Rise in Piracy off Somalia Expecte
Following the region’s monsoon season, piracy off of the Somali coast is expected to rise, says the Combined Maritime Forces. The group told sea crews to actively use safety measures by using certain routes and letting the European Union’s security center know when they’re traveling, CNN reports. “The prior preparation and vigilance of merchant mariners at all times of day and night is more important now than ever,” an official from the task force said. “While our ability to deter and disrupt attacks has improved over time, we are constantly adapting the way we do our business as the pirates adapt and modify their tactics.” Security forces from all over the world are patrolling the waters and will assist in battling pirates, CNN reports. In recent months pirates in the region have been kidnapping crews and demanding ransoms at an alarming rate.
 
Guyanan Authorities Bring Arson Charges
Two people have been charged in connection with a fire that destroyed Guyana’s health ministry building, the BBC reports. The arson, which occurred earlier this month, was planned by a group of people who are anti-government, according to the police commissioner, though no particular group has been named. Health records and important offices were ruined in the blaze. Two other people, possibly connected to the arson, escaped from custody. An officer was arrested as a result of the incident.

Fighting in Nigeria Kills at Least 39
Fighting between armed forces and Islamist militants killed at least 39 people in Nigeria, the BBC reports. Men from the militant group, Boko Haram (“Western education prohibited,” translated in English), attacked a Bauchi police station with guns and explosives, and security forces fought back by attacking a nearby settlement, according to reports. The militants attacked the station because of the arrest of some of the group’s leaders, one Boko Haram member told Reuters. The group wishes to “clean the system, which is polluted by Western education and uphold Sharia [Islamic law] all over the country,” he said. As a result of the conflict, police say that more than 150 people have been arrested.