Free Republic

Pirates have hijacked a Thai-registered merchant ship off Somalia, kidnapping its 26 crew at gunpoint. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) says the vessel was carrying a cargo of sugar from Brazil to Yemen when it was seized close to the coast, north east of Mogadishu, early on Monday. The IMB says the crew are mostly Thais and a ransom has been demanded for their release. It is the fourth such attack in as many days off the Somali coast, including one where rocket propelled grenades were used against a luxury cruise ship. Earlier this week, the United Nations Security Council...