UNITED STATES(SOUTH CAROLINA(COLUMBIA)) - The Loyal White Knights chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is set to hold a protest rally outside the South Carolina State House in Columbia, located in the US state of South Carolina, on 18 July. Participants are set to gather outside the building at 15:00 local time on the day to demonstrate against the recent removal of the Confederate flag from the building. The protest will coincide with a rally planned in the same area by Black Educators for Justice, a civil society movement claimed to be affiliated to the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (NBPP) group. The KKK continues to represent far-right interests in the US, and chapters of the organisation continue to advocate white supremacy. Given this ideological stance, there is significant opposition to the group. Violence between groups supporting rival views is possible; confrontations between KKK activists and those participating in the Black Educators for Justice rally are a credible concern. Both events are likely to be accompanied by a heightened police presence as well as the implementation of security measures, including road closures and security searches, in the courthouse surrounds. Clients in Columbia on 18 July are advised to exercise caution in the aforementioned locations on the day. All street gatherings should be avoided as a precaution. In addition, allowances should be made for travel disruptions in the affected area.

 

INDONESIA - Indonesian authorities have confirmed the temporary closure of three airports in Indonesia due to volcanic ash emissions originating from Mount Raung and Mount Gamalama on 16 July. The affected airports include Juanda International Airport, which serves the country's second largest city of Surabaya in East Java province, Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport, which serves Malang, also in East Java province, and Sultan Khairun Babullah Airport, which serves Ternate in the North Maluku province. Further eruptions are possible in the coming days; as such, additional disruptions to scheduled flight services cannot be discounted. Once operations normalise, it will likely take several hours for airport authorities to clear the backlog of flights. It should also be noted that the eruption of Mount Raung prompted the suspension of flights at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport (also known as Denpasar International Airport) in recent days. There have been no reports of further disruptions at the facility on 16 July; nonetheless, the possibility of services being disrupted in the coming hours and days cannot be discounted. Clients scheduled to transit through the affected airports in the near-term are advised to contact their travel provider or airline directly to confirm the status of their flight(s). Local developments should be monitored closely; all advisories issued by the local authorities should be adhered to. 

 

RUSSIA(MOSCOW) - An explosion has been reported at the Moscow Kazanskaya railway terminal on 16 July, resulting in an unconfirmed number of injuries. Initial reports have indicated that the blast took place in an underground storage room. The station has been evacuated and emergency responders are on the scene. Disruptions to over ground rail services, and possibly metro services, should be expected. Although the nature of the blast is currently unknown, the threat of terrorism in Russia is considered high and stems primarily from separatist and Islamist extremist groups based in the volatile North Caucasus region. Most terrorist incidents are carried out in Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria, and to a lesser extent, North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Stavropol. In Moscow, numerous attacks targeting the city have occurred in recent years, with small-scale bombings reported fairly regularly. These are often related to the activities of rival organised crime elements and do not usually result in casualties. In addition, accidental explosions are frequently reported in Moscow; these are often related to gas infrastructure.  Clients currently in Moscow are advised to avoid the affected area as a precaution and should anticipate increased security measures throughout the city at this time.

 

BELGIUM - Train drivers from the ASTB union are expected to hold strike action across Belgium every Saturday from 18 July until the end of August. The strike action, which will last for 24 hours from 03:00 local time on affected days, is scheduled to take place on 18 and 25 July, as well as 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 August. The strike has been called due to disputes regarding salaries and working conditions. Should the strike proceed as scheduled, disruptions to rail services should be expected. Furthermore, an increased demand for alternative forms of transport should be expected. Clients intending to utilise rail services on the aforementioned days are advised to monitor local media for developments and information on the upcoming strike. Please visit the Belgian Railway website (http://www.belgianrail.be/en/Default.aspx 

 

