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Syria
Air Strikes Kill 11 Militants
The United States military carried out air strikes on pro-Iran fighters in eastern Syria yesterday, killing eleven. The airstrikes were authorized in response to a drone attack on a U.S. military base near Hasakah which killed one U.S. contractor and injured five others. The drone appeared to have been of Iranian origin. The deaths of the 11 fighters was confirmed by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor with a wide network of sources on the ground. Hundreds of U.S. military personnel remain in Syria after going to the country to fight the Islamic State in 2014. Iran claims that any personnel in Syria are there at the invitation of the Syrian government in an advisory capacity.
This map depicts the location of air strikes carried out by the U.S. military in response to a drone attack on a military facility. Click on the map to learn more.
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China-Philippines
Maritime Conflict Consultations
China and the Philippines held the 7th annual meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCM) in Manila, back-to-back with the 23rd Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC). These meetings are intended as a gesture of goodwill in conflict resolution, however they serve as a consultative mechanism and not a formal negotiation platform. China and the Philippines have exchanged protests over recent interactions and developments in their competing claims over territory in the South China Sea. China strongly opposes the Philippines expanding its hosting of U.S. military bases on its territory, while the Philippines has formally protested over a recent incident where a Chinese naval ship targeted a laser at a Philippine vessel. China maintains an expansive claim on the waters of the South China Sea, despite that claim being rejected by the United Nations. China’s claim overlaps competing claims by the Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
This map depicts six incidents which have occurred in the South China Sea since January, 2023. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Worldview
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Vanuatu
Climate Appeal after Cyclones
The South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is preparing to appeal to the United Nations General Assembly next week for increased international efforts to combat climate change. Vanuatu’s government has asked the International Court of Justice to specify the international community’s obligations to combat climate change and the legal consequences should they fail to do so. This closely follows Vanuatu being struck by two tropical cyclones, Judy on February 28 and Kevin on March 2, causing extensive damage to homes and crops. Vanuatu has a population of 319,000 people spread out over 80 islands, with 3,000 of them still living in emergency shelters over three weeks after the cyclones swept through. Between the fear of rising seas and the perceived increased risk of extreme weather, the government of Vanuatu believes climate change poses an existential threat to the country and that the international community is obligated to protect it.
This map depicts the population exposures to the recent tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin which swept through the island nation of Vanuatu three weeks ago. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: An eruption 30,000 years ago from what still-active volcano in Bali is one of the largest known volcanic events on Earth??
A: Mount Batur, Bali, Indonesia
Bali is one of 13,000 islands that make up the nation of Indonesia. At 10,308 ft (3,148 m) high, Bali’s highest point is Mount Agung, located on the eastern side of the island and considered of great significance in Balinese culture and religion. The active volcano last erupted in 1963 after being dormant for 100 years, and killed over 1,000 people. However, that is not Bali’s most notorious volcano. Just 31 miles (50 km) northeast stands the infamous Mount Batur. Its caldera shows the residual of the massive catastrophic eruption that happened around 33,000 years ago. Inferring from the large size and total volume of the outer crater and volcano, scientists estimate the eruption produced 33.4 cubic miles (140 cubic km) of material, making it one of the largest known volcanic events on the planet. Since the 1800’s, Batur has erupted at least 22 times and is still active today.
Source
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Q: What enormous lake in Southern Africa, once larger than Switzerland, is said to be where the first modern Homo sapiens began to evolve?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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