The US Supreme Court is expected to deliver a ruling shortly that could have a far-reaching effect on gun control laws in the United States.The nine justices have been considering whether a 32-year-old ban on handguns in Washington DC is unconstitutional.
It is the first time in nearly 70 years that Americans' right to keep and bear arms, set out in the US Constitution, has been considered by the court.
Debate over the exact meaning of the constitution has raged for years.
Authorities in Washington DC, which has some of the toughest gun control laws in the US, are challenging an appeal court's ruling that the ban on handguns is unconstitutional.
Since 1976, the private possession of handguns has been prohibited in the nation's capital, while rifles or shotguns are required to be locked or dismantled.
DC city council argues that the ban is needed to help keep violence and murder rates down.
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