations open Monday in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, which would require countries to determine whether weapons they sell would be used to commit serious human rights violations, terrorism or transnational organized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37191
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Global Gun Grabbers Team with UN to Prep African Countries for Arms Trade Treaty
15 March 2013
Fox News (USA)
A week before it opens a treaty conference to impose worldwide limitations on arms sales, the United Nations co-hosted and paid for a series of meetings involving 48 African nations and an anti-gun group that espouses much greater national and international control of firearms, including registration of small arms and ammunition.
The co-host of the gathering in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa was a multinational "civil society" network known as IANSA, which calls... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Fox News (USA)
37192
United States
In US Around 88 People Die Every Day to Gun Violence
12 March 2013
Mother Jones (USA)
LF: What do you say to people who argue that these kinds of regulations don't work, that criminals will always find some way to get guns?
GW: All of the research evidence shows that increasing regulation of firearms—whether the firearms themselves, the people who are allowed to have them, or the conditions under which they are bought and sold—makes a difference. I think it can be hard to prove that any one law makes a difference because laws are enacted in groups,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Mother Jones (USA)
37186
India,Egypt,Syria,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Urgent Call for Tighter Rules on International Arms Trade - Oxfam
12 March 2013
Oxfam International (Oxford), Media release
Draft Arms Trade Treaty text littered with loopholes which need fixing urgently to save lives
More than 325,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives through armed violence since negotiations for a treaty to regulate the global arms trade for the first time ground to a halt in July last year, say Oxfam and Saferworld, part of the Control Arms Coalition.
The Control Arms Coalition calls on world leaders to urgently adopt robust rules on international transfers... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Oxfam International (Oxford)
37183
United States,Canada
Police Raise Alarm about Pen Guns after Drug Bust in Canada
12 March 2013
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
It's what you might expect to find in James Bond's arsenal of high-tech weapons.
But it's turning up in Calgary and possibly gaining popularity with those involved in the city's drug trade.
A .22-calibre pen gun with a half-mile range was discovered in a drug bust Tuesday in Forest Lawn. The weapon — which looks like an ordinary retractable pen — is the third of its kind seized by police in the past year.
"This pen looks no different than something you could buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Calgary Herald (Alberta)
37180
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SiliconIndia
37179
United States,Australia
Gun-Related Deaths: How Australia Stepped Off "The American Path"
12 March 2013
American College of Physicians - Annals of Internal Medicine
Australia and the United States share many characteristics. Both are English-speaking democracies of multicultural immigrants. The 2 nations have been allies for nearly a century. Australians and Americans consume similar diets of movies, video games, popular music, recreational drugs, and alcohol. Both have vast interiors, early histories of armed European settlers mistreating native populations, plenty of feral pests to shoot, and many firearm enthusiasts. Yet the 2... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: American College of Physicians - Annals of Internal Medicine
37168
Brazil
Northeast Brazil Suffers Highest Gun Deaths - Study
11 March 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A new study shows that northeastern Brazil is the region most affected by gun deaths in the country, having experienced a dramatic upswing in violence over the past decade.
The study, released by non-governmental organization the Brazilian Centre for Latin American Studies (Cebela) shows that over 36,000 Brazilians were killed by guns in 2010 -- a rate of 20.4 people per 100,000. The rate is slightly below 2000 levels but nearly triple the rate of 1980. Nearly 95... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
37176
Mexico,United States
Sandy Hook Shooting May Make almost No Difference in US Gun Control Laws
11 March 2013
Time (USA)
Here's a hard truth: all the emotion and outrage and sadness that followed the Dec. 14 shooting of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook elementary school may make almost no difference in federal gun control laws. How little is the Hill going to do on gun control? As things stand, Congress may not even pass two gun control measures that even some elements of the powerful gun lobby have suggested they could support. But if post-Sandy Hook gun control measures are badly... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Time (USA)
37170
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Nepal
Nepal Decides to Endorse UN Small Arms Treaty
9 March 2013
Xinhua
KATHMANDU - With the objective of controlling the illegal trade of small arms like pistol, Nepal has decided to endorse the UN small arms convention which is being discussed among the UN members at present.
"Nepal supports the bid to regulate and control the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons," the Kathmandu Post quoted a government official, as saying, on Saturday.
