Early February 20 there was a shooting in the Mage district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event occurred in the Praia de Maua, a very popular center for international travelers. One fatality has been reported, with several other injuries. This area is known to host events for Carnival, and is well frequented by tourists.
On February 19, heavy rain caused floods and landslides which killed at least 26 people and displaced over 500 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The government also declared a state of “public calamity” following the disaster in São Sebastião, Ubatuba, Bertioga, Caraguatatuba, Ilhabela. Weather forecasts show that the heavy rain will continue for the next week; rescue operations remain ongoing.
Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Freddy is expected to make landfall in Madagascar on February 21, and continue into mainland Africa on late February 22 or early February 23. Freddy is expected to bring a coastal surge, flooding inland rains, and strong damaging winds across Madagascar, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Botswana throughout the week.
Thousands of flights were canceled at seven major airports across Germany on February 17, following a strike by unionized airport workers that nearly shut down domestic air travel. Workers from Munich International (MUC), Hamburg (HAM), Frankfurt (FRA), Dortmund (DTM), Stuttgart (STR), and Bremen Airports (BRE) participated in the strike, which was organized for higher wages.
Millions of tourists are expected to participate in Brazil’s annual nationwide Carnival celebrations from February 17-22. Significant travel delays are expected as hundreds of thousands of tourists arrive from outside of the country. Security personnel will be more active during Carnival, with tens of thousands of officers on duty to respond to crimes targeting tourists becoming more prevalent.
Ambulance drivers and EMTs are expected to strike on February 10, causing significant disruptions to emergency healthcare across England. Only imminently life-threatening situations, such as cardiac arrest, will be attended to. All other calls will be deprioritized.
Unions across France began the largest public strikes and work stoppages the country had seen in over a decade on January 19. Calls for a national general strike have been directed against recent pension reform plans by President Macron. The strikes are expected to limit transportation and access to essential services in the coming days.
At least 5 have been confirmed dead and more wounded after a shooting in an East Jerusalem Synagogue in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood. Police have detained the suspected gunmen and are increasing the security in the surrounding area to limit continued violence.
Following a series of protests across the country, supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro have stormed government buildings around Brasilia, Brazil on January 8, and have demanded the military intervene against President da Silva. Riot police have clashed with protestors and are attempting to retake government buildings.
On January 1-2, protests around the Christ the Redeemer Monument in Santa Cruz, Bolivia resulted in clashes between protesters and police. No casualties have been reported, but protesters did set fire to several cars and tires. This is the latest of a string of protests following the arrest of department governor Luis Fernando Camacho last week.