UGANDA(NORTHERN REGION) - According to reports released on 15 July, an ongoing malaria outbreak has claimed the lives of at least 162 people and infected an estimated 22,873 others in Uganda's Northern region. The worst-affected districts include Lamwo, Gulu, Kitgum, Oyam, Agago, Apac, Amuru, Kole, Nwoya and Pader. Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. Symptoms appear about nine to 14 days after receiving the infected mosquito bite; however, this can vary between the different malaria parasites. Persons infected with malaria experience flu-like symptoms, including fever, shaking, headaches, nausea and extreme tiredness. Some patients also show yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes. If the disease is not treated, it could result in liver failure, seizures and even death. As medical facilities across most of the region are poor, persons in Uganda's Northern region are advised to take preventative measures to lower the risk of contracting malaria. As such, clients are advised to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to reduce the risk of being bitten by infected mosquitoes.
  

MEXICO(BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR STATE) - Tropical Storm Dolores is forecast to bring adverse weather to the southern coastline of Mexico's Baja California Sur state from 16 July. The storm system, which is currently a Category 3 hurricane, is currently located approximately 430km south west of Los Cabos and is moving in a north westerly direction at 9km/h.  Although Tropical Storm Dolores is not forecast to make landfall in Baja California Sur state, heavy rainfall, coastal surges and strong winds should be expected along the state's southern coastline. The tropical storm could result in transport disruptions, including to services at the San Felipe International Airport. Disruptions to utilities (water and electricity) also cannot be discounted.  Persons in the southernmost areas of Baja California Sur should follow any advisories issued by the local authorities. Persons intending to utilise air travel in the state in the coming days should contact their travel provider or airline for an update on the status of their flight(s).
 
INDIA(ASSAM & ARUNACHAL PRADESH STATES) - According to 16 July reports from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), over 65,000 people have been affected, including 50,000 people being displaced, by recent heavy rain and associated flooding in India's north eastern Assam state in recent days. Affected districts include Dhemaji and Lakhimpur, with Sonitpur being worst affected. Disruptions to road and rail travel have also been reported, with primary and secondary roads being inundated and railway lines damaged. There have been no confirmed reports of casualties thus far; however, in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state, three people were killed in a landslide in the vicinity of the town of Seppa, in the East Kameng district, in heavy rains on 15 July. Further details remain unavailable.  Large parts of India are affected by the annual monsoon season, which generally runs from June to September. The west coast and north east, wherein Assam is located, are usually particularly affected and receive the heaviest rains. Given this dynamic, further rains conducive to flooding are likely in the short- to medium-term, and this is likely to exacerbate the current situation. Indeed, as further heavy rain has been forecast for Assam, the ASDMA has issued a flood warning for the state; the warning is in place until 17 July. As such, further disruptions to travel and business operations are likely. Persons currently in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh states are advised to monitor weather developments and heed any advisories issued by the local authorities. Furthermore, clients are advised to exercise caution in flood-prone areas, particularly low-lying areas in close proximity to rivers and on flood plains. Finally, due to a number of ongoing security concerns, all non-essential travel to Assam is advised against.

 