"It is of prime importance that the small arms do not reach the non-state actors, who may... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
37174
United States
Share of US Households with Guns Declined Over Past 4 Decades, Study
9 March 2013
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
NEW YORK — The share of U.S. households with guns has declined over the past four decades, a national survey shows, with some of the most surprising drops in the South and the Western mountain states, where guns are deeply embedded in the culture.
The gun ownership rate has fallen across a broad cross section of households since the early 1970s, according to data from the U.S. General Social Survey, a public opinion survey conducted every two years that asks a sample... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Globe & Mail (Toronto)
37169
United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
US Gun Lobby's Silence on UN Arms Treaty Surprises Gun Control Campaigners
9 March 2013
Guardian (UK)
The National Rifle Association is so tied up fighting new gun restrictions in the wake of the Newtown shooting that it has failed so far to mount its expected lobbying blitz against a new international arms control control treaty.
With just a few weeks to go until the world's first Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is put to a final vote at a UN conference in New York campaigners have voiced surprise at the NRA's relative silence on the issue. Until the Newtown tragedy, in which... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
37164
Africa,Asia,Oceania,Europe,Canada,Americas
Canadian Gun-Control Groups Question Inclusion of Gun Advocate in Arms-Trade Talks
9 March 2013
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
OTTAWA — Gun-control advocates and opposition parties want to know why the Harper government has consistently included a prominent firearms advocate in Canadian delegations at international arms-control talks in recent years.
They believe Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) president Steve Torino's presence alongside Canadian diplomats is tied to what they say are Canadian efforts to weaken a new Arms Trade Treaty being negotiated at the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
37163
United States
Rate of Gun Ownership in US Is Down, Survey Shows
9 March 2013
New York Times
The share of American households with guns has declined over the past four decades, a national survey shows, with some of the most surprising drops in the South and the Western mountain states, where guns are deeply embedded in the culture.
The gun ownership rate has fallen across a broad cross section of households since the early 1970s, according to data from the General Social Survey, a public opinion survey conducted every two years that asks a sample of American... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37158
United Kingdom
UK Coroner Calls for Radical Overhaul of Gun Licensing
8 March 2013
Guardian (UK), Press Association (UK)
A coroner has called for radical overhaul of gun licensing at the conclusion of an inquest into a taxi driver who shot dead three members of his family before killing himself.
Andrew Tweddle described the current system as flawed, adding that it was fortuitous there had not been more incidents like the one in Horden, near Peterlee, County Durham, on New Year's Day 2012.
Michael Atherton, 42, killed his partner, Susan McGoldrick, 47, her sister, 44-year-old Alison... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK), Press Association (UK)
37185
Brazil
How Brazil Exploited Sexual Insecurity to Curb Guns
8 March 2013
Bloomberg (USA)
Brazil has a gun culture, a gun industry and a gun problem -- much like the U.S. In fact, more Brazilians than Americans died of gunfire in 2010.
Yet Brazil's 2010 tally, 34,300 deaths, was significantly lower than its gun fatalities in 2003 (39,284), when the government enacted major gun-control regulation. I asked Brazilian political scientist Antonio Bandeira, who coordinates the arms-control program of Viva Rio, a nongovernmental organization in Rio De Janeiro, how... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
37166
Europe,China,Asia,Americas,Oceania,Kenya,Cuba,Côte d'Ivoire,Africa,Central America,Russia,United States
Women Explain Why an Arms Trade Treaty Can Save Many Lives
7 March 2013
Amnesty International (London), Media release
It is estimated at least half a million people are killed with guns every year and on average a further 200,000 men, women and children die as an indirect result of armed conflicts and violence that are frequently fuelled by the uncontrolled flow of small arms.
And for every person that is killed in an armed conflict, many more are injured and tortured, raped, abused, forcibly disappeared, taken hostage or displaced. Even more have their access to food, water, shelter,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37175
Switzerland
Switzerland Debates Gun Registration Law in Shootings' Aftermath
7 March 2013
Bloomberg Business Week
On a snowy late-February morning, a man walked into the cafeteria of a wood-processing plant in the Swiss village of Menznau and opened fire with a Sphinx AT .380 pistol. Four people died, including the gunman. Six others were wounded. It was Switzerland's second mass shooting in less than two months. In January a man with a history of mental illness fired a rifle from his window in the Alpine village of Daillon, killing three and injuring two. The shootings have... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg Business Week
37162
United States
US Senate Panel Backs Tougher Penalties for Illegal Gun Trafficking
7 March 2013
Bloomberg (USA)
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved tougher penalties for illegal gun-trafficking in the first congressional vote on gun restrictions since the December shootings in Newtown, Connecticut.
