• No image

    News Wrap: Three Americans Among Casualties of Algeria Hostage Stand-Off

    Jan 21, 2013 05:00 AM EST

    HARI SREENIVASAN: There was word today that three Americans died in the hostage standoff in Algeria that finally ended over the weekend. A U.S. official told the Associated Press that seven other Americans escaped. It started Wednesday when Islamist militants linked to al-Qaida attacked a natural gas complex ...

  • No image

    Accounting for Hostages in Algeria as Militant Conflict Intensifies in Mali

    Jan 18, 2013 11:02 PM EST

    Although a large number of hostages have been released in Algeria, efforts continue to secure and account for remaining captives and the casualties, including some Americans. In neighboring Mali, Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News reports that conflicts between Islamist militants and the Malian government continue.

  • No image

    News Wrap: Somali Militants Execute French Hostage After Failed Rescue Attempt

    Jan 17, 2013 05:00 AM EST

    In other news Thursday, a Somali militant group with links to al-Qaida called al-Shabab announced they had executed Denis Allex, a French national and intelligence agent who had been held by the militants since mid-2009. Meanwhile, another bomb attack in Iraq killed at least 26 people, the majority of which were Shiite pilgrims.

  • No image

    Algeria Raids Gas Plant to Free Hostages; Conflicting Reports on Fallout

    Jan 17, 2013 05:00 AM EST

    ... took 41 foreign hostages, including seven Americans. Early today, the Algerian military stormed the sprawling site, as the militants were attempting to leave with the hostages. Hours later, the country's communications minister told Algerian radio: "An important number of hostages were freed and an important number of terrorists were ...

  • No image

    News Wrap: Somali Captors Threaten to Kill American Hostage if U.S. Interferes

    Jan 26, 2012 05:00 AM EST

    HARI SREENIVASAN: Pirates in Somalia threatened today to kill an American hostage if the U.S. attempts to free him. The warning followed a Navy SEAL raid that rescued another American and a Dane who had been held since October. The latest U.S. captive was abducted on Saturday. His ...

  • No image

    For Somali Pirates, Killing 4 U.S. Hostages an Abnormal Action

    Feb 22, 2011 11:31 PM EST

    Somali pirates killed four Americans who had been taken hostage aboard their yacht as U.S. forces followed the vessel. Gwen Ifill examines the problem of piracy off the Horn of Africa with Martin Murphy, a visiting fellow at the Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies at King's College in London.

  • No image

    Will Presidential Nomination 'Hostage-Taking' Lead to Confirmation Reforms?

    Jan 04, 2011 05:00 PM EST

    ... every administration. He blames an increase in both the number of positions needing confirmation and heightened polarization in the Senate. "Now you have a widespread hostage-taking phenomenon," Ornstein said. If you want to get the attention of the administration, you just look at all those people awaiting nomination and ...

  • No image

    Herta Muller Wins Nobel Prize in Literature

    Oct 08, 2009 04:16 PM EST

    Romanian-born writer Herta Muller won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday, becoming only the 12th woman to win the prize in its 109-year history. The Swedish Academy described Muller as writer “who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed ...

  • No image

    Pirates Hold American Captain Hostage; Negotiations Continue for Release

    Apr 09, 2009 02:05 PM EST

    U.S. ships and aircraft, including a P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft sent by the Pentagon, are monitoring the boat. At the request of the U.S. Navy, the FBI's hostage rescue team began working with the military to help Phillips and the rest of the American crew. Secretary ...

  • No image

    Ship's U.S. Crew Endures Pirate Encounter Off Somali Coast, Captain Held Hostage

    Apr 08, 2009 10:00 PM EST

    JUDY WOODRUFF: Our lead story: Pirates off the coast of Somalia hit American targets today. The American crew of a container ship carrying food aid bound for Kenya regained control, but the captain was held hostage on a nearby lifeboat.And the Associated Press, citing U.S. officials, reported U ...