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Ukraine
Russia Digs In
After a months-long stalemate through the winter, speculation is rife about how and when Ukrainian armed forces might begin a long-anticipated counteroffensive to reclaim territory illegally annexed by Russia during its full-scale invasion 14 months ago. Russian forces continue periodic air strikes against Ukrainian cities and have maintained a slow advance into the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut. In the meantime, satellite surveillance is revealing greater efforts across a broader front to build fortifications to stop the anticipated Ukrainian advance. Trenches to protect soldiers and obstacles and traps intended to divert or damage attack vehicles are appearing behind the front line from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south to Donetsk and Luhansk in the east. With hundreds of miles of front, Russian forces can’t build fortifications along every foot, but where they do build can tell Ukrainian intelligence what territories and towns Russia prioritizes.
This map depicts the areas where the Russian military has built defensive fortifications since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Reuters
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Spain
Record Heatwave
For days, a blistering heat wave has hit Spain with temperatures 5.6-8.3°F (10-15°C) warmer than expected for April. The country recorded its hottest ever temperature for April, reaching 38.8°C at the Cordoba airport in southern Spain just after 3:00pm local time. The high temperatures are being driven by a slow moving weather system coupled with a mass of very warm and dry air across North Africa pushing heat into Europe. Reservoirs in the Guadalquivir basin are only at 25% of capacity, with many farmers experiencing difficulties due to the ongoing lack of rain, causing the Madrid government to ask the European Union for financial help. Unprecedented temperatures may reach up to 102°F (39°C) in parts of Seville and Córdoba. In order to adapt to the heat, schools, hospitals, and community centers have modified their schedules, with trains running more frequently to prevent long waits on the platform, and public swimming pools expected to open a month earlier than normal.
This map depicts forecasted temperatures between late April and early May compared to Spain’s averages over the past two decades. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: BBC
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Papua New Guinea
Historic US President Visit
US President Joe Biden will briefly visit Papua New Guinea on May 22. The landmark stopover will make him the first sitting US president to visit the Pacific nation in over a century. Biden is scheduled to stop in the capital city of Port Moresby on his way to the Quad leaders summit in Australia, following a G7 meeting in Japan. The Quad summit will be held in Sydney, Australia on May 24, hosting leaders from India, Australia, Japan, and the United States. Biden plans to meet with with fourteen Pacific island leaders at a time when the US is attempting to reduce China’s influence in the region.
This map depicts Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea where US President Joe Biden plans to visit in May on his travels between Japan and Australia. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What densely forested mountainous plateau spans four countries and is the source of many West African rivers?
A: Guinea Highlands
The Guinea Highlands extend from central Guinea to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire. The highlands are home to several mountains, ranges, and plateaus across the four countries, including Guinea’s Fouta Djallon highlands, Sierra Leone’s Loma Mountains, and the Nimba Range at the border of Guinea, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire. The Guinea Highlands form the transition area between the Atlantic coast and Western Guinea’s lowland forests in the south, and the Guinea forest-savanna mosaic to the north. The Guinea Highlands are the source of many West African rivers, including the Niger (West Africa’s longest), the Senegal, and Gambia. The highest peak of the highlands – and in Sierra Leone – is Mount Bintumani, which stands 6,381 ft (1,945 m) tall and is part of the Loma Mountains. Its slopes are blanketed in rainforests and home to a diverse range of plants and animals, including many primates, pygmy hippos, dwarf crocodiles, and fishing owls. Mount Nimba, also known as Mount Richard-Molard, forms the highest peak in both Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea. It was named after French Geographer Jacques Richard-Molard, who died in an accident on the mountain in 1951.
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Q: With Hungary’s average elevation lying below 984 ft (300 m), what is the country’s highest point?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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