To the Point
Yo Ho Ho and a Tanker of Oil: The Perils of Modern Piracy
The Sirius Star is a Saudi freighter the size of an aircraft carrier, which is being held by a small band of Somali pirates. With a load of two million barrels of crude oil and a crew of twenty-five, the ship is a valuable hostage for the pirates and a potential environmental disaster if negotiations fail and an oil spill occurs. There been more than two hundred incidents of piracy this year. Guest host Sara Terry explores what's happened to millions of dollars in ransom paid for the release of other vessels, who the pirates are and why they aren’t being caught by naval forces. Also, the Fed targets consumer spending and mortgage rates, and how to trim the fat from the federal budget in tough economic times.
By Sara Terry • • 1h 0m ListenThe Sirius Star is a Saudi freighter the size of an aircraft carrier, which is being held by a small band of Somali pirates. With a load of two million barrels of crude oil and a crew of twenty-five, the ship is a valuable hostage for the pirates and a potential environmental disaster if negotiations fail and an oil spill occurs. There been more than two hundred incidents of piracy this year. Guest host Sara Terry explores what’s happened to millions of dollars in ransom paid for the release of other vessels, who the pirates are and why they aren’t being caught by naval forces. Also, the Fed targets consumer spending and mortgage rates, and the perils of budget cutting. Can Barack Obama's team really root out waste in the federal budget?
Banner image: In this handout image supplied by the US Navy, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker MV Sirius Star is at anchor off the coast of Somalia November 19, 2008 in the Indian Ocean. Photo: William S. Stevens/US Navy via Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesFed, Treasury Target Consumer Spending, Mortgage Rates
President-elect Barack Obama held another press conference today, this one to announce two more members of his economic team, and to re-state his campaign pledge of reviewing the federal budget line by line to reduce waste and strengthen needed programs.
Read the story6 minThe Perils of Modern Piracy
Somali pirates want $15 million in ransom money for a Saudi tanker carrying $100 million worth of crude oil. The capture of the Sirius Star, which was taken earlier this month, is the most daring modern pirate escapade to date, and this morning, there's news that yet another cargo freighter has been captured, this one from Yemen.
Read the story35 minCan Obama Trim the Fat off the Federal Budget?
At his press conference today, Barack Obama again vowed to go over the federal budget line by line looking for wasteful spending. The President-elect reiterated his promise as part of his efforts to revive the economy. It's the kind of promise politicians seem to make over and over, without ever making substantial change.
Read the story8 min