Armed crime rose by 10% last year according to figures which show a worrying increase in the use of weapons by criminals. During 1998, police recorded a total of 13,671 armed offences, up from 12,410 the year before. But experts estimate that only around half the weapons used in armed incidents are real. Unless the guns are fired or recovered later by police, records are based on descriptions from witnesses, who may be not be able to tell the difference between a... (GunPolicy.org)

WASHINGTON — The number of background checks for prospective gun buyers topped 1 million nationwide this month, including a new high of 67,000 checks in one day on Dec. 23, FBI officials said today. The officials were reluctant to attribute the increase to Y2K terrorism fears, saying the booming economy and the Christmas gift-giving season could have fueled the spike. "We expect a December spike based on Christmas sales," said Daniel Wells, acting operations manager... (GunPolicy.org)