'Most challenging' US missile defence test a success

WASHINGTON (AFP): The US military has successfully conducted its "most challenging test to date" of a ballistic missile defence system it will deploy in Europe to counter an Iran missile threat, officials said.

"Initial indications are that all components performed as designed," said the Pentagon's Missile Defence Agency in a statement of the test over the Pacific Ocean in which the latest Aegis ballistic missile defence weapon system successfully intercepted an intermediate-range threat missile.

"The two demonstrations Space Tracking and Surveillance Satellites, launched by MDA in 2009, successfully acquired the target missile, providing stereo 'birth to death' tracking of the target," the agency added.

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U.S. charges pirates in killing of four hostages on yacht

Thirteen Somalis and one Yemeni have been brought to the United States to face charges in the seizure of a yacht with two American couples aboard who were later killed off the coast of Somalia, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The accused pirates were charged with piracy, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and use of firearms during a crime involving last month's hostage-taking in which four Americans were kidnapped for ransom, according to court documents.

The defendants were not charged with murder, but a U.S. Justice Department official said more charges could be brought later.