US Issues Global Security Alert

The US has issued a fresh version of its worldwide safety caution to citizens abroad, making it clear that it's a pretty dangerous world out there. Terrorists are planning attacks "in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East," the statement warns, listing possible targets as "high-profile sporting events, residential areas, offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, and other tourist destinations."

The statement, getting a little more specific, describes the Middle East and Africa as the most dangerous regions, with terrorist or pirate attacks reported in Yemen, Algeria, Kenya, and Somalia recently, CNN reports. Seafarers, meanwhile, are advised that it would be a good idea to stay at least 200 nautical miles away from the coast of Somalia, and to avoid the port of Mogadishu in particular. The State Department "encourages US citizens living overseas or planning to travel abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program," the statement says. (More State Department stories.)