ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - February 24, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - February 24, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Latvian Parliament Approves Measure Banning Russian and Belarusian Food Products
• Chinese Police Work in Kiribati, Hawaii's Pacific Neighbor
• Nationwide Transportation and Climate Strike in Germany

Latvian Parliament Approves Measure Banning Russian and Belarusian Food Products

The Latvian parliament approved legislation banning the import of food products from Russia and Belarus, including via intermediary countries. The ban will not, however, apply to grain passing through Latvia en route to other countries in the European Union. President Edgars Rinkevics will still need to approve the measure before it becomes law. If approved, the ban would be in force until at least July 2025, at which point Latvia can extend the measure, if deemed necessary. A Latvian ban on food imports from Russia and Belarus would amount to the first European restrictions on food products. The European Union has been largely hesitant to sanction Russia's agricultural sector over concerns such a move could prompt food shortages and increase inflation.

Chinese Police Work in Kiribati, Hawaii's Pacific Neighbor

Chinese police officers are collaborating with Kiribati's local authorities in community policing and supporting a crime database program, according to officials. This partnership, not publicly announced by Kiribati, aligns with China's efforts to strengthen security ties in the Pacific amid competition with the United States. Despite the absence of a Chinese police station in Kiribati, a small contingent of uniformed Chinese police rotates through the country, providing requested services such as community policing and martial arts training. Kiribati requested China's policing assistance in 2022, leading to the deployment of Chinese officers. The extent and implications of this collaboration remain undisclosed, as Kiribati's president's office did not respond to inquiries.

Nationwide Transportation and Climate Strike in Germany

From February 26 to March 1, transportation workers from the Verdi union will go on strike. The protests will occur across different regions of Germany, where local transportation services will be severely disrupted for the entire day. The largest protests will take place on March 1 and coincide with environmental protests by Fridays for the Future. Protests by transportation groups have escalated in Germany since January 2024, and the Verdi union is likely inspired by the concessions the GDL union reached in late January after holding similar long-term strikes taking place over several days.