It started as a routine traffic stop.
When Jace Allan Tornio fled his vehicle after being pulled over last April, however, police found he was transporting a fearsome arsenal.
He had a “Glock-style” pistol without a serial number, several rounds of ammunition and a device that enabled guns to be converted from semi to fully automatic.
That was just the aperitif: when police searched his home in Escondido, California, they uncovered a gun-making factory.
Inside his vehicle were gun parts, ammunition and a pair of 3D printers used to make “ghost guns” – so called because they are untraceable.
Tornio was sentenced to a year in jail this week, the discovery of his gun factory laying bare the epidemic of home-made guns.
Traditionally, ghost guns were made from components that are not regulated by federal law. The parts, which account for about 80 per cent of the weapons, are made from aluminium or polymer.
However, according to the National Police Foundation, the landscape has changed. As demonstrated by Tornio, 3D-printing technology has made it possible to produce working guns from plans that can be found easily online.
According to one estimate, about 100 companies sell gun kits and parts.
Because dealers were selling “parts”, buyers were not subject to the normal array of background checks. It meant the kits could be bought by criminals, the mentally ill and even children.
The results have been devastating.
Gun sanctuaries – in pictures
In Georgia, for example, a 13-year-old boy killed his 14-year-old sister after accidentally shooting her with a gun he had made at home.
US President Joe Biden moved to close the loophole in April last year, banning the manufacture of ghost-gun kits that can be assembled in as little as 30 minutes.
He had bipartisan support for the rule outlawing home-made firearms but a Texas court in July ruled the ban was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that the Biden administration's regulations can temporarily take effect during the ongoing appeals process.
Ghost guns have been the weapon of choice for many criminals.
According to figures compiled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the number of ghost guns recovered by the police increased by more than 1,000 per cent between 2017 and 2021.
The weapons have been used in at least three mass shootings in California in the past decade. Local politicians have acted ahead of federal action.
Los Angeles changed its municipal code to ban them and the move has been effective, Det Patrick Hoffman of LA Police told The National.
“We began monitoring ghost guns in 2020,” he said.
“We began seeing an increase in the recovery citywide. There were 813 recovered in 2020 and 1,921 in 2021, which was a pretty significant increase. Then in 2022, we recovered 1,706.
“Thus far in 2023, we are down significantly. A lot of that is to do with enforcement efforts and the publicity ghost guns have garnered in the news media.”
Joe Biden unveils new rule to fight against so-called ghost guns – video
Det Hoffman added: “In the city of LA, we drafted and enacted the municipal code in April last year to directly deal with ghost guns and unserialised firearm parts. It assisted in our enforcement efforts.
“Before that, firearm parts were not considered a weapon. They were just parts which meant they could be ordered by people who would otherwise have been prohibited.”
LA police and several federal agencies, including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the ATF are going after ghost-gun makers.
“There are several task forces and we are targeting our efforts on the actual distributors, working our way up the chain,” Det Hoffman said.
“The homicide rate is down significantly. We are making an impact on firearms and it does have an impact on homicides, we are down 22 per cent compared to last year.
“These legislative changes have had a big impact.”
California has followed Los Angeles's example, with a bill being steered through the state legislature by Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gipson.
“I’m proud to have been particularly active in this fight against untraceable firearms known as ghost guns,” he said.
“Regardless of what happens in Washington, DC, California’s will to stop the scourge of violent gun proliferation will stay firm.
“I expect our efforts on gun control to be met with resistance from outside forces but there is broad support in my state for sensible control of ghost guns as they are the tool of choice for the most violent, lawless actors.”
In Washington, Mr Biden has strong support for combating the problem from senators such as New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.
“Let me be clear, we aren’t talking about water pistols here,” she said when introducing a bill to ban online blueprints for ghost guns.
“We’re talking about real and fully operational semi-automatic firearms, like AR-15 style rifles and Beretta 9mm handguns.
“Because many of the 3D-printed guns are made of plastic, they can bypass metal detectors commonly used in courthouses, airports and other secured public areas.”
She said those who should not have access to guns should not be able to print one.
“By cracking down on the blueprints as well as the guns themselves, we can limit the general availability of ghost guns and make it more difficult for dangerous individuals to get their hands on them,” Ms Gillibrand added.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
((Disclaimer))
The Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (“Bank”) assumes no liability or guarantee for the accuracy, balance, or completeness of the information in this publication. The content may change at any time due to given circumstances, and the Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG is under no obligation to update information once it has been published. This publication is intended for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer, a recommendation or an invitation by, or on behalf of, Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch), Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG, or any of its group affiliates to make any investments or obtain services. This publication has not been reviewed, disapproved or approved by the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) Central Bank, Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”) or any other relevant licensing authorities in the UAE. It may not be relied upon by or distributed to retail clients. Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch) is regulated by the DFSA and this advertorial is intended for Professional Clients (as defined by the DFSA) who have sufficient financial experience and understanding of financial markets, products or transactions and any associated risks.
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 0
Wolves 2 (Traore 80', 90 4')
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
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Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
