Friday Risk Watch: January 3, 2025

Stay ahead of potential risks and ensure the safety of your employees with Friday Risk Watch, a weekly newsletter curated by our Global Intelligence Team.

Expect updates on emerging risks, geopolitical developments, weather forecasts, etc. We’ll notify you of the latest incidents that could impact your organization, allowing you to make informed decisions and mitigate potential risks.

What We’re Watching

Major Winter Storm Threat to Stretch From Kansas to East Coast: Between Saturday and Monday, expect a major winter storm to impact large portions of the Central Plains, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions. The storm will bring freezing rain, heavy snow, and strong winds, leading to hazardous travel conditions, power outages, and widespread disruptions. Residents in impacted regions should monitor National Weather Service updates and prepare for travel impacts.?

• West-Central Kansas will experience freezing rain during the day on Saturday, transitioning to heavy snow and strong winds Saturday night into Sunday. Snow totals of 2-4 inches and wind gusts exceeding 40-50 mph may result in blizzard conditions in central and northern parts of the state.?
• Northeast Kansas, North-Central Missouri, and southern areas of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio could observe 6-10 inches of snow, locally 12+. High wind gusts over 30 mph will create blowing snow and hazardous travel conditions. Potentially affected cities include Kansas City, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Columbus.?
• Ice storm impacts are likely in Eastern Kansas, Central Missouri, Central/Northern Kentucky, and immediate adjoining areas along the Ohio River. Freezing rain totals between 0.10 - 0.20 inches could lead to dangerous road conditions. Areas near the freezing rain-snow gradient may experience a mix of precipitation, complicating forecasts and increasing risks.?
• The Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions will see wintry precipitation Sunday evening through Monday afternoon, including freezing rain, snow, and sleet. Expect several inches of snow accumulation in Northern Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and South Pennsylvania, with potential for hazardous travel and sporadic power outages in higher terrain.?

Deadly U.S. Incidents Prompt Terror Investigations, Increased Security: Law enforcement is on heightened alert across the U.S. after a ramming attack in New Orleans and a vehicle explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day. Both incidents are being investigated as acts of terror; however, as of this writing, officials have reportedly found "no definitive link" between them. ?

• While authorities initially suggested that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the perpetrator of the New Orleans attack, may have had help, a spokesperson from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Thursday they do not believe anyone else was involved. Similarly, authorities in Vegas called the explosion at Trump’s property "an isolated incident.”?
• Security has been bolstered in other U.S. cities after these events. New York increased police presence at “relevant locations,” including at Trump Tower and Times Square, as did Austin and Washington, D.C., though authorities in each stated that there were no known threats to their communities. ?
• As investigations continue, officials are preparing for notable events that could be subject to targeting by bad actors, including the presidential vote certification in Washington, D.C., on Monday and gatherings commemorating former President Jimmy Carter.

Major U.S. Events to See Heightened Security Following Attacks: Just one day after the terror attack in New Orleans occurred, officials reopened Bourbon Street, the site of the incident, and held?a major college football game at the city’s Superdome stadium amid heightened security. The game was just one of several significant events that law enforcement will be working to protect in the coming days.?

• This weekend, events commemorating the life of former President Jimmy Carter will take place in Atlanta, GA, and Carter's hometown of Plains, GA. In Atlanta, a motorcade will travel to the Georgia State Capitol and the Carter Center. Carter's remains will lie in repose before being flown Tuesday to Washington, D.C. His state funeral will be on Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral.?
• In addition to Carter’s state funeral, D.C. is preparing for Monday’s counting and certification of the 2024 Presidential Election during a Joint Session of Congress. The certification has been designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE), and major law enforcement presence and traffic restrictions will surround the event.?
• At a press conference in D.C.?Friday morning, officials indicated they are unaware of any specific or credible threats to the D.C.-based events. Still, they noted that the country remains in a heightened threat environment following this week’s incidents. ?

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Paris Braces for Farmer Blockades as Agricultural Anger Reignites: (Note: A few of the following links are in French.) Coordination Rurale (CR), one of the largest agricultural unions in France, is calling on supporters to “block access” to Paris on Sunday, signaling another turbulent year for farm-related demonstrations in the EU’s second-largest economy. CR was key in some of the most impactful actions during the 2024 French farmers’ protests, including organizing road blockades across Paris last January.?

• While heightened security and traffic disruptions are likely around Paris on Sunday, impacts will likely be muted relative to last year’s blockades without the participation of farmers with the National Federation of Agricultural Holders' Unions (FNSEA). ?
• The CR is seeking a meeting with French political leaders to promote import controls and an “agricultural exception” in response to the impending EU-Mercosur trade agreement.?French farmers restarted widespread demonstrations against the trade deal in November, which EU lawmakers have yet to ratify.?
• France isn’t the only country to see demonstrations against the EU-Mercosur agreement. Farmers across Europe are expected to organize in response to its ratification, which will likely happen before this year's end. Sunday’s mobilization also comes ahead of elections to France’s Chamber of Agriculture, a public institution with an advisory role to the government.??

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