Still, California Democrat Dianne Feinstein said her proposed assault-weapon ban is on a "very hard road."
The 11-7, almost party-line vote on the trafficking measure today emphasized the hurdles to passing gun legislation even after the Dec. 14 mass killing of 20 children... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
37161
United States
US Senate Approves Bill to Prevent Straw Gun Purchases, Gun Trafficking
7 March 2013
New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved a measure that would make the practice of illegally buying a gun for someone else a felony, and increase penalties for the crime.
The measure, which addresses a practice known as straw purchasing, passed the committee by 11 to 7; the only Republican to vote in favor was Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa. Mr. Grassley's nod on the measure, which already had two Republican co-sponsors, was significant... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37156
Canada
Canada's Top Concern at UN Arms Trade Treaty: 'Protecting Gun Owners'
5 March 2013
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
OTTAWA — For nearly two weeks last year, diplomats from Canada and the rest of the world gathered at the United Nations in New York to discuss ways to crack down on the illicit trade in small arms and ammunition.
But rather than working to strengthen those efforts, newly released documents show Canadian officials were instructed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to "play a low-key, minimal role" — and that their main objective was safeguarding Canadian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
37143
United Arab Emirates,Qatar,Oman,Kuwait,Bahamas,Germany,Saudi Arabia
Germany Doubles Arms Supplies To Persian Gulf Nations
25 February 2013
RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
German military exports to Persian Gulf nations doubled in 2012 amid repeatedly-voiced international concerns over gross human rights violations in the region. The German government has been fiercely accused of unscrupulousness in arms sales.
The latest report published by Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper suggests that German arms export to the six nations belonging to the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf has grown two-fold, from 570... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
37110
United States
US President Urged by NGOs to Support Tough UN Arms Trade Treaty
25 February 2013
Reuters
Three dozen arms control and human rights groups have written to U.S. President Barack Obama ahead of new arms-trade negotiations at the United Nations next month, urging him to back a tough treaty that would end loopholes in international weapons sales.
Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies worldwide as a result of armed violence and a convention is needed to prevent the unregulated and illicit flow of weapons into conflict zones and fueling wars... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37109
China,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Somalia,Angola,South Africa,Sudan,Zimbabwe,Kenya
Unknown Quantities of Chinese Arms in Africa a Concern
21 February 2013
Star (Kenya), Opinion
Much is being written and said in the media and academic circles about China's increasing engagement with Africa on many economic and other fronts.
Some see this as benefiting Africa; others as detrimental to the real needs of African countries and peoples. Some critics have used phrases like "the second scramble for Africa" and "re-colonization of Africa" to describe the new development. The debate goes on.
Yet, there is one subject that has not received the serious... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Star (Kenya)
37098
United States
US Govt Under Pressure from Both Sides on Arms Trade Treaty
20 February 2013
The Hill (Washington DC), Blog
President Obama is coming under renewed pressure to back a worldwide arms trade treaty at the United Nations after backing off ahead of last year's elections.
Human rights groups are demanding that the United States take the lead in creating international standards for cross-border weapons sales when the U.N. starts a second round of talks March 18.
Last year's talks came to a screeching halt after the Obama administration asked for more time following intense... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: The Hill (Washington DC)
37091
Sri Lanka,England & Wales
UK Sells Arms To Sri Lanka's 'Brutal' Regime
18 February 2013
Belfast Telegraph
Britain is selling millions of pounds worth of arms and ammunition to Sri Lanka despite the country's dire human rights record.
Figures taken from the Government's own database show how the authorities in Colombo have gone on a buying spree of British small arms and weaponry worth at least £3m.