PHILIPPINES - Following a periodic review, red24 has lowered its conflict and terrorism ratings for the Philippines from high to medium. This has impacted on the overall rating for the country, which has also been lowered from high to medium. Incidents of both terrorism and conflict continue to take place, although these have largely been restricted to the southern Mindanao region. In addition, an ongoing peace agreement between one of the most prominent separatist militant groups, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government, bodes well for the improvement of the security dynamic. Although the overall threat has been diminished somewhat, the threat remains elevated in areas located in the south of the country, such as Mindanao and particularly west of the province, as well as the Sulu Archipelago. This was highlighted in September 2013, when a faction of the separatist Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) occupied parts of Zamboanga City, in Mindanao. This resulted in days of clashes between security forces and militants, leaving over 200 people, mostly rebels, dead. In addition, other insurgent groups excluded from the peace agreement, such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a MILF splinter group, are likely to continue low-level attacks in central Mindanao, and further clashes with the military, as well as small-scale assaults and bombings, are likely. Additionally, Islamist groups such as Abu Sayyaf have had their operational capacity significantly degraded in recent years due to government-led counterterrorism operations. The group is largely involved in kidnapping and extortion operations, although sporadic clashes with security forces in the Sulu Archipelago, its primary area of operations, continue to be reported. The threat from left-wing militant groups such as the New People's Army (NPA), the militant wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has also been diminished in light of the government's counterinsurgency operations. Their operational capacity has been reduced predominantly to small-scale skirmishes in the more remote and rural areas of Mindanao, although sporadic incidents are also reported in the Luzon and Visayas regions. Given its areas of operation and the nature of its targets, the threat from the NPA is seen as largely incidental. It should be noted that the majority of the attacks perpetrated in the southern Mindanao region have targeted government facilities and state interests. Most of the attacks generally do not affect civilians or foreign nationals in the country. Due to ongoing operations by rebels and terrorists, as well as regular clashes between these groups and the Philippine military, clients are advised against all travel to the southern Mindanao region and the Sulu Archipelago. However, this advisory does not extend to the eastern Caraga and Davao regions of Mindanao, to which non-essential travel is advised against. Clients elsewhere in the country are advised to exercise heightened caution at all times, especially in the vicinity of government and military facilities and personnel.

PERU(OXAPAMPA PROVINCE) - Protesting cocoa farmers clashed with police in the district of Constitucion, located in Peru's Oxapampa province, on 14 July. Reports indicate that at least 15 people were injured and one protester killed when police made use of teargas and heavy-handed tactics to disperse the group. Previous protests on 9 July turned violent when protesters hurled projectiles at security forces and blocked the central highway between Oxapampa and Constitucion as well as Constitucion and Pucallpa. Cocoa farmers in the province have been striking since 7 July, in protest against crop eradication. The strike action is expected to continue for an indefinite duration; further protests are likely in the near-term. In light of the recent incidents, violence at all related gatherings cannot be discounted. Additionally, protesters are likely to erect roadblocks; these may lead to localised road travel disruptions in Constitucion and the wider Oxapampa province.  Clients in Oxapampa in the coming days are advised to monitor local media for updates on the strike and possible protests and avoid all large street gatherings as a standard precaution.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC(LA ALTAGRACIA PROVINCE) - Significant business and transport disruptions were reported as a result of civil unrest in Higuey, located in the Dominican Republic's La Altagracia province, on 14 July. The unrest occurred amid a violent 48-hour strike that commenced on 13 July, organised by Frente Amplio de Luchas Populares (FALPO). According to reports, protesters hurled bottles, steel barbs and burnt the tyres of several vehicles; at least five people were injured. Additional security forces have been deployed to the protest-affected areas, including Coral highway. Transport services have been temporarily suspended in the Bavaro and Veron areas, located in Punta Cana.  The strike was initiated by FALPO, a leftist group known for staging protests and strikes that often degenerate into violence. The group is demanding that the local government invest more money in infrastructural maintenance and development in Higuey. Incidents of civil unrest, related to both political and economic issues, occur frequently in the Dominican Republic. Political demonstrations have turned violent in the past and police tend to be heavy handed in their response to such. Furthermore, additional protests and strikes in the affected areas cannot be discounted. Localised disruptions to transport networks and businesses should be anticipated in the coming days. Persons operating in La Altagracia in the near-term are advised to avoid any protest gatherings, should they occur, as a standard precaution. Clients are advised to monitor local media for updates and announcements of additional protests and further strike action. Localised traffic and transport disruptions should be anticipated in all strike-affected areas.

