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    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 ...

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    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 ...

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    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.

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    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 ...

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    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 ...

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    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 ...

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    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 ...

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    Horton Foote's Work Illuminated Struggles of American Life

    Mar 05, 2009 11:50 PM EST

    Playwright Horton Foote, who died Wednesday at age 92, wrote prolifically about the daily hardships and triumphs of ordinary Americans. A scene from his play "A Trip to Bountiful," which he adapted for the screen in 1985, depicts the character Carrie Watts on her final visit to her Texas hometown.

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    Writer Horton Foote Dies at Age 92

    Mar 05, 2009 04:21 PM EST

    Horton Foote, who captured the dignity, depth of character and frequent hardship of American life for the stage and screen, died Wednesday in Hartford, Conn., at the age of 92. In a career that spanned more than 60 plays and films, Foote drew heavily upon the people and stories he ...

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    Indian Forces Battle Militants in Effort to Free Hostages After Terror Attacks

    Nov 27, 2008 07:30 PM EST

    ... were punctuated by frequent gunshots and new reports of explosions and fires at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel and the Trident-Oberoi hotel. Hostages and several bodies emerged from the buildings as the day wore on, Reuters reported."The safety of the people trapped is very important," A ...