A sign of our times, where news of various kinds affects everyday life and events is the shifting of the Paris- Dakar Rally to South America. Perhaps the most grueling motor sports, the Dakar Rally has sections for Motorcycles, Cars and Trucks competing in different sections. The race originated in 1978, after a racer got lost in the African desert and decided that the varying terrain will make a good location for a regular rally. Originally, the rally was from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, with a transfer across the Mediterranean. However, due to politics and other factors, the course, including origin and destination, has varied over the years. This year’s rally was canceled after terrorist attack in Mauritania where four French tourists were killed by suspected al Qaeda rebels in December. This caused serious doubts over the future of the rally. Chile and Argentina, in South America, as well as the Czech Republic and Hungary in Central Europe offered to host the event,. The 2009 Dakar Rally will now be staged in the South American countries from Jan. 3 to 18. It has not been mentioned whether the event's name will be changed.