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Greece
Capsized Refugee Boats, 18 Dead
At least 18 people have died in a pair of unrelated boat accidents off the Greek coast – both of which were carrying refugees. One of the boats, which had set sail from the Turkish coast, sank off the island of Lesbos after encountering strong winds. According to the Greek coast guard, the boat had 40 people on board, and by Thursday morning, 16 of them had been found dead. At the same time, strong winds caused a sailboat filled with around 95 refugees and migrants to smash into a rocky cliff off the island of Kythira. Kythira has become a part of the southern route increasingly used by smugglers heading to Italy. Search and rescue crews reported 80 people had been rescued from the capsized boat, and two found dead. In response to these incidents, the Greek migration minister has called upon Turkey to take immediate action to prevent irregular departures during harsh weather conditions.
This map depicts the locations where two refugee boats crashed off the coast of Greece, killing at least 18 people. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Al Jazeera
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United States
Russian Dissenters Flee to Alaska
On Tuesday, two Russian citizens arrived in a small boat to a remote island of Alaska in the Bering Sea. Requesting asylum in the U.S., they claimed they fled their country to avoid military service in the partial mobilization ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. St. Lawrence Island, where they landed, is home to an isolated native community of about 600 residents. Typically, Russian asylum-seekers enter through Mexico or Canada rather than Alaska. However, with more Russians fleeing to the U.S. since the war, and most conventional air routes cut off, it has become more challenging to reach the U.S. Alaskan Senator Dan Sullivan recommended the federal government create a plan in case more Russians enter the country through Alaska.
This map depicts the location of St. Lawrence Island, where two Russian asylum-seekers arrived by boat on Tuesday. Click on the map to learn more.
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United States
Marijuana Convictions Pardoned
President Joe Biden has pardoned individuals convicted on federal charges of marijuana possession. The pardon affected more than 6,500 people and thousands more in pardons under D.C law. In addition to the pardons, the president announced he has instructed the Secretary of Health and the Attorney General to review how marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule 1 substance. Marijuana possession currently accounts for approximately 40-50% of all drug arrests across the United States. The move to pardon those convicted of federal marijuana possession is the first major step toward decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level.
This map depicts the legality of marijuana usage by state. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What is the largest country in Africa by land area? (Hint: Its official language is Arabic!)
A: Algeria
With a total land area of 919,595 sq miles (2,381,741 sq km), Algeria is the largest country in Africa. Its geography is strongly contrasted between the mountainous, fertile terrain in the north and the expansive arid desert in the south. Its Mediterranean coastline has numerous bays, and the Atlas Mountains cross over Northern Algeria from east to west. About 90 percent of the over 45 million people population live on the fertile coastal strip which extends about 50 miles (80 km) inland, and stretches about 950 miles (1,30 km) from Morocco to Tunisia. Beyond about 200 miles (322 km) inland is the vast Sahara Desert, which makes up 90 percent of the country. The majority of the population is ethnically and linguistically Arab, while the Amazigh are the largest minority, and almost three-quarters of the population live in urban areas.
Source
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Q: Previously effusing smoke or lava on a near-daily basis until 2010, what is the name of the famous Costa Rican volcano now characterized by scientists as “sleeping?”
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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