A U.S. cruise ship with 1,000 passengers and crew aboard had a five-minute brush with pirates in the Gulf of Aden but escaped hijacking without casualty by using its speed.

The Malaysia-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which monitors piracy around the world, reported Tuesday that the hijacking attempt happened on Sunday while the MS Nautica of Oceania Cruises Inc. was in the Gulf of Aden en route to Oman from Egypt.

Two French nationals held hostage by Somalian pirates since September 2 were rescued by the French army, in an operation that also resulted in the death of one pirate and the capture of six others.

The office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said Jean-Yves and Bernadette Delane are safe. Sarkozy gave the green light on Monday for the French army to carry out the operations.

At least one passenger was killed and more than 40 injured when a luxury cruise ship was swamped by mountainous seas as sub-tropical storm hit New Zealand.

Metservice forecast that the heavy storm will hit the North Island's western and north parts as residents were asked to evacuate their homes.

A castaway cocker spaniel and his companion, a macaw parrot, were rescued by Norwegian Cruise Line workers from a tiny atoll about 1,000 miles south of Hawaii.

Snickers, an 8-month-old dog, survived 95 days adrift on a 48-foot boat then four months of being stranded on Fanning Island, one of 33 scattered coral atolls that make up the remote island nation of Kiribati.

General Motors Corp. executives announced recently that within a decade, the cars that can drive and park at their destination could be ready for sale.

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas GM Chief Executive Rick Wagoner's announced on Tuesday the company's vision of driverless vehicles and that GM, parts suppliers, university engineers and other automakers are all working together on vehicles that could revolutionize and initiate the short- and long-distance travel.