Some of the items sold to Sri Lanka include pistols, rifles, assault rifles, body armour and combat shotguns – despite the Foreign Office still classifying the South Asian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Belfast Telegraph
37077
Somalia
Illicit Gun Trade in Mogadishu, Somalia: A Lucrative Business
12 February 2013
al Jazeera
MOGADISHU, Somalia - The car barely came to a stop when a hand softly knocked at the tinted passenger seat window. The window rolled down, revealing a tall, skinny figure wearing a half-buttoned, baggy polyester shirt, a red sarong, and pink sandals - and holding a rusty AK-47 in his left hand.
"Seven-hundred fifty dollars," he said in a firm voice, barely making eye contact, before dropping the fully loaded gun onto this reporter's lap. Another 10 men came rushing... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
37052
United States,Israel
Israel Has Fewer Guns, Fewer Deaths Than US
11 February 2013
Forward, the Jewish Daily
WASHINGTON — Nine days after the Newtown, Conn. massacre in which 20 children died, Wayne LaPierre, the National Rifle Association's executive vice president, broke his group's long silence with a bristling attack against gun regulation that included a theme heard frequently among gun rights advocates.
"Israel had a whole lot of school shootings until they did one thing," LaPierre said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "They said, 'We're going to stop it,' and they put... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Forward, the Jewish Daily
37050
Iran,Yemen,North Korea,Libya,Somalia,Africa
UN Monitors See Weapons in Somalia From Yemen, Iran
10 February 2013
Reuters
As the United States pushes for an end to the U.N. arms embargo on Somalia, U.N. monitors are reporting that Islamist militants in the Horn of Africa nation are receiving arms from distribution networks linked to Yemen and Iran, diplomats told Reuters.
The U.N. Security Council's sanctions monitoring team's concerns about Iranian and Yemeni links to arms supplies for al Shabaab militants come as Yemen is asking Tehran to stop backing armed groups on Yemeni soil. Last... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37046
Uruguay
73% Increase in Gun Crimes, Uruguay to Strengthen Penalties[Espanol]
9 February 2013
El Observador (Montevideo)
[Translated summary: The use of firearms to kill grew by 73% in Uruguay: in 2011, firearms were used in 63 crimes, in 2012, they were used in 109 crimes. The Ministry of Interior intends to regulate this gun black market by strengthening penalties.]
En 2011 63 personas murieron baleadas, mientras que en 2012 fueron 109 los homicidios en los que se utilizó arma de fuego para matar, anunció el ministro del Interior, Eduardo Bonomi, en la interpelación del jueves, en... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El Observador (Montevideo)
37054
Australia
Australian Minister Confident of Arms Trade Treaty
8 February 2013
News.com.au / Australian Associated Press
Foreign Minister Bob Carr says he's confident Australia's seat on the UN Security Council will help push through a global arms trade treaty.
Speaking after giving the British High Commission's annual Magna Carta lecture in Sydney, Senator Carr said a push for the arms treaty at the UN would "come to a head next month".
"On the back of our credibility built up over the decades on cluster munitions I think that (an arms trade treaty) will be a discerning note in our... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: News.com.au / Australian Associated Press
37044
Chile,Brazil,Germany,Libya,Turkey,Denmark,Sweden,Canada
Critics Say German Report on Weapons Exports Reveals Little
30 January 2013
Deutsche Welle
Critics says the government's report on arms exports lacks transparency: exporting companies are not named, and government sales are merely summarized. Yet the government claims it's in-depth and detailed.
How is it that time and again military equipment "made in Germany" shows up in war zones, despite German government claims that it handles its weapon exports "restrictively" and that it maintains a broad ban on exports to countries with questionable track records for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
37017
West Africa,East Africa,Kenya,Uganda,Rwanda,Tanzania,Burundi
East Africa Civil Society Calls for Tougher Laws to Curb Illegal Gun Trade
27 January 2013
New Vision (Kampala)
The East Africa Action Network on small arms (EAANSA) has called for tougher laws and increased vigilance among member states of the East African community (EAC) to curb illegal movement of small arms and light weapons.
According to the executive secretary EAANSA, Richard Mugisha, considering that the dynamics and movement of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) transcend the political boarders that divide state parties within East Africa, there is need for increased... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Vision (Kampala)
37051
United States,South Korea
US Could Learn From South Korea's Gun Control
25 January 2013
Korea Times
The recent shooting tragedies in the United States and ensuing debates on gun control are shocking and almost incomprehensible to South Koreans because they don't face such issues pertaining to firearms.
