From February 16 to 18, protests are expected to occur across Bulgaria. Farmers are denouncing European Union environmental regulations and demanding increased wages. Expect major roadways to be blocked and a heightened security presence.
From February 9 to March 10, planned demonstrations by Polish farmers are expected to take place across Poland nationwide. Farmers will denounce agricultural policies put into place by the European Union. Throughout this month-long period, protesters will block major travel routes throughout the country, including border crossings with Ukraine. Given previous incidents, clashes between protesters and law enforcement officials are likely.
Severe rainstorms through February 13 have resulted in mass power outages and rail disruptions in Victoria Province, Australia. Flooding and landslides have caused one-half of Loy Yang power station to disconnect from the grid, leaving 500,000 buildings without power. Half of the metropolitan rail lines within the Melbourne area have been suspended due to the loss of power, causing major travel delays.
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.