Federal Judge Halts California's Public Gun Ban

A federal judge in California has temporarily blocked a state law that would have banned the carrying of guns in most public places starting January 1. U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney ruled that the law would violate the constitutional right of concealed carry permit holders to carry handguns in public for self-defense. The judge described the law as "sweeping" and "repugnant to the Second Amendment." California's Attorney General plans to appeal the decision, while Governor Gavin Newsom expressed disappointment and vowed to continue pushing for more gun laws. Gun violence remains a significant issue in the U.S., with the country having the highest rate of gun deaths among wealthy nations.