There are strict laws here regarding the possession of hand guns. Citizens can only buy hunting guns and air rifles after obtaining a license from the police. They are only allowed to use guns for a limited period of time, usually during the hunting season.
At other... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Times
36991
Switzerland,Saudi Arabia,Syria,Jordan,United Arab Emirates
Swiss Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia Blocked on HR Grounds
23 January 2013
SwissInfo
The Swiss government has vetoed the planned sale by the firearms group KRISS of weapon components to Saudi Arabia, arguing that the weapons made from them could be used to violate human rights.
The Swiss group's application for an export licence was for items worth SFr436,000 ($468,000), according to the economics ministry.
The ministry said the application was for components for pistols to be sent to the United States for assembly, and then exported to Saudi Arabia... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SwissInfo
36976
Asia,Europe,Germany,South America,United States,Austria,Italy,Croatia,Belgium
European Arms, Money Fuel US Gun Addiction say Experts
23 January 2013
Deutsche Welle
After each massacre in the US, Europe laments America's gun culture and violence. At the same time, European companies have no problem selling arms to Americans and supporting the NRA's fight against tougher gun laws.
It is not widely reported, but European firearms for a long time have played a pernicious role in US mass shootings and Europe's gun makers are among the strongest backers of the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Handguns by Austrian arms manufacturer... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
36975
United States
Interactive Display: US Gun Laws by State
16 January 2013
Guardian (UK)
President Obama has indicated a move towards strengthening federal gun control measures, but the reality is that the majority of gun legislation in the US is enacted at the state level. That has brought broad variations across the country, with states taking different approaches to issues ranging from sales, permits, licensing, self-defence and carry laws.
Carrying firearms: open and concealed
Open-carry and concealed-carry laws determine how public citizens can carry... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36966
Colombia,Venezuela,Mexico,Chile,Brazil,Argentina
Gun Laws in Six Latin American Nations Explained
11 January 2013
Americas Society/Council of the Americas
Following a mass school shooting in Connecticut in December 2012, policymakers in the United States began engaging in a renewed debate about gun control. AS/COA Online looks at gun-related legislation in Latin America's six largest economies, identifying regulations for arms licensing. In Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, gun possession is legal for civilians, though restrictions tend to be stringent. …
Argentina: Gun ownership in Argentina... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Americas Society/Council of the Americas
36932
Czech Republic,Hungary,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Guinea,Niger,Russia,South Sudan,China,Uganda,Afghanistan,Nigeria,Kenya,Iraq,Congo (DRC)
Trail of Bullet Casings Leads From Africa's Wars Back to Iran
11 January 2013
New York Times
The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan. A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. The ammunition bore no factory code, suggesting that its manufacturer hoped to avoid detection.
Within two years other researchers were finding identical cartridges circulating through the ethnic violence in Darfur. Similar ammunition then... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36931
United States,Russia,China,Mexico
Mexico's Gun Problems Go Beyond Drug Wars
11 January 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
MEXICO CITY - A lot of attention goes to the U.S.-made weapons in the hands of criminal groups in this Latin American country. But there is little talk of another problem: the large number of light weapons in the hands of civilians.
The Mexican Constitution establishes the people's right to "own guns in their homes for their safety and self-defence", with the exception of high caliber weapons, while the 1972 Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives stipulates the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
36928
Uganda,Ethiopia,Kenya,South Sudan,Somalia,East Africa,Tanzania
Special Investigation: How Smugglers are Flooding Kenya with Guns
8 January 2013
Star (Kenya), Series
There are estimated 530,000-680,000 firearms in the wrong hands in Kenya. The number of illegal arms has grown over the years and is said to fuel the conflicts witnessed within Kenya and the region.
