AFRICA

South Africa (Security threat level – 4): On 21 November 2022, members of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) commenced a two-day strike action in Cape Town to protest the provincial government’s decision to revoke an incentive program for taxi operators. Taxi services have been halted in Boland, Cata, Codeta, Greater Cape Town and Northern Region due to the industrial action. Two public buses were set ablaze in Cape Town during the morning of 21 November as taxi operators began their strike. Police officers have been deployed on city buses to ensure the safety of the vehicles and their passengers. The strike follows the provincial government’s decision to terminate its Blue Dot Taxi Project, which was launched more than a year ago to reward safer driving practices, at the end of November due to lack of funds.

ASIA

Russia (Security threat level – 4): On the afternoon of 20 November 2022, a large blaze broke out at a warehouse near Komsomolskaya Square in central Moscow, the capital. Russian emergency personnel stated that the fire spread across an area of approximately 1,900 sq. m (20,450 sq. ft) near the Kazansky, Leningradsky and Yaroslavsky railway stations before the approximately 80 firefighters deployed to the scene were able to extinguish the blaze. At least five people have been reported dead so far in relation to the fire. According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the fire resulted from a violation of safety standards.

EUROPE

Ukraine (Security threat level – 5): On 20 November 2022, U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials announced renewed shelling between Russian and Ukrainian forces at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — the largest nuclear energy facility in Europe — since the previous day. IAEA experts at the plant reported that more than a dozen explosions occurred near and at the facility on the morning of 20 November, damaging some equipment, buildings and systems that are noncritical to nuclear safety. IAEA investigators are expected to conduct an assessment of the site on 21 November.

NORTH AMERICA

United States (Security threat level – 2): At approximately 2355 local time on 19 November 2022 (0655 UTC on 20 November), a gunman opened fire inside an LGBTQ nightclub in northeastern Colorado Springs, Colorado — located approximately 60 mi (95 km) south of the state capital Denver. At least two patrons at Club Q immediately subdued the gunman and held him until police officers arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect. Five people were killed in the shooting and 25 others were injured, including seven people hospitalized in critical condition. Investigators have launched a probe into the shooting but have yet to determine a motive for the attack. Police had arrested the suspect in June 2021 for allegedly threatening to harm his mother with a homemade bomb and other weapons.

SOUTH AMERICA

Peru (Security threat level – 3): Shortly before 1530 local time (2030 UTC) on 18 November 2022, a commercial aircraft carrying 102 passengers and six crew members caught fire on the runway of Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (SPJC/LIM) after colliding with a firetruck. The right engine of the Airbus A320 aircraft struck the firetruck, which had entered the runway while the flight was accelerating to take off. The aircraft was performing LATAM Airlines flight LA2213 bound for the Peruvian city of Juliaca. All people on board disembarked the aircraft on the runway. A local official stated that two firefighters on the firetruck were killed in the collision; there were no reports of deaths among those aboard the aircraft. According to Peru’s Health Ministry, 20 passengers sought medical attention for their injuries, including two who suffered serious injuries. Firefighters at the scene immediately extinguished the blaze. Flight operations at the airport were halted until the afternoon hours of 19 November. The cause of the collision is under investigation; it remains unknown why the fire truck entered the runway while the flight was attempting to depart the facility.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Indonesia (Security threat level – 4): At approximately 1320 local time (0620 UTC) on 21 November 2022, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck the Cianjur region in West Java province. The quake was centered approximately 55 km (35 mi) west of the city of Bandung and had an estimated depth of 10 km, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Light to moderate shaking was felt in the capital Jakarta, located about 75 km south of the earthquake’s epicenter. Light shaking was also reported in Bandung. According to local officials, about 15 aftershocks were detected after the quake. At least 162 people were killed and more than 325 others were injured in the southern Cianjur region — the epicenter of the quake — while dozens of homes and businesses in the region sustained significant damage.

GOVERNMENT WARNINGS

Côte d’Ivoire (Security threat level – 4): On 19 November 2022, the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan issued a Security Alert warning citizens of an increased risk of crime, which reads in part as follows: “The holiday season historically sees an increase in crime such as petty theft, residential and commercial break-ins, and robberies. In addition, there are reports of upcoming protests and increased police presence throughout Côte d’Ivoire.”