 

AUSTRALIA - The right-wing Reclaim Australia group is scheduled to hold a series of anti-Islam rallies in a number of urban centres across Australia on 18 and 19 July. Rallies will be held in Adelaide and Melbourne, outside each city's respective Parliament House, on 18 July. On 19 July, rallies will be held at Martin Place in Sydney, Emma Miller Place in Brisbane, the National Library in the capital of Canberra, as well as Solidarity Park in Perth. Additional rallies will also be held in the towns of Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Esperance, Cairns and Mackay. All rallies are expected to start in the late morning or early afternoon. Although numbers at each rally are expected to vary, attendance is likely to range from the low hundreds to the low thousands. Left-wing and anti-fascist groups have indicated that they will hold counter-rallies on the affected days; these are expected to be better attended than the right-wing demonstrations. Reclaim Australia demonstrations have been marred by low-level clashes with rival demonstrators and security forces in the past, and often result in arrests. Despite this, any disturbances can be expected to remain localised and swiftly contained by the police, posing an incidental risk to bystanders. In addition, localised travel disruptions are possible due to the rival gatherings and related security measures.  Persons in the aforementioned urban centres on 18 and 19 July are advised to avoid the planned demonstrations and associated gatherings, as well as all concentrations of security forces, as a precaution. Clients requiring further information on the times and locations of specific rallies are advised to contact their security provider for more information.
 

ISRAEL(TEL AVIV) - The Histadrut organisation of trade unions has called for a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 16 July. Participants are expected to gather at Habima Square at 11:00 local time. The protest has been organised by the organisation as part of its preparation for a countrywide eight-day strike which is set to begin on 22 July. The strike action has been called to demand improved working conditions for contract workers. The protest is likely to be well supported; as such, localised road travel disruptions should be anticipated in the vicinity of Habima Square. While the demonstration is expected to conclude peacefully, the risk of low-level violence cannot be discounted. The strike, should it proceed, is likely to result in disruptions to business, government operations and public transport. Clients in Tel Aviv on 16 July are advised to avoid all large street gatherings as a precaution and adjust itineraries to accommodate for any potential localised travel disruptions. Persons operating in Israel are advised to monitor local media for updates and announcements regarding the upcoming strike action.
 
CYPRUS(LIMASSOL) - Port workers at the Limassol Port are expected to participate in a 24-hour union-led strike in the southern coast city of Limassol, Cyprus on 17 July. Commercial activity and ferry services are likely to be affected. Unions have called for strike action in opposition to governments port privatisation plan. Previous strikes by port workers in Cyprus have been well observed; resulting in disruptions to port services including commercial activities and ferry services. Precedent indicates that associated protests are likely. As such, the possibility of protests during the upcoming strike cannot be discounted. Previous protests have centred on the Parliament building in the capital, Nicosia's Nechrou Street, as well as on Karaiskaki Square and port areas in Larnaca and Limassol. Protest gatherings, should they occur, will likely take place in these areas. While these are expected to conclude peacefully, the possibility of violent unrest cannot be discounted. Persons operating in Cyprus on 17 July should anticipate disruptions to port services at the affected port. Clients should consider organising and/or booking other means of sea transportation in advance. Protest gatherings, should they occur, should be avoided as a standard precaution.

 

HONDURAS(TEGUCIGALPA) - Activists are expected to participate in an anti-corruption protest march in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, on 17 July. Participants will likely gather at Plaza Morazan at 17:00 local time and proceed to the US Embassy building located on La Paz Avenue. The upcoming protest will be the latest in a series of agitations usually held on Fridays against alleged government corruption. Recent related protests drew large crowds and resulted in localised road travel disruptions in the city. These also concluded without any major incident. This precedent suggests that the scheduled protest will likely pass peacefully. Even so, it should be noted that protests in Honduras have the potential to turn violent and security forces are known to use heavy-handed tactics in dealing with dissent. Additionally, localised road travel disruptions are anticipated along the protest route. Clients in Tegucigalpa on 17 July are advised to make allowances for localised travel disruptions and avoid all large street gatherings as a precaution against civil unrest.
  

