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Bombing in Tel Aviv, Israel, on the first day of Rosh Hashanah prompts increased security nationwide on September 15.

On the morning of September 15, a bomb detonated in Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, Israel. No casualties were reported. Additionally, incendiary projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel on the same day, the starting day of Rosh Hashanah. Elevated security measures, such as heightened security at airports, are to be expected nationwide. These measures will likely last until the conclusion of Yom Kippur at the end of September.

Anticipate major transportation disruptions as rail workers strike September 14-17 across South Korea

The South Korean National Railway Workers’ Union has announced plans to strike throughout the country September 14-17. Unionized workers will walk off the job beginning 9:00 AM September 14 to denounce continued overworking and underfunding. Sympathetic protests are likely in major cities during the strike, such as Seoul, Busan, and Incheon. Residual disruptions are likely though September 18.

A stabbing on September 6 at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem, Israel injured two, one severely.

At around 5:00 PM on September 6, a Palestinian man stabbed an Israeli citizen and a tourist with a meat cleaver near the Jaffa Gate entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City. The Israeli citizen was rushed to a local hospital while the tourist sustained only minor injuries. The incident follows an attack on an Israeli police officer on September 4, reflecting increasing tensions in Israel and the West Bank.

On August 31, a fire erupted within the Central Business District in Johannesburg, South Africa with 73 fatalities and 43 injuries. 

On August 31, a deadly fire erupted in an abandoned five-story building within Johannesburg’s central business district, resulting in at least 73 fatalities and 43 injuries. The cause of the fire remains uncertain, posing risks of further disruption and casualties. The area has been blocked off as emergency services continue to contain the blaze.

University evacuates as protests become violent on Avenida Regional in Medellin, Colombia, on August 15.

On August 15, a protest on Avenida Regional highway turned violent when protesters began attacking vehicles and blocking traffic. University officials at the nearby Politecnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid University ordered the mandatory evacuation of all professors, students, and staff. Traffic along Avenida Regional will remain closed as security forces disperse the protestors. Clashes between the two groups are likely.

Bomb threats against public buildings have caused increased security throughout South Korea on August 16.

On August 16, bomb threats against city halls and universities across South Korea have forced increased security measures nationwide. Various universities such as the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon University, Seoul National University, Yonsei University Seoul Campus, and Korea University were threatened. The city halls of Busan, Daegu, Hwaseong, and Suwon were targeted as well. A heightened police presence will be in the areas until the areas are cleared.

The passage of Typhoon Lan will likely cause extensive flooding and road closures in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan on August 15.

Typhoon Lan is expected to make landfall over the Kansai region in southern Japan early on August 15. The typhoon is expected to move from the northwest into the Wakayama prefecture, hitting Kyoto and Osaka the hardest. Authorities have authorized evacuation orders for tens of thousands that are in the storm’s path. Significant flooding and road closures are likely to occur.

Eruptions from Mount Etna have lead to flight groundings and other disruptions in Sicily near Catania, Italy, on August 14.

On August 14, eruptions from Mount Etna, near Catania, Italy in Sicily have led authorities to halt operations at Catania International Airport. Ashfalls have also prompted a two-day ban on road travel with two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles as well as a blanket 30 km/h speed limit within the city. Stoppages and closures are likely to continue until volcanic activity ceases.

Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot and killed near Quito, Ecuador on August 9, by unidentified gunmen.

Unknown gunmen assassinated presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio outside of Quito, Ecuador late August 9. The gunmen shot at Villavicencio while he was leaving a rally and entering his vehicle. The attack appears to be premeditated, and police have announced that six foreign nationals have been arrested in association with the shooting. Quito is expected to see increased security as the assassination is investigated.

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