Argentina (Security threat level – 3): On 31 January 2019, four assailants robbed a Canadian national in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of San Telmo. The suspects attacked the tourist while he was walking “in an apparent state of drunkenness” and stabbed him in the shoulder before stealing his cell phone and fleeing the scene. Authorities later arrested three of the suspects.
South Korea (Security threat level – 2): According to reports on 31 January 2019, Sunjung International workers at Gimhae International Airport (RKPK/PUS) in Busan have threatened to go on strike prior to the Lunar New Year holiday on 5 February. Sunjung International provides luggage classification and cabin cleanup services to 13 airlines at the airport that account for approximately 100 of the 160 flights that leave RKPK per day. Sunjung International has requested that the Ministry of Employment and Labor designate the workers’ tasks as essential, which would limit their ability to go on strike, though there has been no determination of when or if the ministry will make that decision.
France (Security threat level – 3): On 30 January 2019, an assailant opened fire in the streets of the city of Bastia, located on the French island of Corsica. One person was shot and killed, while four others — including one police officer — were injured in the city’s southern Montesoro district. The suspect subsequently barricaded himself in an apartment in the area for several hours, where he was later found dead by police officers in an apparent suicide. Authorities are investigating the motive for the attack, but do not believe it was terror-related.
United Kingdom / Belgium / Netherlands / Luxembourg / Germany / Switzerland / Spain / Portugal (Security threat levels – 3 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 3 / 2): As of 31 January 2019, winter weather conditions are continuing to affect countries across Western Europe. The United Kingdom’s Met Office has issued amber weather warnings, the second highest on the three-level scale, for parts of south England and Wales due to expected heavy snow; the warning will remain in effect from 1400 to 2100 local time/UTC. Meanwhile, a yellow weather warning, the lowest on the three-level scale, has been issued for much of the rest of Great Britain from 31 January through 1 February. The Met Office warned that heavy snow could disrupt road and rail travel and potentially disrupt power supply and other services, including mobile phone coverage. Southeastern Trains has canceled at least 21 services on 31 January and will run a reduced service on 1 February due to the expected hazardous conditions. The severe weather is expected to last through 1 February.
Elsewhere in Europe, up to 2 cm (1 in) of snow is expected across the region on the evening of 31 January, including in cities such as Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg and Cologne. In addition, winds of 30-50 kph (20-30 mph) with gusts of up to 65-80 kph are expected across Spain and Portugal on 31 January and 1 February. Disruptions due to snow have been reported throughout the day on 31 January at several airports, including Frankfurt Airport (EDDF/FRA), Dusseldorf International Airport (EDDL/DUS), London Heathrow Airport (EGLL/LHR), London City Airport (EGLC/LCY), Amsterdam (EHAM/AMS) and Zurich (LSZH/ZRH). In addition, authorities temporarily closed the main runway at Cologne-Bonn Airport (EDDK/CGN) in the morning due to heavy snowfall. Disruptions and cancellations remain possible throughout the day on 31 January through 1 February.
Guatemala (Security threat level – 4): On 31 January 2019, the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City issued a Demonstration Alert, which reads in part as follows:
South Africa (Security threat level – 4): On 31 January 2019, the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg issued a Demonstration Alert, which reads in part as follows:
Security threat levels range from 1 (Very Low) to 5 (Very High) and are determined using a comprehensive system that utilizes both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The primary factors used to determine a location’s security threat level are Armed Conflict, Crime, Demonstrations/Strikes, Ethnic/Sectarian Tensions, Graft/Corruption, Kidnapping, Political Instability, Government Restriction and Terrorism.
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