CZECH REPUBLIC(WENCESLAS SQUARE, PRAGUE) - Opposing demonstrations are expected to take place in Wenceslas Square, in central Prague, on 18 July. Activists in support of immigration rights are set to begin their demonstration at 14:00 local time, while opponents of immigration will gather in the square from 15:00. Later, at 17:00, a number of conservative and far-right organisations are expected to stage the largest of the three rallies in the square. A significant number of police, as well as numerous barricades, are expected to be deployed in the square in order to keep the opposing groups apart. Demonstrations related to immigration issues in Czech Republic have been marred by incidents of civil unrest in the past. Furthermore, events organised by far-right organisations are often infiltrated by disruptive elements. Accordingly, the demonstrations will proceed under close police supervision; travel disruptions due to associated road closures and police barriers should be anticipated. Clients in Prague on 18 July are advised to avoid all protest gatherings and concentrations of security forces, if practically possible.

BULGARIA(SOFIA) - A large police deployment is expected to accompany an anti-Roma protest in central Sofia on 18 July. Anti-Roma demonstrators, and possible counter-demonstrators, are expected to gather in National Assembly Square. Related protests may also take place in Sofia's Orlandovtsi area as well as in the town of Garmen on the day; over 450 police have been deployed to these locations in an effort to keep ethnic Bulgarian and Roma residents, who have frequently staged opposing demonstrations, separate. Tensions between ethnic Bulgarians and Roma communities remain pertinent social and political concerns in Bulgaria. Associated demonstrations occur periodically in the country, often prompting counter-protests. The upcoming demonstration has been organised following a decision by the European Court of Human Rights preventing Garmen's authorities from demolishing the illegally built homes of Roma residents. Previous gatherings related to this issue have frequently turned violent. The possibility of violence occurring at the 18 July demonstration cannot be dismissed. As the issues surrounding these protests are ongoing, further related demonstrations should be anticipated in the near-term. Additionally, localised travel disruptions should be anticipated in the vicinity of National Assembly Square. Persons in Sofia on 18 July are advised to avoid the planned protest as a precaution. Clients are also advised to make allowances for localised travel disruptions in the vicinity of the demonstration and plan accordingly. Local media should be monitored for updates and developments on possible related protests.

BOLIVIA - (Update) The Potosi Civic Committee (Comcipo), an alliance of unions and other social organisations, which initiated a strike of indefinite duration on 13 July in Potosi department, continue to agitate. The action was initiated to pressure the government into developing the economy of and infrastructure within the region. The strike in Potosi has coincided with protests in multiple areas of the country, including in the city of Potosi, Sucre, Cochabamba and in the capital, La Paz, in recent days. Protest organisers have stated that they will suspend protests in La Paz for one day only, on 16 July, due to the commemoration of La Paz Day. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued a warning on 15 July stating that the industrial action in Potosi has led to road closures and shortages of water and food in the city. The strike action is also affecting tourist busses. The FCO statement further indicated that the local authorities are "putting together arrangements for foreign nationals to leave the city." The strike and protest action in Potosi department and related gatherings in other major cities is expected to persist over the near-term. Further road disruptions and shortages of essential food, water and medicine should be anticipated in Potosi department. The associated protests have been relatively peaceful to date; however, the threat of low-level confrontations remains elevated at all associated gatherings in the country. Protest hotspots include prominent government buildings, public squares and major road routes. Travellers should note that protesters frequently erect roadblocks during protests, potentially resulting in severe travel disruptions. Roadblocks can also be the site of clashes between protesters and the police. Clients are advised to defer travel to Potosi department until the situation stabilises. Persons in the affected department should liaise with their travel or security provider regarding the availability of transport services and for updates on the security situation in the department, particularly in the city of Potosi, respectively. All protests in the country should be avoided. If confronted by a roadblock, seek to leave the area and do not proceed through it.

 

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