CURRENT NEWS ITEM: 'CREW SAFE' AS PIRATES OPEN TALKS

TOP - 50 RELEVANT BREAKING NEWS

1. 'Crew safe' as pirates open talks

   Somali pirates who hijacked an oil tanker with 25 crew, including two Britons, on board have opened negotiations, the vessel's operator said today.

2. CAMEROON: Pirates threaten to kill crew unless Bakassi talks reopen

   Armed pirates boarded a vessel and kidnapped 10 crew members, including six French nationals, threatening to kill them unless talks are restarted over Cameroon's takeover of the Bakassi Peninsula, formerly Nigerian territory.

3. Somali pirates release tanker, crew safe, ransom paid

   Somali pirates have released a hijacked Greek-owned tanker with all 19 crew safe and the oil cargo intact after payment of a ransom, the ship's management company said today.

4. Pirates seize ship with 21 crew near Somalia

   A maritime official says armed pirates have hijacked a bulk carrier with 21 crew members in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia.

5. Crew of military helicopter safe after accident in N.L.

   The crew of a military helicopter is safe and sound after making a forced landing in Newfoundland and Labrador when the blades of the chopper hit a tree.

6. Crew safe after N.L. trawler fire in far north

   Twenty-seven people on board a Newfoundland-registered shrimp trawler working near Baffin Island were reported safe Monday morning after a fire on the vessel Sunday night.

7. US Navy: Crew held by Somali pirates healthy

   20 crew members of Ukrainian ship still held captive by Somali pirates

8. Crew Held by Somali Pirates Healthy

   US Navy: Crew of Ukrainian ship seized by Somali pirates appear healthy

9. Pirates seize Indian vessel, 13 crew off Somalia

   A maritime official says armed pirates have hijacked an Indian cargo vessel with 13 crew members near Somalia.

10. Pirates seize Indian vessel with 13 crew near Somalia

    Armed pirates in speedboats have hijacked an Indian dhow with 13 crew members off the northern coast of Somalia, a maritime official said Tuesday.

11. Somali pirates threatening to kill Ukrainian crew

    A newspaper spoke on the phone to one of the pirates

12. Pirates: We'll kill crew if NATO attacks

    Read full story for latest details.

13. Free crew, not tanks, ship operator asks pirates

    Read full story for latest details.

14. Pakistani, Afghan elders aim to open Taliban talks

    ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Tuesday to establish contacts jointly with Taliban militants through tribal leaders after two days of talks over how to end bloodshed in both countries.

15. Talks on releasing crew of Faina to end soon, says foreign minister

16. Catholics, Muslims open landmark talks at Vatican

    VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Senior Vatican and Islamic scholars launched their first Catholic-Muslim Forum on Tuesday to improve relations between the world's two largest faiths by discussing what unites and divides them.

17. Holder of Uganda domain registration open to talks

    Charles Musisi, the man who owns the registration for Uganda's top-level domain name, .ug, has said for the first time that he is open to discussions on the management of the country code.

18. Talks of Faina ship owner and pirates going on

    press release of the ship owner

19. Pirates seize chemical tanker, 23 crew off Somalia

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Pirates hijacked a Philippines chemical tanker with 23 crew near Somalia, bringing the total number of attacks in waters off the impoverished African nation this year to 83, a maritime official said Tuesday....

20. Pirates Seize Chemical Tanker, Crew of 23 Off Somalia

    Pirates hijacked a Philippines chemical tanker with 23 crew near Somalia, bringing the total number of attacks in waters off the impoverished African nation this year to 83, a maritime official said Tuesday.

21. China says door open to talks with Dalai Lama

    LONDON (AP) -- A senior Chinese official said in comments broadcast Friday that Beijing is open to further discussions with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama following talks earlier this month....

22. Report: Pirates holding Chinese ship, crew

    Somali pirates were holding the crew of a Chinese fishing vessel Friday, hours after hijacking the ship in the fourth reported pirate attack in the region this week, according to a media report.

23. Pirates Seize Cargo Ship With 23 Crew Off Somalia

    Gunmen have hijacked a cargo ship with 23 crew off the coast of Somalia, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said, as Somali pirates freed another vessel after a ransom.

24. Japanese ship, crew of 23 seized by pirates

    Armed gunmen hijacked a Japanese freighter and its 23-member crew off the coast of Somalia, South Korean officials said Sunday.

25. Karzai Offers Safe Passage to Taliban Leader if He Agrees to Talks

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he would guarantee the safety of Mullah Muhammad Omar for peace talks.

26. Talks Begin to Free Hijacked Tanker Crew

    Owner of hijacked Saudi supertanker tries to release crew; ship heads to Somalia

27. Somali pirates hijack Thai fishing boat, 16 crew

    Separate bands of pirates hijacked two ships and captured their crews, while yet another opened fire on an Indian navy ship before being driven off, officials said Wednesday.

28. Miliband urges pirates to release crew

    Foreign Secretary David Miliband called for the immediate release of the hijacked crew of a giant oil tanker - including two Britons - after the vessel anchored off the coast of Somalia.

29. Oil Supertanker Owners in Ransom Talks With Pirates

    The Saudi foreign minister says the owners of a hijacked oil tanker are negotiating with the pirates that are holding it.

30. Hijacked oil supertanker crew 'safe'

    The crew of a supertanker are reported safe after pirates hijacked the vessel laden with oil and then holed up in lawless Somalia. Two more ships were attacked Tuesday off the East African coast. It takes to 95 the number of incidents involving pirates and commercial vessels off the East African coast this year -- up from 31 incidents in 2007.

31. LBBW open to BayernLB merger talks

    Prospects for a significant consolidation of Germany's fragile Landesbanken sector advanced after the largest institution signalled it was open to a merger

32. Ransom In Hand, Pirates Free Tanker, Crew

    Somali pirates have released a hijacked Greek-owned tanker with all 19 crew safe and the oil cargo intact, Greece's Merchant Marine Ministry said. The ship's management company said a ransom was paid but did not say how much.

33. Greek Tanker and Crew, Seized in September, Freed by Pirates

    Somali pirates have released a Greek-owned tanker that was hijacked in September, Greece’s Merchant Marine Ministry said Saturday.

34. Pirate says Sirius Star crew safe

    One of the Somali pirates holding a giant Saudi oil tanker tells the BBC they have no intention of harming its crew.