BEIJING, China — The government is currently trying to rescue 25 crew members of a Chinese cargo ship, the De Xin Hai, which was hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia on Monday. The pirates took control of the ship and threatened to kill off crew members if rescue attempts were made.  “We will continue to follow developments closely and make all-out efforts to rescue the hijacked ship and personnel,” said a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, according to Al Jazeera “At the same time, the foreign ministry has also sent out a special warning to alert Chinese vessels and personnel not to go close to relevant sea areas, to avoid unforeseen circumstances.”  This is the sixth ship currently under Somali pirate control. Somali pirates made $30 million hijacking ships in 2008.

TEHRAN, Iran – This week Iran will accept the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) deal in which enriched uranium will be given to France and Russia for fuel. According to the BBC, “On Monday, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran was considering whether to send some of its uranium stock to other countries.” The nuclear power plant, called the Fordo plant, was kept secret until discovered by Western intelligence agencies. Also according to the BBC, “Iran says its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes, but the revelation of the existence of the new plant increased fears in the West about Tehran’s intentions.”

PARIS, France – The Church of Scientology’s Churchs Celebrity Centre and  Bookshop have been fined 600,000 Euros. Four other leading members of the group have been fined as well, including Alain Rosenberg, who received a two-year suspended jail sentence and was fined 30,000 Euros, according to the BBC. The fines were brought fourth after two women claimed respectively that one had been sold expensive vitamins and life-improvement courses and the second was fired after refusing to undergo Scientology testings when asked by her Scientologist employer. According to the BBC, Tommy Davis, a spokesperson for Church of Scientology International, said that the French government had acted “in total violation of the European Convention on Human Rights and French constitutional guarantees on freedom. The fines will get thrown out on appeal. We’ve had similar cases before and in other countries. If it has to go to the court of human rights we’re confident we will win there.”