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Nothing gets the attention of swimmers faster than a great white shark, especially if it’s the size of the iconic monster in “Jaws.” When a 10-foot shark turned up dead recently, bitten almost in half, experts estimated that the shark that had killed it was at least 16 feet long. They warned swimmers to stay out of the water off Stradbroke Island east of Brisbane on the Queensland coast. Most popular beaches are well protected by nets and a series of baited hooks hanging from buoys 500 yards off the beach.
Bulgaria
Being on the streets after midnight in the northern districts of Sofia is dangerous, because of a new “game” called Russian Road Roulette played by a gang of about 50 drivers. They gather nightly to place bets on who can drive successfully at top speed through red lights at intersections chosen just minutes before the game begins. To win the bet, the driver cannot apply brakes and must hit nothing while reaching speeds up to 120 miles per hour. Five people have died since the craze began in summer.
El Salvador
The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador reported that an e-mail hoax threatening to increase gang activity circulated around the country and “caused a significant disruption of normal activities.” A follow-up e-mail hoax also circulated with a message supposedly from a death squad from the civil war years (1980-92), saying it was re-forming to exterminate the gangs. Both messages and the public’s reaction suggest that tensions remain beneath the surface, and true peace is still elusive.
Israel
Two weeks of quiet around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem ended Oct. 25 when stone-throwing Arab youths clashed with police, then took refuge inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. Authorities closed the Temple Mount after the riots but reopened it the next day. Conflict over the last month at the site, sacred to Muslims and Jews, threatens to spiral out of control, with extremists on both sides calling for mass visits. Tourists visiting the site should be cautious.
Seychelles and Somalia
A British couple learned that any size vessel is a potential target for pirates off the Horn of Africa when their 38-foot yacht sailing in Seychelles seas was seized, and they were taken for ransom. Somali pirates have extended their reach several hundred miles into the Indian Ocean, and all vessels appear to be fair game.
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For the latest on world conditions, check the State Department’s automated service at 888-407-4747; fax, 202-647-3000; travel.state.gov.