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Libya
Deadly Clash in Political Conflict
Clashes over the weekend in Libya’s capital city of Tripoli between supporters of rival governments killed at least 32 people and wounded another 159. The fighting pitted militia groups aligned with the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) under Abdul Hamid Dbeibah against those supporting a rival administration headed by Fathi Bashagha, which is backed by the eastern-based parliament. The conflict was Bashagha’s second attempt since May to take control of the capital city. Emergency services have been working to evacuate civilians and the wounded. The conflict is the worst the country has experienced in two years and has sparked concerns of an impending civil war.
This map depicts the territory held by various factions in Libya’s ongoing internal power struggle. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Al Jazeera
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Taiwan
U.S. Warships Sail in the Strait
For the first time since U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, two U.S. Navy warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. Earlier this month, Pelosi’s visit enraged Chinese authorities who saw it as America’s attempt to meddle in its internal politics. In response, China carried out military exercises near Taiwan. The American warships’ journey through the strait is not unusual because the U.S. and its allied nations often sail in international waters near the island. However, given that diplomatic tensions were heightened after Pelosi’s visit, the Navy has specifically characterized the passage as an expression of “the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
This map depicts the waters surrounding the island of Taiwan, including the international waters of the Taiwan Strait, through which two U.S. warships sailed on Sunday. Click on the map to learn more.
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Portugal
Sauropod Skeleton Discovered
A man in Portugal dug up a bit more than he bargained for while tending to his garden as he discovered a huge set of fossilized dinosaur bones. After studying the skeleton, scientists have found that the bones belonged to an 82-foot (25 m) brachiosaurus. The brachiosaurus lived between 160 and 100 million years ago and could be the largest sauropod ever found in Europe. According to researchers at the University of Lisbon, it’s uncommon to find dinosaur fossils preserved in this way in Portugal’s pre-historic period, the Upper Jurassic. Only some ribs and parts of the spinal column have thus far been uncovered, but the field team believes they’ll uncover more of the animal’s skeleton in future digs.
This map depicts the location of the Monte Agudo paleontological site in Pombal, Portugal, where a fossilized brachiosaur skeleton was discovered in a residential garden. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Considered a global biodiversity treasure for its more than 1,000 different fish species, which East African lake has more distinct fish than any other lake in the world?
A: Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyassa, is home to more distinct fish species than any other lake in the world, with almost all of the species occurring nowhere else on the planet. Researchers are constantly finding new species, and some believe there could be upwards of 2,000 species. Located in southeast Africa, between Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique, Lake Malawi covers 11,600 sq miles (30,000 sq km) and holds about 7% of the world’s available surface freshwater. The lake was formed millions of years ago and over thousands of years took form in the Great African Rift Valley, known for its geographical features stretching across the eastern part of of the continent. The lake is fed by the Ruhuhu River in the north, and flows into the Shire River in the south. Every 11 years, the water levels vary by up to 20 ft (6 m) and have been found to be linked to a sunspot cycle. In 1859, British geographer and explorer David Livingstone was the first European to map the lake. In 1980, the freshwater lake was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, however overfishing, pollution, and deforestation are affecting Lake Malawi, with many unique species in decline.
Source
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Q: Known for its stunning landscapes of rice terraces in the north, what Southeast Asian country is the fifth largest exporter of rice?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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