In an investigation that took close to a year, our correspondent Kassim Mohamed tracked down some of the people who smuggle small arms and light weapons into Kenya and unveils a dangerous trend that can affect the current peace if nothing is done by not just the Kenyan... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Star (Kenya)
36916
United States
Curbing Gun Violence in America: Lessons From Public Health Successes
7 January 2013
Journal of the American Medical Association
The tragic slaughter of innocents in Newtown, Connecticut, has horrified and refocused the nation on the burden of gun violence. Each year in the United States, more than 30 000 individuals are killed by guns (homicides, suicides, and unintentional fatalities) — 85 deaths per day plus many hundreds of nonfatal injuries. Gun homicide alone causes 11,000 deaths each year, more than all US troops killed throughout the last decade in Iraq and Afghanistan. Remarkably, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Journal of the American Medical Association
36912
Thailand
Killing of a Young British Tourist Generates Gun Crackdown in Thailand
4 January 2013
Travel Daily News
The killing of a young British tourist in Koh Phangan, near Koh Samui in Southern Thailand, forces authorities to finally act to better enforce controls of firearms in the province. Especially as Thailand remains one of the few countries in Southeast Asia with travel advisories from the Foreign Office.
BANGKOK- Petty crime and cheating in Thailand against tourists happens –especially in tourist areas. But violence and killing against foreign travellers remain... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Travel Daily News
36881
United States
Silent Gun Lobby Leaders Had Family in 'Gun Valley' Town of Newtown?
20 December 2012
Sacramento Bee (California)
The National Rifle Association has gone dark since Sandy Hook.
This is not the usual refusal to comment out of respect. Nothing has been posted to their website since the killings last Friday morning in Newtown, Conn. Their last daily video news feed went up the day before. Their Facebook page has been deactivated. Their last Twitter posting ("10 Days of NRA Giveaways – Enter today for a chance to win an auto emergency tool!") must have come early on Friday.
There... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sacramento Bee (California)
36861
Switzerland
Swiss Are Very Serious about the Right to Own, Carry Firearms
20 December 2012
Time (USA)
Even as the gun-control debate rises again in the U.S. in the aftermath of the horrific school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the gun-loving Swiss are not about to lay down their arms. Guns are ubiquitous in this neutral nation, with sharpshooting considered a fun and wholesome recreational activity for people of all ages.
Even though Switzerland has not been involved in an armed conflict since a standoff between Catholics and Protestants in 1847, the Swiss are very... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Time (USA)
36845
United States
How US Congress Blocked Gun Violence Research in 'Ugly Campaign'
19 December 2012
Slate (USA)
After the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, calls for gun-control legislation have begun. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said on NBC's Meet the Press that she plans to introduce a bill to ban assault weapons. Even West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who calls himself a gun supporter, says he sees no reason for these types of weapons.
But as Congress considers new laws, the scientific research we need to craft the best policies is in short... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Slate (USA)
36856
United States,Australia
Without the Fear of Guns, Other Countries More Free than America
19 December 2012
ABC News (USA)
If there is one country that best represents the possibility of cutting gun crime by increasing gun control, it is Australia.
In 1996, 28-year-old Martin Bryant finished his lunch in a café in the seaside resort of Port Arthur and pulled out a semi-automatic rifle. In the first 15 seconds of his attack, he killed 12 and wounded 10. In all, he shot more than 50 people in six locations, killing 35. The worst mass shooting in Australia's history capped a violent decade... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (USA)
36855
Tunisia,Egypt,Qatar,United Arab Emirates,Kuwait,Bahrain,Oman,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Yemen,Iran,United States
How US, Middle East Gun Laws Measure Up
19 December 2012
Al Arabiya (Dubai)
The fatal Dec. 14 shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut which claimed the lives of 28 people, including 20 innocent children under 10 once again brought to light the dilemma of gun ownership in the United States and despite the fact that it received no response from the gun rights advocates but a deafening silence, laid emphasis on the necessity for the United States to revise its gun policies.
The shooting rampage, in which a mentally... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Al Arabiya (Dubai)
36840
United States
Investors Turn Against Gun Manufacturers after US Massacre
19 December 2012
ABC News (USA) / AP
Investors shunned some of the nation's largest gun makers Tuesday, putting up for sale the manufacturer of the Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle used in the Connecticut school shooting and worrying that the attack could soon bring stricter gun laws.
Stocks of other gun companies fell, and one sporting-goods chain said it would temporarily stop sales of military-style firearms. In Washington, some former opponents of gun control signaled that they may change their... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (USA) / AP
36839
United States
Big US Gun Company Up for Sale Under Ethics Pressure from Investors
18 December 2012
New York Times
Sitting in their offices high above Park Avenue late on Monday, the private equity executives who own the country's largest gun company received a phone call from one of their most influential investors.
