Captain jumps overboard, SEALs shoot pirates, official says

Captain jumps overboard, SEALs shoot pirates, official says

The American captain of a cargo ship held hostage by pirates jumped overboard from the lifeboat where he was being held, and U.S. Navy SEALs shot and killed three of his four captors, according to a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the situation.

Capt. Richard Phillips was helped out of the water off the Somali coast and is uninjured and in good condition, the official said. He was taken aboard the USS Bainbridge, ..read more

U.S. Naval Forces press release on the rescue of Richard Phillips

At approximately 7:19 p.m (12:19 p.m. EDT) U.S. naval forces rescued Capt. Richard Phillips, the master of Motor Vessel Maersk-Alabama.

“This was an incredible team effort, and I am extremely proud of the tireless efforts of all the men and women who made this rescue possible” said Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. “The actions of Capt. Phillips and the civilian mariners of Maersk-Alabama were heroic. They fought back to regain ..read more

Four French hostages were rescued and two pirates were killed in the operation

French forces have freed a yacht captured by pirates off Somalia last weekend in an operation that left one hostage and two of the pirates dead, President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said on Friday.

Four other hostages were saved, while three other pirates were captured, the statement said.

Sarkozy’s office said the child was saved by its forces but gave no details of who had died.

“During the operation, a hostage sadly died,” the statement said, adding: “(Sarkozy) confirms France’s determination not to give ..read more

US hostage recapture by Somali Pirates after escape attempt

USS Halyburton

The American captain held hostage by four Somali pirates made a desperate escape attempt Friday but was recaptured, and officials said other pirates sought to reinforce their colleagues by sailing hijacked ships with other captives aboard to the scene of the standoff.

The U.S. also was bolstering its force by dispatching other warships to the site off the Horn of Africa, where a U.S. destroyer shadowed the drifting lifeboat carrying the hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips.

The pirates on the ..read more

Five American Soldiers Kills in Iraq

Suicide Truck Bomber Kills Five American Soldiers in Iraq

Five American soldiers and two members of the Iraqi security forces were killed in a massive suicide truck bombing Friday near the headquarters of the Iraqi national police in the northern city of Mosul, a United States military spokesman said.

It was the deadliest attack against American soldiers here in 13 months and the second in Mosul since February, when four soldiers were killed in a suicide car bomb attack against their ..read more

Warship nears pirates holding U.S. captain

A U.S. navy destroyer reached waters off Somalia on Thursday to help free an American ship captain taken hostage by pirates in the first seizure of U.S. citizens by the increasingly bold sea gangs.

Gunmen briefly hijacked the 17,000-tonne Maersk Alabama freighter on Wednesday, but the 20 American crew retook control after a confrontation far out in the Indian Ocean where the pirates have captured another five vessels in a week.

Second mate Ken Quinn told CNN the pirates were holding the ..read more

Punished North Korea for “rocket launch”

United Nations Security Council has been urge by President Obama to take action against North Korea because of violated international rules when it tested a rocket that could be used for long-range missiles.

“This provocation underscores the need for action, not just this afternoon at the Security Council but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons,” Mr. Obama said. “Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something.”

North Korea’s taepodong 2 missile flew over Japan ..read more

The Marine Corps 2009 Marathon

The Marine Corps 2009 Marathon also opened registration today. Like the Army 1o-Miler, the Marine Corps Marathon is limited to a field of 30,000 competitors.

Both runs sell out almost overnight. The Marine Corps run offers both a 10K and a Marathon. Also provided is a Healthy Kids Fun Run for ages 6 to 13. The Marine Corp’s Marathon is October 25. Organizers say of the event:

Do I need a qualifying time to participate?

You do not need a qualifying time for ..read more

F-22A Raptor Crashes Near Edwards Air Force Base

David Cooley, 49, of Palmdale, California, died when the pilot was F-22A crashed northeast of Edwards AFB. Cooley worked as a test pilot with Lockheed Martin, and was employed by the 411th Flight Test Squadron, 412 Test Wing at Edwards AFB. Cooley joined Lockheed Martin in 2003 and was a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He worked on the F-22 Combined Test Force, where a team of Lockheed Martin and Air Force pilots conduct F-22 tests.

“This is a ..read more

C 17 crashes near Olney, Texas

Airforce C 17 crasshes near Olney, Texas

Olney, Texas, residents have flooded the telephone lines of the local police reported that an Air Force plane crash in a wooded area about 45 miles south of Wichita Falls and 130 miles west of Dallas . Sheppard Air Force Base officials, which is north of Witchita Falls, could not confirm the crash of military transport aircraft.

As reported by CNN, a ranching area, who owns 1,000 acres of land in the south of the ..read more