On March 24 at Cologne Bonn Airport, a man drove into several pedestrians and vehicles in an airport parking garage, injuring at least five. Authorities have detained the suspect, and have not made any connections to terrorism at this time. Heightened security is expected in the upcoming hours.
Union workers are expected to strike at Heathrow International Airport in London, England from March 31 to April 9. Anticipate long lines at security checkpoints, and increased flight delays and cancellations out of terminal 5. This strike has been organized by the Unite union to demand pay increases for all airport workers.
On March 27, an anti-Myanmar protest is expected outside of the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, Australia. Protesters claim that the continued purchasing of products from Myanmar is directly financially supporting the military coup, and are demanding the U.S. stop sourcing products from Myanmar.
Anticipate large gatherings across the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and other locations celebrating St Patrick’s Day this evening, March 17. Dublin is expecting over half a million visitors, and will likely be the center of disruptions and as the city hosts its annual festivities. Celebrations have in the past led to increases in assaults of men and women related to heavy drinking.
Ver.di union staff plan to strike at several German airports from March 17-18. Airports impacted include Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN), Dusseldorf International Airport (DUS), Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB), and Stuttgart Airport (STR), where authorities canceled operations for March 17. The strike is part of a series of broader aviation strikes in Germany. Significant flight disruptions are expected.
Unionized workers at several major German airports staged a strike on March 13 over pay disputes. Hundreds of flights were cancelled across Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, and Hanover airports, with approximately 30,000 passengers affected. The strike was organized by Ver.di and is currently ongoing, but is expected to end at midnight. A Ver.di strike in February resulted in nearly 1,300 Lufthansa Group flight cancellations in Munich and Frankfurt.
At least six people have been killed and a dozen injured during a shooting at a Jehovah’s Witness church in Hamburg, Germany on March 9. German police have begun a security operation in the Gros Borstel district to catch the perpetrators, who are currently on the run.
Thousands have been evacuated in Jakarta, Indonesia after an explosion of a fuel depot on March 3. The state-owned fuel storage station in North Jakarta exploded at approximately 8:00 pm local time, killing 17 and wounding more. There are reports that the fire was put out by 10:30 pm local time, with evacuations in the area ordered as a precaution. Investigations point to a direct lightning strike as the cause of the explosion and fire.
The Atucha Nuclear Power plant in Buenos Aires, Argentina was overloaded in the midst of a heat wave, leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe, La Rioja, and Tucuman have all reported mass blackouts. Airports have reported cancellations and flight groundings in response.
Six people were killed and dozens injured when a freight and passenger train collided near Tempe, Greece on February 28. Several train cars were derailed and at least three cars caught on fire, burning several passengers inside. Emergency services are on the scene to triage injured passengers and fight the ongoing fire.