Through February 13, demonstrations against the far-right will continue to occur in Dresden and Berlin. The protests come in response to the growing success of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. On February 3, protesters in Berlin blocked the entrance to the Reichstag. Previous protests have drawn over 100,000 people.
Beginning on February 2, wildfires have spread across the coastal mountains of Chile in the Valparaíso Region, northwest of Santiago. As of early February 5, at least 112 people have died and almost 14,000 homes have been impacted by the fires. Weather conditions in the area caused the fires to spread rapidly. Fires currently threaten the edges of popular tourist cities like Vina del Mar and Valparaiso.
In the upcoming weeks, anticipate significant travel disruptions as Lunar New Year celebrations take place across China. Celebrations are scheduled to continue until February 17, leading to likely delays in transportation due to heightened traffic congestion and increased travel throughout the month. Business disruptions are also expected, as offices may operate on shorter hours during the holiday period.
On February 3, far-right activists associated with the Golden Dawn group plan to demonstrate at Rigillis Square in Athens, Greece at 7:00pm. This comes despite a ban on gatherings in the center of Athens. Counter protests are possible, and clashes between protesters and police are likely due to the ban.
On January 29, the Interior Minister of France announced the mobilization of 15,000 officers to enhance security measures in the wake of mass agricultural protests, dubbed “Operation Paris Siege”. Protesters have utilized vehicles to block parts of the A1, A4, A5, A6, A13, A10, A15, and A16 major motorways around Paris, constricting traffic. Of particular concern for authorities is the Rungis International Food Market, and both of the city’s major airports.
The U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, has alerted citizens in the country to avoid using dating apps due to a string of eight suspicious deaths of Americans between the months of November and December. This comes amid a 200% spike of reports of theft against foreign visitors, and a 29% increase in violent crime in the late stages of 2023. These deaths have either been presented as homicides or drug overdoses.
On January 8 President Daniel Noboa declared a nationwide state of emergency in Ecuador until March 8 to get a handle on prison riots and organized crime throughout the country. The SOE comes with significant restrictions to personal freedoms of individuals including right to assembly and a curfew from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM, with exceptions only for essential staff and those with flights during these hours.
At 5:47 PM, January 2, Japan Airlines flight 516 collided with a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft while landing at Haneda Airport. Flight 516 suffered a fire, which destroyed the aircraft. All 379 passengers and crew of flight 516 were evacuated with 17 injuries. Five of six Coast Guard aircraft crew members were killed. All four runways were initially closed after the incident, with flights rerouting to Narita International Airport, but three runways have reopened.
At roughly 4:00 PM, January 1, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake originating in Ishikawa Prefecture, struck the western coast of Japan. Subsequently, tsunami advisories were issued for the Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama Prefectures, with an expected height of around one meter. Aftershocks with up to a magnitude of 6.0 could pose a threat for months. While only one death has been reported, there is major infrastructural damage in much of the affected Prefectures.
On December 21, a shooting at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, left at least 14 people dead and dozens wounded. The gunman, a student at the university, has been identified as deceased. Charles University has announced that classes will be canceled for at minimum the rest of the week. Expect heightened security as authorities continue their investigations.