BEIJING   -   Thousands are battling a massive forest fire in southwest China with no casualties reported so far, according to state media on Sunday. The fire that broke out on Friday in the Jinning district of Kunming city, the capital of southwestern Yunnan province, has affected over 2,300 people, Beijing-based Xinhua News reported, citing local authorities. Firefighters backed by helicopters and excavators are struggling to put out the blaze. Somali pirates free ship after Bangladeshi owners pay ransom: firm Chittagong, Bangladesh, April 14 (AFP/APP):Somali pirates freed a Bangladesh-flagged cargo vessel and its 23 crew early Sunday after sackloads of US dollars were air-dropped to them in ransom, the company and relatives said. The bulk carrier MV Abdullah was transporting more than 55,000 tonnes of coal from Maputo to the United Arab Emirates when it was seized by dozens of pirates around 550 nautical miles (1,000 kilometres) off the Somali coast a month ago.