Military officials say that Somali pirates attacked a ship owned by a Long Island company yesterday. Newsday reports, "Somali pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at [the ship...which was]...carrying humanitarian aid." The Liberty Sun's crew, none of whom were injured, was escorted by the Navy through the Horn of Africa. more ›

The Defense Department said that Captain Richard Phillips, the Alabama Maersk container ship captain who was taken hostage by pirates, had tried to escape by jumping into the water but his captors followed and retrieved him. It's believed Phillips was trying to swim to the U.S.S. Bainbridge, a naval destroyer that's been in contact with the pirates. more ›