Fifteen Russian sailors have been charged in a court in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, with illegally bringing weapons into the country. The crew of the MV Myre Seadiver were denied bail by the High Court, pending a final ruling on Monday. The Nigerian navy had seized the ship, owned by Moscow-based security firm Moran, last October. Moran has said the ship had permission to carry arms and had stopped in Lagos to change crew. The vessel had been travelling from... (GunPolicy.org)

Britain has authorized the export of thousands of guns to Madagascar, according to TanaNews.com, sparking concerns that the firearms could be used for hunting endangered lemurs. Data from the UK government's Strategic Export Controls website shows that licenses for the export of 3,174 guns to Madagascar were granted between August 2011 and June 2012. Most of the weapons were for anti-piracy activities, but 190 sporting guns — guns specifically intended for hunting... (GunPolicy.org)

ANALYSIS "At 9am I checked them [the zebu] and they were still there, and two hours later they were gone," he told IRIN. "I need them to do the work in the field, to pull the cart and to produce fertilizer. These animals are important." Razafindranoivo and community volunteers tracked the cattle rustlers for three days before giving up the chase. They say the theft of livestock and food have ticked up since 2009 - after Andry Rajoelina seized power with the backing... (GunPolicy.org)

NAIROBI, Kenya — Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say. Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security... (GunPolicy.org)

A small, scratched metal can thrown on the ground created Brazil's first diplomatic embarrassment of 2012. The canister of tear gas had been collected by pro-democracy activists in Bahrain. Stamped across the can in blue was a Brazilian flag and the words 'MADE IN BRAZIL.' One year had passed since Bahrain became the stage for pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiites against the Sunni monarchy commanded by king Hamad bin-Isa Khalifa. The protesters had been... (GunPolicy.org)

[Translated summary: An inventory of the National Police arsenal in Analanjirofo, Madagascar, revealed that 1,700 rounds of ammunition for AK-47s had gone missing. No sign of forced entry was found in the storage room.] Un inventaire a permis de mettre à nu la disparition de munitions à la gendarmerie d'Analanjirofo. Il s'agit de balles pour Kalachnikov. Pagaille au groupement de la gendarmerie nationale, à Analanjirofo. La disparition de 1 700 munitions et de sept... (GunPolicy.org)

[Translated summary: With the support of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Brazilian gun manufacturers seek new markets in countries with a history of human rights violations: Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines and Yemen. Brazil is among the six countries in the world with annual exports exceeding $ 100 million, according to recent research from Small Arms Survey. According to the Army, responsible for supervising and controlling exports from 2005 to... (GunPolicy.org)

[Translated summary: The Defence Bureau under the Ministry of Interior announced a 20% increase each year of the number of applications to carry firearms, by civilians. This would be due to general insecurity in the Antananarivo province. According to the law, civilians are allowed to purchase firearms of the 2nd and 3rd categories - firearms designated 'for defence': handguns, automatic pistols - hunting firearms: shotguns.] ANTANANARIVO (Xinhua) - Le nombre de... (GunPolicy.org)

[Translated summary: Two Russian hunting rifles .36 caliber, two rifles .12 caliber, an automatic pistol (7.65 mm), an air gun (5mm) and more than 845 ammunition were seized in Madagascar. The owner of the firearms is a businessman from Moramanga.] ANTANANARIVO (Xinhua) - Plusieurs armes et munitions ont été saisies chez un opérateur économique de Moramanga, une ville située à 116 Km à l'est d'Antananarivo, la capitale malgache, a affirmé le premier responsable... (GunPolicy.org)

A new study finds the global authorized trade in small arms, light weapons, and their ammunition is worth nearly $7.1 billion a year. In its annual report, the independent think tank, the Geneva Forum, also examines the serious impact small arms proliferation is having upon three so-called fragile states-Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Haiti. Arms exporters The survey finds in 2008, the United States, Italy and Germany topped the list of 14 top exporters of small arms... (GunPolicy.org)

The Madagascar authorities have launched a crackdown on toy guns and other fake military equipment in the run-up to Christmas. Police chief Colonel Richard Ravalomanana says the ban is part of the fight against insecurity. He says criminals use toy guns and neither the police, nor the public, know whether they are fake or real. But some have condemned the move, which has seen military-style schoolbags and even trousers confiscated. The police action is part of a... (GunPolicy.org)