Smash hit

Piracy is costing shipowners millions in insurance

The cost of insuring container ships to travel through high-risk routes has risen fivefold in the past year

Inside the EU’s anti-piracy bunker

From a basement in Northwood, Middlesex, a joint task force is tackling pirates in the world’s most dangerous waters

Somali pirates seize huge US-bound oil tanker

The Greek-flagged 300,000-tonne Maran Centaurus oil tanker was hijacked on Sunday 800 miles off the Somali coast

Somali pirates seize oil tanker off Seychelles

The 300,000 tonne Maran Centaurus is only the second tanker to be seized by pirates off the East African coast

Cricket-loving Rwanda joins the Commonwealth

In another step forward after years of unrest and violence the central African state was approved at a two-yearly summit

Cabal seizes diamond riches to buy power

A valuable diamond field in Zimbabwe has fallen under the control of a select few at the top of the country’s security forces

alMegrahi linked to Libya’s chemical weapons

The man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing is implicated in the purchase and development of chemical weapons by Libya

Navy releases pirates caught red-handed

More than 340 suspected Somalian pirates have been captured in operations over the past year and subsequently released

Uganda proposes death penalty for HIV positive gays

A law that would mean those convicted of gay sex being jailed or even executed has brought protests from Britain and Canada

Navy 'could not rescue yacht hostage couple'

The First Sea Lord fires a broadside at 'emotional' critics who branded sailors as cowards for not foiling pirate kidnap

UN still failing to rid Congo of its killers

A few hundred members of the FDLR have given themselves up, but there has been a surge in refugees and the cases of rape

Soldier tells of savage years in Congo’s FDLR

One of Africa’s most feared rebel armies is on the back foot as the Congolese army closes in — but the fight is far from over

Tsvangirai welcomes possible Commonwealth return

The country’s Prime Minister said he was ‘committed to seeing Zimbabwe being welcomed back into the family of nations’

President Mugabe grabs World Cup glory

The African tour of the solid gold trophy before the tournament kicks off on the continent next year reached Zimbabwe

Shining a light into the heart of darkest Africa

The Times begins its Christmas Charity Appeal to help three charities

Journalists freed from captivity in Somalia

Nigel Brennan and Amanda Lindhout had been pistol whipped, tortured and held in chains throughout their 15-month long ordeal

Poachers kill Sierra Leone elephants

Ten men were arrested after the bodies of the six elephants from Outamba Kilimni national park were found on the border

Swiss 'Jetman' Rossy ditches in Atlantic

Man with jet powered wing on his back fails to make first intercontinental flight, falling into Strait of Gibraltar

Brown backs Zimbabwe's return to the fold

The Prime Minister will press leaders at a summit in Trinidad to encourage a wide range of political and human rights reforms