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Mexico
Immigration Center Fire Kills 39
At least 39 people have been killed in a fire that broke out Monday evening in a government-run migrant detention center. Located in Cuidad Juarez, a city that sits along the US-Mexico border on the Mexico side, the fire occurred shortly after 10:00pm local time when inmates set mattresses on fire in protest of deportation. Victims have been identified from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador, with Guatemalans making up the largest number of the victims. The inmates were trapped behind padlocked doors and the facility was overcrowded, with at least 68 people held in the facility at the time of the blaze. The facility has come under further scrutiny with the release of surveillance footage showing guards making no attempts to release detainees once the fire broke out.
This map depicts the location of a detention center in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, along the US-Mexico border, where a deadly fire broke out Monday evening. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: USA Today
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Republic of Congo
Pirates Seize Danish Tanker
International navies are on alert to find the tanker, Monjasa Reformer, after it was seized by pirates this past weekend. The Danish-owned, Liberian-flagged tanker was sitting idle when it was attacked about 140 nautical miles (260 km) west of the Republic of the Congo’s major port, Pointe Noire. This area is the Gulf of Guinea, a notorious region for piracy off the coast of West Africa. The Monjasa Group that owns the ship reported there are 16 crew members aboard who are locked into a “citadel” onboard the ship for protection from the pirates. The ship has ceased transmitting on the automatic identification systems (AIS) that allow maritime authorities to track ships, and all other communications systems appear to be down. The ship is believed to have been sighted yesterday 540 nautical miles (1,000 km) further out to sea.
This map depicts the last confirmed location of the Danish-owned tanker Monjasa Reformer, which was seized by pirates Saturday. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: News.com.au
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Space
Five-Planet Alignment
Starting last night and through this week after sunset, viewers around the world are able to see the spectacle of five planets in alignment: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury and Uranus. The alignment is a rare chance for viewers to spot Uranus, which usually is not visible in the sky. The five planets form a subtle arch shape just underneath the moon, with Jupiter, Venus, and Mars being easy to spot by the naked eye. Mercury and Uranus are harder to spot without binoculars or a telescope due to their dimmer lights. This type of planetary alignment occurs occasionally, when the planets’ orbits happen to line on the opposite side of the sun from Earth’s perspective. Another planetary alignment is projected to occur in June, although it will be made up of a different array of planets.
This map depicts the location of the moon and the five planets in the alignment. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What nut is native to southwestern Asia but sees 80 percent of its global production in California?
A: Almonds
The almond (Prunus dulcis) is a tree of the rose family (Rosacceae), and is native to southwestern Asia, with ancient remains of almonds discovered in the Levant. The domestication of almonds is thought to have taken place in the Early Bronze Age (around 3000 to 2000 BC), with almonds being found at archaeological sites in Numeria, Jordan, and even in Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt. In ancient times, the almond was spread by humans along the shores of the Mediterranean, making its way into northern Africa and southern Europe. In more recent times, the almond was transported all around the world, and found a major home in California. While California produces roughly 80 percent of the world’s almonds, due to the high acreage and water demand for cultivation, almond production in the Golden State may not be so sustainable, especially as California experiences persistent drought and increased heat.
Source
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Q: Today is International Manatee Appreciation Day! Where do the three distinct species of Manatees worldwide come from?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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