An official at the California teachers' pension fund, which has $750 million invested with the private equity firm, Cerberus Capital Management, was on the line, raising questions about the firm's ownership of the Freedom Group, the gun maker that made the rifle used... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36853
Scotland,United States,United Kingdom,Australia,Japan
Several Countries Curbed Guns, Saw Public Safety Improve [Espanol]
18 December 2012
BBC News
[Translated summary: Three industrialised nations - Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom have dramatically reduced gun deaths after applying strict firearm laws.]
Tres naciones industrializadas -Japón, Australia y Escocia- han logrado reducir dramáticamente las muertes por armas de fuego tras aplicar estrictas leyes que regulan el porte y comercio de armas que podría servir de modelo en Estados Unidos cuando ese pueblo trata de reponerse de la matanza de niños y... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
36852
Israel
Israel Gun Control Regulations 'Opposite of US'
18 December 2012
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
There is no full-auto Friday or Ladies night at the "Lahav" gun store in TA, a store that bears little resemblance to its US counterparts.
A gun lover's dream or a stringently controlled police state that would make a National Rifle Association supporter's blood boil? In recent days, following the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 26 dead, including 20 children, Israel has been mentioned as a country awash in guns yet still free of such random massacres. Many... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jerusalem Post (Israel)
36843
United States,Canada
Canada Is Alone Internationally in Rolling Back Gun Laws
17 December 2012
Now Toronto, Opinion
I'm not going to ask if what happened in Newtown, Connecticut can happen here because now's a time for reflection, not panic and cheap one-liners.
Our gun laws are a good deal stricter than those in the United States. The days when you could purchase a rifle at the counter of the Canadian Tire with little more than a driver's license are over, thanks to Marc Lepine's 1989 outrage.
But when it comes to gun control, we've been headed in the wrong direction for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Now Toronto
36838
Canada
Assault-style Weapons Easily Available in Canada - Opinion
17 December 2012
Toronto Star (Ontario), Opinion
"Your shopping cart is currently empty."
This little notice popped onto my screen as I browsed the website of one of Canada's biggest gun retailers, surveying the wide assortment of assault weapons it offers for sale online — including one virtually identical to the semi-automatic rifle used in last week's horrific school slaughter in Connecticut.
Canadians often take comfort in the notion that spectacles of gruesome gun violence are part of a U.S. pathology that... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario)
36837
Honduras,Colombia,Mexico,Panama,Guatemala,Swaziland,South Africa,Jamaica,Philippines,Brazil,El Salvador,United States
Top 12 Countries for Firearms Related Deaths
17 December 2012
Forbes (USA)
Few major nations have the right to bear arms configured in their Constitution. Even fewer (as in we are the only one) have gun control legislation as a hot button political issue. The U.S. is the most violent core economy in terms of gun related deaths. It is also the leader in gun violence at school campuses. Yet, the U.S. does not lead the world in firearms related deaths. Countries were gangs and drugs are a problem top the list, even where there is strict gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Forbes (USA)
36832
Canada
Canada Gun Lobby Pushes for Looser Laws After Registry Victory
6 December 2012
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
The gun lobby never sleeps. Fresh from killing off Canada's federal registry of rifles and shotguns, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's firearm-friendly Conservatives are now being urged to take aim at our remaining gun safety laws. It's a chilling prospect.
As Star writer Tonda MacCharles reported on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is mulling a sweeping set of proposals from the pro-gun camp that would further water down federal controls. In future, gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario)
36806
Russia
Russian Poll Shows Civilians Think More Guns Means More Risk
23 November 2012
Kyiv Post (Ukraine) / Interfax (Ukraine)
MOSCOW - The overwhelming majority of Russians (82%) object to arms trade liberalization. They think that unlimited access to weapons may increase the crime rate.
Only 13% support free selling of weapons and 5% do not know, the Public Opinion Foundation said in comment on a poll held in 100 towns and cities in 43 regions on November 17-18.
Seventy-eight percent of 1,500 respondents said they would not buy weapons even if Russia permitted free selling of armaments to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Kyiv Post (Ukraine) / Interfax (Ukraine)
36771
European Union
European Union Assesses Arms Trafficking Progress
19 November 2012
Europa (European Union), Speech
I am delighted to welcome you all to our conference on the fight against illicit trafficking in firearms, in the EU and beyond.
