political kidnapping

"A vision of climate change unlike any ever imagined. Kim Stanley Robinson . . . he once again turns his eye to themes of climate change, technology, politics, and the human behaviors that drive these forces. But his setting is not a desolate, post-apocalyptic world--rather, he imagines a more hopeful future, one where humanity has managed to overcome our challenges and thrive"--Provided by publisher.

"In 2008, American journalist Jere Van Dyk was kidnapped and held for 45 days. At the time, he had no idea who his kidnappers were. They demanded a ransom and the release of three of their comrades from Guantanamo, yet they hinted at their ties to Pakistan and to the Haqqani network, a uniquely powerful group that now holds the balance of power in large parts of Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan"--Provided by publisher.

In the summer of 2000, Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden, Jason Smith, and John Dickey went rock climbing in Kyrgyzstan. The oldest was 25. Asleep in their portaledges high on the Yellow Wall in the Pamir-Alai Mountains, they awoke at daybreak to gunfire. Kidnapped by fanatical Islamic militants linked to Al Qaeda, they were used as human shields for ransom. The fanatical Islamic militants hid the climbers by day and marched them by night through freezing, treacherous mountain terrain, with little food and no clean water, and under the constant threat of execution. Their will to survive was their most important asset and led to the climatic decision that gained their freedom.

An illustrated overview of acts of piracy in the shipping industry in the twenty-first century, discussing motives for kidnapping and taking hostages, and describing the efforts and tactics of law enforcement agencies to rescue victims and prevent the crime.