Tensions are increasing around the world. Let's take a tour...
France
Hundreds of thousands of people have continued to demonstrate across France against Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the national pension retirement age from 62 to 64. Violent clashes with police are common in cities like Paris and Lyon, to include the burning of government vehicles, the defacing of civic property, and the smashing of bank windows. Macron's favorite brasserie was also set on fire.
On Thursday of this week, protesters invaded an office building housing the Paris headquarters of BlackRock, the world’s largest investment and asset management company. About 100 people, including representatives of several labor unions, were inside the building burning flares and setting off fireworks and smoke bombs. Protesters targeted BlackRock’s office due to the company’s role in managing and privatizing pensions.
UK / Northern Ireland
Last week, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified that the UK's internal security service MI-5 raised the terror threat level in Northern Ireland to SEVERE due to increased dissident activity and the targeting of police.
This week, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said it had “very strong” intelligence that officers would be targeted in Londonderry on Easter Monday, April 10th. This day is symbolic as it marks the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the peace deal that created power-sharing in the province and brought an end to the 30 years of conflict known as the Troubles.
Readers are reminded that Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Sunak will both arrive in Northern Ireland on Tuesday in order to attend a day of commemorative events marking the agreement on Wednesday.
Finland Joins NATO
The Republic of Finland formally became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday of this week, finalizing the fastest accession process in the treaty's history at just under 12 months. Finland has 832 mi of common land border with Russia, meaning Russia's border with NATO more than doubles. In May of last year shortly after the NATO membership process began, Threat Journal reported on Russia's deployment of mobile nuclear-capable Iskander short-range ballistic missile to the city of Vyborg, approximately 125 miles east of Helsinki.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated this week that in the event forces and assets of other NATO members are deployed in Finland, "we will take additional steps to reliably ensure Russia's military security."
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO had not yet seen any changes to Russia's nuclear posture that would require any change by the alliance. He added there would be no NATO troops stationed in Finland without the consent of the government in Helsinki.
Israel
On Friday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a security alert issued by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem warning of mortar and rocket fire due to heightened tensions. This crisis kicked off with Israeli raids in the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. The raids were carried out as protesters had stockpiled large amounts of fireworks and large rocks, which are used to attack Jewish worshipers in the Old City. These raids were followed by a barrage of 34 rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel. The IDF countered with airstrikes on targets belonging to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
This year is one of only three times in a century when Easter occurs at the same time as Passover and Ramadan. That assures Jerusalem and other sites across Israel are jammed packed. On Friday alone, two British-Israeli sisters were gunned down in the Jordan Valley, and a vehicle ramming incident on Tel Aviv's waterfront killed an Italian tourist and injured several others.
U.S. citizens are strongly urged to exercise caution and vigilance if in Israel during this period of tension.
Taiwan / China
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy welcomed Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen for a historic meeting on American soil Wednesday, underscoring US lawmakers' growing support for the self-governing island as tensions rise with China.
Beijing has reacted to past trips by Taiwanese presidents through the U.S., and to past trips to Taiwan by senior U.S. officials, with shows of military force. In a recent example, China responded to a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last August with its largest live-fire drills in decades, including firing a missile over the island.
In response to this week's meeting, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that Beijing would take “resolute and forceful measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Also on Thursday, China announced three days of military exercises encircling the island of Taiwan. The exercise is reported to include boarding and inspection of cargo vessels in the Taiwan Strait, as well maneuvers and drills in the sea and airspace to the north, south and east of of the island.
Korean Peninsula
South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told the National Assembly's defense committee on Thursday that North Korea has already completed preparations for what would be its seventh nuclear test, and is capable of carrying out that test at any time. Lee went on to say that the North's next test, if pressed ahead, might be designed for "final technological verification" needed for the mass production and operational deployment of nuclear warheads.
United States
Following last week's tragic attack on a Christian school by a transgender activist that left three children and three adults dead, AlertsUSA again cautions readers that social media platforms and online forums continue to reveal extraordinary expressions of anger, along with threats, from trans activists and their supporters.
It was revealed this week that on March 31st, Elbert County, Colorado authorities arrested a teenager planning a series of attacks on schools and churchs in Colorado Springs. According to a news release by the local District Attorney, a teenage biological male named William Whitworth, who identifies as female, was charged with two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder in the first degree, criminal mischief, menacing and interference with staff, faculty or students of educational institutions.
According to the arrest papers, a family member of the suspect called authorities claiming their sister “threatened to shoot up a school.” Once the arrest was made, the police account of which is pretty mind blowing, Whitworth began to reveal details of the attack preparation, including floor plans for at least one target, drawings of a detonation device using a mechanical clock, a manifesto, and a list of possible human targets.
AlertsUSA once again urges renewed caution and vigilance at any house of worship or affiliated school with doctrines and teachings against these lifestyles. As immorality and lawlessness continue to spread in our society, those institutions which are anchored in and teach conservative Judeo-Christian religious principles are increasingly being targeted. Now is the time to increase your security posture.
AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant. |
