AP: Somali pirates on hijack spree since weekend

Somali pirates on hijack spree since weekend
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY, Associated Press Writer Elizabeth A. Kennedy, Associated Press Writer 45 mins ago

MOMBASA, Kenya – Somali pirates were back to business as usual Tuesday, defiantly seizing four more ships with 60 hostages after U.S. sharpshooters rescued an American freighter captain. "No one can deter us," one bandit boasted. The freed skipper, Richard Phillips, will return home to the United States on Wednesday, after reuniting with his 19-man crew in the Kenyan port of Mombasa, according to the shipping company Maersk Line Ltd.

The brigands grabbed more ships and hostages to show they would not be intimidated by President Barack Obama's pledge to confront the high-seas bandits, according to a pirate based in the Somali coastal town of Harardhere.

"Our latest hijackings are meant to show that no one can deter us from protecting our waters from the enemy because we believe in dying for our land," Omar Dahir Idle told The Associated Press by telephone. "Our guns do not fire water. I am sure we will avenge."

On Monday, Obama vowed to "halt the rise of piracy" without saying exactly how the U.S. and allies would do it.

The pirates have vowed vengeance for five colleagues slain by U.S. and French forces in two hostage rescues since Friday.

"The recent American operation, French navy attack on our colleagues or any other operation mean nothing to us," said Idle, 26, whose gang holds a German freighter with 24 hostages.
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Shaq, Paul Robeson amongst stars named to N.J. Hall of Fame

New Jersey — New Jersey says Shaq and Bon Jovi are shining stars in the Garden State. Both are amongst 12 others including civil rights activist Paul Robeson who were named to the New Jersey Hall of Fame on Monday. The honor is meant to highlight positive contributions made to the Garden State, a state sadly known for corrupt politicians amongst other uglies. I have to agree, Shaq deserves the honor and Mr. Robeson made quite a few outstanding contributions in his time. And for those of you unfamiliar with the Bronx, Mr. Robeson has a Junior High School named for him: I.S. 183 on Morris Avenue in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. I.S. 183 has a stellar coach, Tommy Yahn (aka the Cardinal Hayes Flash and, like myself, a Patterson Projects "alum"), who coaches both the boys' and girls' basketball teams. This Saturday, Coach Yahn is attempting a double-double where a final four is set to be played for the first time in order to determine New York City champions for grades 6-9. In Saturdays semifinals, the I.S. 183 girls will square off against M.S. 51 of Brooklyn at 1 P.M.; the I.S. 183 boys will take on Junior High School 50 of Brooklyn at 3 P.M. The winners advance to the championship round later in the day. Let's hope they both rally for leads.

Tax woes gone wild; warrant issued for 'Girls Gone Wild' founder

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge in California has issued an arrest warrant for “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis because he failed to appear at a hearing in his tax evasion case. U.S. District Judge S. James Otero issued the warrant Monday in Los Angeles.

Joe Francis (pictured left) did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment. The hearing was to address his request to hire a new attorney. Francis is accused of claiming more than $20 million in bogus business ex-penses on his corporate tax returns, including $3.8 million for a home in Mexico and $10.4 million in phony consulting services.

Another spoiled starlet strikes again
Lindsay Lohan's frame isn't the only thing that's fading — it seems her star status is too. The 22-year-old caused a ruckus while on a Delta Airlines flight from Tampa on Saturday. Apparantly, Delta was unable to provide her with a first-class seat on the already overbooked flight and the star threw a conniption fit that had passengers doubled over laughing at her. Word has it that Lin Lo stomped around and even warned a friend traveling with her: "You'd better come and visit me back there (in coach) in case I die." Poor thing. Imagine having to suffer through a flight by sitting in coach with mere mortals? And...as starlet tantrums will do, the fit earned Miss Lohan her way and she got to stay in First-class.

US seamen are being trained to fend off pirates
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — With an alarming number of tankers and cargo ships getting hijacked on the high seas, the nation's maritime academies are offering more training to merchant seamen in how to fend off attacks from pirates armed not with cutlasses and flintlocks but automatic weapons and grenade launchers. Colleges are teaching students to fishtail their vessels at high speed, drive off intruders with high-pressure water hoses and illuminate their decks with floodlights.
Images courtesy of: osmoothie.com/tag/nuclear/

Mom, dad, son put the 'Smackdown' on Md., police
SEVERN, Md. (AP) — Anne Arundel County Police said a man and his parents assaulted and tried to stab officers when they responded to a report of the family arguing. Police said a 20-year-old son and his parents were arguing in a car around 11 a.m. Sunday. When officers approached the car, police said the son assaulted the officers. After police arrested him and two more officers arrived, police said the father pulled out a butcher knife and tried to stab an officer.

Abusive mom sentenced to Life for murder of 2-year-old

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — A mother was convicted of capital murder Monday for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, who was whipped with belts and flung onto a tile floor to teach her manners, before her body was dumped in a box in Galveston Bay. Jurors deliberated less than two hours before finding Kimberly Trenor guilty. She received an automatic sentence of life without parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. "Justice has been served today. Today it's about Riley" — the victim, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said after the verdict.

Gadhafi chosen to lead African Union

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Moammar Gadhafi of Libya was elected Monday as leader of the African Union, a position long sought by the eccentric dictator who wants to push his oil-rich nation into the international mainstream after years of isolation.
Gadhafi, once ostracized by the West for sponsoring terrorism, has been trying to increase both Libya's global stature and its regional influence — mediating African conflicts, sponsoring efforts to spread Islam on the continent and pushing for the creation of a single African government.
Still, some African leaders offered tepid praise for the choice of the strongman who grabbed power in a 1969 coup. Rights groups called him a poor model for Africa at a time when democratic gains are being reversed in countries such as Mauritania and Guinea.
He attended the session dressed in a gold-embroidered green robe and flanked by seven extravagantly dressed men who said they are the "traditional kings of Africa." Gadhafi told about 20 of his fellow heads of state that that he would work to unite the continent into "the United States of Africa."
Gadhafi arrived at the summit Sunday with the seven men, one carrying a 4-foot gold staff, and caused a stir when security officials did not admit them because each delegation gets only four floor passes. All seven "kings" were seated behind Gadhafi when he accepted the chairmanship.
"I think the coming time will be a time of serious work and a time of action and not words," he said.

Pirate's body washes ashore with $153,000

WHAT IN THE HELL???

Here we are, regular, hard-working folks...the working poor and a maurudering thug is floating around international waters with $153,000?! SMH

Somebody needs to row pass their butts and rob THEM it seems!

Besides, what do Somalian thieves who are, reportedly, from small, desolate, destitue villages out in the middle of Nowhere, Africa do with such an astronomical amount of loot anyway??

In the photo above to your left, an apparent ransom payment fall via parachute to pirates holding the Sirius Star.

Full Story

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The body of a Somali pirate who drowned just after receiving a huge ransom washed onshore with $153,000 in cash, a resident said Sunday, as the spokesman for another group of pirates promised to soon free a Ukrainian arms ship. Five pirates drowned Friday when their small boat capsized after they received a reported $3 million ransom for releasing a Saudi oil tanker. Local resident Omar Abdi Hassan said one of the bodies had been found on a beach near the coastal town of Haradhere and relatives were searching for the other four. "One of them was discovered and they are still looking for the other ones. He had $153,000 in a plastic bag in his pocket," he said Sunday.