【748-750】美国枪支销售下降，但为什么？&空客警告称，一旦英国退欧，空客可能会离开&委内瑞拉军方支持马杜罗

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Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree

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AS IT IS

Gun Sales Drop in the US, But Why?

January 24, 2019

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2016 file photo, handguns are displayed at the Smith & Wesson booth at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Almost 60,000 members of the gun industry are meeting this week in the U.S. city of Las Vegas, Nevada. They are gathering for the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show – or, as it is commonly called, the SHOT show.

The yearly event brings together gun manufactures, dealers, law enforcement and military professionals. They share information on the latest products, technology and tools in the gun industry. Products from more than 1,700 companies are displayedover 20 kilometers.

The show is huge. Yet, the gun industry has recently seen a fall in gun sales and a decrease in the possibility that gun rights will be expanded.

The changes come even after U.S. President Donald Trump took office in 2017. In his first weeks as president, Trump reversed a rule by the former president that had made it difficult for some people with disabilities to buy a gun.

But some of the other policies the gun industry seeks have not advanced under Trump. These policies include easing people’s ability to carry some guns secretly and making the sound of gun fire quieter.

The Trump government also recently banned bump stocks -- devices that permit weapons to fire ammunition quickly. Bump stocks were used in the mass shooting of 58 people at an outdoor music festival in 2017 in Las Vegas, near where the SHOT show is held.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Changing politics

Gun industry watchers say the Las Vegas shooting is one reason that gun rights are not expanding. It was soon followed by a mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed. These events brought the issue of guns to the nation’s attention again.

Robert J. Spitzer is chairman of political science at the State University of New York at Cortland. He says that after the Parkland shooting, efforts to expand gun rights were frozen.

In addition, voters recently elected a number of lawmakers to the House of Representatives who want to increase restrictions on guns. House Democrats recently introduced legislation to sharply expand background checks. In other words, officials would examine the criminal and financial records of almost anyone who wants to buy a gun.

Why are gun sales down?

These political changes come as gun sales are dropping, too. But those declines are more expected. Gun sales often drop when the president is believed to be gun-friendly. The Associated Press called it a “Trump slump.”

Gary Ramsey is attending this year’s SHOT show. He is the owner of Honor Defense, a gun manufacturing business. He told the Associated Press the show has become quieter than it was when Barack Obama was president. In Obama’s last year in office, background checks reached an all-time high.

“There was no one to beat up. You didn't have President Obama to put up in PowerPoint (presentations) and say …‘look what he's doing to our country,’” he said.

“Numbers are down,” Ramsey added. “You can't deny it.”

John Feinblatt is president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a group that supports limits on the gun industry. He agrees that the decline in gun sales is because Obama is no longer president, and he is not a threat to those who want more freedom around guns.

But Joe Bartozzi, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, says no single reason explains the changes in gun sales. He told the Associated Press that, during his 30 years in the industry, he has seen sales rise and fall.

He also notes that while many lawmakers in the House of Representatives are seeking more gun restrictions, many lawmakers in the Senate are not. The House and Senate must work together to pass any legislation.

Bartozzi says his group is seeking gun measures that already have some policy support. He would like to increase gun safety programs and places to practiceshooting on public lands. The hope is that increasing the number of shooting ranges will make more people want to become hunters.

I’m Dorothy Gundy.

Lisa Marie Pane reported on this story for the Associated Press. Dorothy Gundy adapted this story for Learning English. Kelly J. Kelly was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

display – v. to put something where people can see it

beat up – v. to hit something or someone repeatedly

slump - n. a sudden decrease in prices, value, amount, etc.

practice - v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it

• AS IT IS

• Airbus Warns It Could Leave in Event of 'No-Deal' Brexit

• January 24, 2019

• British Prime Minister Theresa May, left, speaks with Airbus CEO Tom Enders, from Germany, in front of an Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow in Farnborough, England, Monday, July 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

• The chief of Airbus on Thursday warned that the aviation company could move its United Kingdom operations out of Britain. The move might happen if the country leaves the European Union without a deal on trade relations.

• Airbus chief Tom Enders said a so-called “Brexit” threatens to destroy a century of development in Britain’s world-leading aviation industry.