We have in the room today some of the leading experts on the topic – from law enforcement, industry, policy makers, and from civil society.
For you, it will not come as a surprise that the Commission puts focus on this issue by organising this conference. Still, it is worth recalling that despite repeated political declarations, at... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europa (European Union)
36758
United States,Australia
Australia, US Sign Trade Deal to Ease Weapons Transfers
30 October 2012
Yahoo! 7 News (Australia), Video
Australia and America will be able to exchange weapons and defence technology more easily after Australia passed new trade legislation. The changes apply to licences for arms exports and will facilitate weapons upgrades for the Australian Defence Force.
Link to video:... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Yahoo! 7 News (Australia)
36713
Nigeria,England & Wales,China
UK Man Jailed for Smuggling Weapons, Ammo to Nigeria
27 October 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
LONDON — A London court yesterday convicted a British arms dealer of organising a big illegal shipment of weapons to Nigeria.
Gary Hyde, a 43-year-old retired British volunteer police constable, was found guilty of helping to organise illegal shipment of 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 rifles, 10,000 pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria.
He was convicted by a jury and will be sentenced on 23 November at the Southwark Crown Court, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
36690
Switzerland,North Korea
Switzerland Sells Sports Weapons to North Korea [Francais]
26 October 2012
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary - Swiss Ministry clarifies that $170,000 in weapons allegedly sold to North Korea were sports firearms intended for Olympic athletes.]
Dans la première moitié de l'année 2012, la Corée du Nord a importé des armes à feu de la Suisse pour une valeur totale de 170'000 dollars. Les livraisons étaient composées de fusils à air comprimé, de revolvers et de pièces détachées», pouvait-on lire vendredi sur le site de la radio sud-coréenne, KBS... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: 20 Minutes (Geneva)
36688
United Kingdom
UK Authorities Propose Crackdown on People who 'Rent' Guns for Crime
21 October 2012
BBC News
A new offence of supplying a firearm will be introduced to tackle people who hire out weapons to gangs, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.
Ms May told the BBC those supplying guns were "as guilty" as those using them as the impact was just as deadly.
The maximum sentence for the offence, which will apply in England, Wales and Scotland, will be life imprisonment.
It is one of a number of measures to be outlined by David Cameron on Monday in a speech on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
36665
United Arab Emirates,Sri Lanka,United Kingdom
UAE Detains Floating Gun Arsenal, Experts say Regulation Needed
17 October 2012
National (Abu Dhabi)
DUBAI - Alarm bells have sounded over the appearance of ships doubling as floating arsenals near UAE waters.
Of the estimated 12 armoury ships operating globally, at least four are known to operate off the coast of Fujairah.
They rent weapons to security companies that guard merchant vessels in the areas where pirates are active, and act as ammunition stores for security companies en route to UAE, Yemen or Saudi Arabian waters, where weapons from other countries are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National (Abu Dhabi)
36660
Pakistan,India
Drugs, Firearms Found on Trains from Pakistan to India Despite Crackdown
11 October 2012
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
Frequent seizures of heroin, arms and ammunition, and fake currency from goods train as well as Samjhauta Express coming from Pakistan have thrown up serious security challenges for India. Despite regular protest letters from India and meetings of customs officials of both sides, things haven't changed but only gone bad.
The recent seizure of 105-kg heroin has baffled the security agencies. Not only heroin, many a time, the customs and other agencies have seized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Hindustan Times (Delhi)
36638
Puerto Rico,Mexico,Honduras,Barbados,United States,Colombia
US Man Breaks Silence on Pre-Fast and Furious Operation, 'Castaway'
8 October 2012
Kansas City Star (Missouri) / Miami Herald
A sensational election-season report into the botched Operation Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation has cast new light on a simultaneous Florida firearms investigation linked to violence in Colombia, Honduras and Puerto Rico.
Called Operation Castaway, the Florida case has received far less attention than Fast and Furious. The latter became an embarrassing distraction for Obama's administration when it was implicated in the death of a federal agent and Mexico... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Kansas City Star (Missouri) / Miami Herald
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