Somali pirates refused to release some of a ship's crew after receiving a ransom payment until additional demands were met, part of the growing uncertainty surrounding pirate activity and how to counteract it. (With STRATFOR map)

Incumbent Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is under increasing pressure as forces loyal to the opposition close in on his main support base. (With STRATFOR map)

As the rebels fail to advance on Gadhafi's strongholds in western Libya, allied powers enforcing the no-fly zone have increasingly floated the idea of providing the opposition fighters with weapons.

Far from having any significant stake in Libya's future, by sending forces to support the no-fly zone, Ottawa is looking to raise Canada's international geopolitical profile.

The previous year saw three major new trends emerge in Somali pirate activity. (With STRATFOR maps and exclusive DigitalGlobe imagery)

The fall of the Tunisian government raises the question of whether the rest of the region will follow suit.

Crews of cargo ships are increasingly using the tactic of sequestering themselves in safe rooms to prevent pirates from gaining control over the ship or taking hostages.

U.S. Marines boarded and seized a cargo ship held by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the first known U.S. attempt of such an operation in the region.

A spokesman for Somali Islamist militia Hizbul Islam said the group intends to wipe out Somali piracy -- an impossible task for any one group to accomplish. (With STRATFOR map)

Anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia are turning to offensive tactics -- targeting pirates' "mother ships" -- instead of remaining on the defensive.