• Airbus has more than 14,000 employees in Britain. Another 110,000 work in jobs supported by Airbus programs.

• Business leaders have expressed growing worry about the lack of progress in securing a Brexit trade deal before March 29, the day of Britain’s planned exit from the EU. They are expecting major problems caused by new taxes, customs checks, and a lack of trade agreements between the U.K. (United Kingdom) and the EU. The EU is the U.K.’s biggest trading partner.

• Last week, British lawmakers dismissed the deal Prime Minister Theresa May had reached with the EU. Lawmakers have not yet had success at reaching a different deal.

• Enders said Airbus would be “forced to re-direct future investments in the event of a no-deal Brexit.” He added there are “plenty of countries out there who would love to build the wings for Airbus aircraft.”

• Enders said in a statement that people supporting Brexit are promising Airbus would never move because it has such a large factory there.

• “They are wrong,” he said.

• Warnings from businesses have increased in recent days. The warning from Airbus is notable in that it demonstrates a clear willingness to leave the U.K.

• The Bank of England has said that, in a worst-case situation, a sudden Brexit with no deal on future relations could lead to a recession. It estimates Britain’s economy could shrink by 8 percent within months.

• May has been holding talks with government and opposition politicians, business representatives and trade union leaders. But she has shown little willingness to make changes to her Brexit plan.

• Instead, she hopes to win lawmakers’ backing for her deal. She guaranteed changes from the EU to a much-disputed measure designed to ensure an open border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.’s Northern Ireland.

• EU leaders say they will not renegotiate the withdrawal agreement.

• Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said, “A deal that doesn’t give us a legally bindingworkable guarantee that there won’t be a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland is a deal in name only.”

• He added: “And that’s not something that we could accept.”

• Britain’s divided Parliament is set to vote next week on May’s proposal. They also plan to vote on opposing deals, including efforts by groups of legislators to delay Britain’s exit and to prevent a “no-deal” Brexit from even happening.

• May’s government has rejected both ideas. But a growing number of lawmakers believe Britain will have to ask the EU to delay Brexit past March 29 to solve the impasse.

• Airbus chief Tom Enders said business leaders could not plan for the future and need clear answers. “But we still have no idea what is really going on here,” he said.

• I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.

• The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

• ______________________________________________________________

• Words in This Story

• aviation - n. the business or practice of flying airplanes, helicopters, etc.

• ensure - v. to make (something) sure, certain, or safe

• binding - adj. forcing or requiring someone to do something because of a promise, agreement, etc.

• impasse - n. a situation in which no progress seems possible

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AS IT IS

Venezuelan Military Stands by Maduro

January 24, 2019

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez holds a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela January 24, 2019.

The United States steps up its support for Venezuela’s opposition leader, but the country’s military promises its loyalty to President Nicolas Maduro.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked members of the Organization of American States Thursday to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido. He said the U.S. is ready to ship more than $20 million in humanitarian assistance to Venezuela. The country is facing severe economic problems.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton added the U.S. wants to be sure that Venezuelan oil revenue goes to Guaido and not to President Maduro.

American support for Guaido came shortly after the opposition leader declared himself interim president Wednesday. The leader of Venezuela's National Assembly declared himself president just two weeks after Maduro began his second six-year term. Many Venezuelans believed the election should not be recognized because Maduro banned his opponents from running against him.

The chief of Venezuela’s military, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, repeated his support for President Maduro in a televised statement Thursday. He said the armed forces will never accept a leader forced on their country. “It’s not a war between Venezuelans that will solve our problems,” he said. “It’s dialogue.”

The situation in Venezuela has the world’s major powers quickly picking sides. The U.S., Canada, some Latin American and European countries supported Guaido’s claim that the constitution makes him interim president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, has offered his support to Venezuelan President Maduro. In a statement, the president’s office said Putin called Maduro “to express support to the legitimate government of Venezuela.”

And China’s foreign ministry called on the United States to stay out of the crisis.

Iran, Syria, Cuba and Turkey have also said they continue to support Maduro’s government.

I'm Susan Shand

Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

revenue – n. money that is made by or paid to a business or an organization

interim - adj. used or accepted for a limited time: not permanent

dialogue - n. a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement

legitimate – adj. real, accepted, or official

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