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Obama to announce security team nominees

CHICAGO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Monday designated Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state and said he asked Robert Gates to continue as defense secretary.

At a news conference in Chicago, Obama praised Clinton's "extraordinary intelligence" and said Gates has earned respect on both sides of the aisle in Congress.

"The national security challenges we face are just as real and just as urgent as our economic crisis," Obama said, citing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the threat of nuclear weapons and U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Obama said it is clear that in the 21st century, "our destiny is shared with the world."

"Now more than ever we have a stake in what happens across the world. … Terror cannot be contained by borders," he said.

Obama said there is no place "for those who kill innocent civilians" and said he had called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to commiserate about last week's attacks in Mumbai that left at least 172 people dead.

Clinton said leaving the Senate will be difficult but in recent weeks she has given great thought to the U.S. troops serving across the globe as well as the current economic crisis.

"America cannot solve these crises without the world and the world cannot solve these crises without America," Clinton said.

"I must do my duty as they do theirs," Gates said, speaking about members of the U.S. military.

Obama also named Eric Holder as attorney general, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary, Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations and retired U.S. Marine Gen. Jim Jones as his national security adviser.

Retiring U.S. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., released a statement praising the trio of Clinton, D-N.Y.; Gates; and Jones, before Monday's announcement of their nominations.

"The triumvirate of Gates, Clinton and Jones to lead Obama's 'national security team' instills great confidence at home and abroad; and further strengthens the growing respect for the president-elect's courage and ability to exercise sound judgment in selecting the 'best and the brightest' to implement our nation's security policies," Warner said in his statement.

Blasts kill dozens in Baghdad, Mosul

BAGHDAD, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Attacks Monday against government and military facilities in Baghdad and Mosul killed at least 35 people, Iraqi authorities said.

An Iraqi Interior Ministry official said a car bombing and a separate suicide bombing in eastern Baghdad occurred minutes apart, killing at least 16 people and wounding 46 others, CNN reported.

At least 16 people died in a militant attack in Mosul, officials told CNN

A roadside bombing killed three people and left a senior Iraqi government official in critical condition Monday, CNN reported. The attack took place near the home of retired Maj. Gen. Mudher al-Mawla, killing two of his bodyguards and his driver.

Cruise ship escapes pirate attack

SANAA, Yemen, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A cruise ship traveling off the coast of Yemen managed to outrun two boatloads of suspected pirates last weekend, a cruise official said Monday.

Oceania spokesman Tim Rubacky said 30,000-ton luxury cruise ship, the Oceania Nautica, faced gunfire from one of the pursuing vessels, but managed to outrun the potential hijackers, CNN reported.

Rubacky said while the suspected pirates got within 300 yards of the cruise ship, evasive maneuvers and increased speed helped the tourist vessel escape.

Cyrus Mody of the International Maritime Bureau said Sunday's suspected pirate attack marked the first time a ship of the Nautica's size has been targeted by pirates.

"There have been a couple of passenger yachts hijacked, but they were much smaller," he told CNN.

Meanwhile, diplomatic officials said Monday the Saudi Arabian supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates Nov. 15 will be released within the next two days.

Nabil Ashur, Saudi Arabian ambassador to Kenya, and a Saudi foreign ministry spokesman both expressed confidence the Liberian-flagged Sirius Star, which was seized on Nov. 15, would be released, RIA Novosti, the Russian news agency, reported.

Libyan aid ship turns back from Gaza

JERUSALEM, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A Libyan ship said to be carrying humanitarian aid bound for the Gaza Strip turned back from an Israeli naval blockade Monday, an official said.

The ship docked in an Egyptian port instead of trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza's seaport, a foreign ministry official told reporters, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency of New York said.

The officials said no force was used to turn back the ship, which was thought to be carrying an estimated 3,000 tons of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid. It had been approached by an Israeli Navy boat near the Gaza coast.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided Thursday not to allow the Libyan ship to drop anchor in Gaza's port, the Jerusalem Post reported, saying the navy had been given orders to stop it if it had entered Israeli waters. "We will treat this boat different than the earlier ones that were allowed into Gaza," one official told the newspaper. "Libya is a hostile state to Israel and what guarantees do we have that the boat is not carrying weapons and explosives for Hamas?"

Venice flooded by extremely high tide

VENICE, Italy, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Venetians should stay in their homes and tourists should reconsider traveling to the Italian city after a high tide swamped it in water, officials said Monday.

Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari told residents to avoid leaving their homes and advised anyone thinking of going to Venice to "think again" as the city coped with one of the highest tides in its history, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Observers said the city's St. Mark's Square was under almost 3 feet of water and many of the pontoon bridges connecting homes to sidewalks floated off, leaving many residents stranded in their houses, the news agency said.

Seawater pushed by high winds rose to 61 inches above average Sunday, the highest tide level since 62 inches in 1986. The record tide was in the great flood of 1966, measured at 76 inches above average.

The city was also hit by a transport strike this weekend, ANSA said.