Ships in the Indian Ocean are playing songs by U.S. pop star Britney Spears to keep pirates away. A ship's officer, Rachel Owens, said Britney Spears' songs were good against Somali pirates. Ms Owens, 34, said: "[Britney's] songs were chosen by the security team because they thought the pirates would hate them most. These guys can't stand Western culture or music." A security expert said playing loud pop music was a good way to stop pirate attacks. He said not all shipping companies play Britney Spears' music. He added: "Each security company will have its own music choice."

Loud music is often used to scare people. It is even a form of torture. Guards at Guantanamo Bay used it in 2003 to keep prisoners awake. Prisoners had to listen to very loud music for weeks and months at a time. A former prisoner, Ruhal Ahmed, said the loud music played in his cell was worse than being beaten up. He said: "It makes you feel like you are going mad." Many people think prisons must stop this. A human rights charity has started a campaign to end it. It wants rock stars to stop prisons using their music for torture.