By Irwin Arieff UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. meeting meant to expand a five-year-old crackdown on the illicit global trade in small arms ended in chaos on Friday as delegates ran out of time without reaching agreement on a plan for future action. "There was a total meltdown at the end.

By Irwin Arieff UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. conference targeting the $1 billion-a-year illicit trade in small arms opened on Monday with a plea by activists for controls on international transfers of lethal weapons like the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

By Irwin Arieff UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday it saw no need for new international agreements at a U.N. conference opening next week to weigh a tightening of a five-year-old crackdown on illegal trafficking in small arms.

By Irwin Arieff UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Americans mistakenly worried the United Nations is plotting to take away their guns on July 4 -- U.S. Independence Day -- are flooding the world body with angry letters and postcards, the chairman of a U.N.

From Africa to Bosnia, back to Africa and on to the Middle East -- the often secretive flow of guns and bullets follows the world's cycle of wars.