Pirates the latest travel scourge

With any luck, the Oceania Nautica and its 1,000 passengers and crew are now cruising the Arabian Sea without incident, two-thirds of the way through a 32-day sailing that must feel like a voyage across the world's front pages. First, the ship — en route from Rome's port at Civitavecchia to Singapore — was attacked by two skiffs of Somali pirates last Sunday as it passed through the treacherous Gulf of Aden, which borders Somalia and Yemen and links the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. "One of the skiffs did manage to close the range to approximately 300 yards and fired eight rifle shots in the direction of the vessel before trailing off," Oceania officials said in a statement. "No one aboard Nautica was harmed and no damage was sustained."more...http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081214/LIFE/812140316
Terrorists get ready to take on new team
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6163055.html
Internationally recognized definition of 'terror’ needed http://www.star-telegram.com/245/story/1091235.html

President Bush still wants help for Somalia
UNITED NATIONS — The Bush administration will mount a last-ditch push this week to win international backing for a small U.N. peacekeeping mission in Somalia in an effort to help prevent the resurgence of Islamic militants in the lawless East African nation, according to State Department officials. — The Washington Post
8th straight day of riots in Greece
GREECE — Rioting youths in Athens attacked a police station, stores and banks and fought with police late Saturday, authorities said, as violent protests against a police killing continued for the eighth straight day. — The Associated Press
http://www.star-telegram.com/279/story/1092618.html