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NEWS ABOUT: pirates

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Let's Stop Piracy the Old-Fashioned Way

Hard-line attitude nearly wiped out epidemic

(Newser) - Rampant piracy this year has led to attacks on more than 90 ships, with two sailors killed, billions of dollars in cargo taken, and millions paid in ransom. The attacks keep coming, and “legal exquisiteness” prevents any “robust” action against them, writes Bret Stephens in the Wall Street ... More »

Freed Hostages Blast Pirates

Hostages released as Somali pirates seize another ship

(Newser) - Crew members freed from a ship seized by Somali pirates say they were harshly treated by their captors and lived in fear of being killed, CNN reports. The men, greeted by relieved friends and family when they arrived home in India, say they were constantly held at gunpoint in a... More »

Pirates Cut Saudi Tanker Ransom to $15M

Discount from $25M after biggest maritime hijacking in history

(Newser) - After the biggest hijacking in maritime history, Somali pirates have cut their ransom demand for a Saudi supertanker from $25 million to $15 million, Reuters reports. The Sirius Star, carrying $100 million in oil and 25 international crew members, was nabbed southeast of Kenya and has been moved to 62... More »

Islamic Militants Vow to Take on Tanker Pirates

Promise to protect 'Muslim property'

(Newser) - Islamic militants have vowed to liberate a Saudi oil tanker seized a week ago by pirates off the Somali coast, reports CNN. Five armored vehicles arrived in the nearby Somali town of Harardhere filled with al-Shebab fighters, who told residents they would battle the pirates because the tanker, carrying $100... More »

Remember History: Give Pirates No Quarter...

How Jefferson would deal with Somalia

(Newser) - The US can learn from its 18th-century experience with piracy, Michael Oren writes in the Wall Street Journal. America had no Navy in 1785, so when the Barbary Pirates demanded a million-dollar tribute in exchange for free passage through the Mediterranean, America paid. That million dollars represented 10% of the... More »

... But We're the Good Guys, Says One Pirate

'We consider ourselves heroes,' captain says

(Newser) - “We don’t see hijacking as a criminal act,” says Asad “Booyah” Abdulahi, “but as a road tax because we have no central government to control our sea.” Unable to afford college, and unable to get another job thanks to the government’s collapse, Abdulahi... More »

Pirates Demand $25M for Saudi Supertanker

Saudis have ten days to pay up to save crew and oil

(Newser) - Pirates who seized a Saudi supertanker and its crew have demanded a $25 million ransom from its owners within 10 days, reports the Guardian. The Sirius Star, which is carrying 2 million barrels of oil, is one of an astounding 17 ships being held by pirates off the coast of... More »

Saudi Tanker Owners in Talks With Pirates

Saudi foreign minister pledges to eradicate Somali maritime threat

(Newser) - Negotiations are under way between Somali pirates and the shipping company that owns the Saudi Arabian oil supertanker they hijacked over the weekend, the BBC reports. The Saudi foreign minister could not say whether Vela International might agree to a ransom. More »

India Sinks Pirate 'Mother Ship'

Send it to Davy Jones' Locker

(Newser) - An Indian warship sent a large pirate vessel to Davy Jones’ Locker, after a pitched four- to five-hour sea battle, the New York Times reports, marking the second time in a week that India has clashed with suspected hijackers. The ship, which the Indian commander described as a “mother... More »

Somali Pirates Hijack Yet Another Cargo Ship

A Hong Kong ship carrying wheat is the latest victim

(Newser) - Pirates off the coast of Africa have struck again, hijacking a Hong Kong cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, the Financial Times reports. The Delight has 25 crew members and 36,000 tons of wheat, and hijackers were reportedly steering it toward Somalia. It's the latest in a string... More »

Somali Pirates Could Force Shipping Detours

Attacked ship anchored off Somalia

(Newser) - The pirates who seized the Sirius Star have reportedly brought their massive prize to anchor off the coast of Somalia, the BBC reports. The Saudi oil tanker’s entire 25-person crew is believed to be safe, but the consequences for international shipping may be far-reaching, Roger Middleton writes in the... More »

Pirates Hijack Saudi Oil Tanker

Ship loaded with oil is taken to Somalian port

(Newser) - Pirates flying the Liberian flag hijacked a Saudi Arabian oil tanker today, the BBC reports. The Sirius Star is now bound for the port of Eyl, Somalia, a common destination for pirates to unload their booty. Currently holding its full load of 2 million barrels, the Sirius Star contains one-quarter... More »

Somali Pirates Could Grinch Your Christmas

Shipping companies may eschew Suez Canal for longer routes, meaning delays

(Newser) - Attacks by Somali pirates have major shippers considering changing routes that run through the Suez Canal, Reuters reports, a move would add weeks to the time it takes ships to get to Europe from Asia and the Middle East. “It will really hit home when consumers in the West... More »

Off Somalia's Shores and On, Piracy Is the New Law

Though international forces are mobilizing, little stands in way of buccaneers on land

(Newser) - In lawless, destitute Somalia, there’s only one industry booming: piracy. Its shipping lanes have become the world’s most treacherous, with attacks tripling the past 3 years. And though Somali officials decry the attacks, the industry is hardly underground. The New York and Los Angeles Times visited Somalia’s... More »

Blackwater Steps Up to Take on Somali Pirates

Offers its services in battling piracy epidemic

(Newser) - As Somalia seeks private help in battling its piracy problem, security contractor Blackwater has offered its services, Wired reports. “As a company founded and run by former Navy SEALs, with a 50,000-person database of former military and law enforcement professionals, Blackwater is uniquely positioned to assist the shipping... More »

Both Campaigns Walk the Plank

McCain, Obama agree on one thing: favorite childhood Halloween costume

(Newser) - Beware, trick or treaters: John McCain and Barack Obama may be hiding behind that bandanna and eyepatch. Asked about their favorite childhood Halloween costumes in separate interviews for Nickelodeon, both candidates answered "pirate," the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Obama called his getup "the best costume of all time.... More »

Deal Close on Ship: Somali Pirates

Ukrainian vessel, crew could be free tomorrow if ransom agreement is reached

(Newser) - A ransom deal could come as soon as tomorrow for the crew of the Ukrainian freighter being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia, AFP reports. The ship, with 21 crewmembers and tanks and other military materials as cargo, was taken over Sept. 25 and is currently surrounded by... More »

Somali Standoff Continues as Nations Move to Fight Piracy

EU plans force to combat maritime criminals, who took $30M in ransom in '08

(Newser) - With pirates still holding a munitions-laden ship off Somalia’s coast, the European Union plans a security force to crack down on maritime crime in the area, the BBC reports. The US Navy has surrounded the MV Faina to ensure the weapons aboard are not given to terrorists, and Somalia... More »

Pirates Discuss Ransom for Arms Shipment

But demands diminish as international noose appears to tighten

(Newser) - The Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukranian ship carrying a weapons shipment are in ransom negotiations with the vessel’s owners, the BBC reports. No governments are involved in the talks, sources said. The pirates seem to be flexible: They initially asked for a $35 million ransom, then $20 million,... More »

Somali Pirates: Uh, Hey, We're 'Misunderstood'

No plans to sell weapons to Islamists

(Newser) - The Somali pirates currently surrounded by US warships aboard a Ukrainian weapons freighter say they didn’t mean to steal the massive heavy weaponry shipment, they tell the New York Times, calling in by satellite phone. “We just saw a big ship,” said the leader. “So we... More »

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