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World
U.S. Tariffs Cause Markets to Fall
Global markets plunged after U.S. President Donald Trump announced steep reciprocal tariffs last week, heightening trade tensions and marking one of Wall Street’s worst weeks in recent history. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all saw significant declines and began to enter bear market territory, which is defined as a drop of 20 percent or more from a recent high. European and Asian stocks also plummeted as investors worldwide reacted to the news, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index suffering its largest single-day loss since 1997 and Japan’s Nikkei 225 falling nearly 8 percent. While the U.S. is engaged in trade talks with some countries, President Trump has defended the tariffs, insisting they are necessary to rectify trade imbalances.
This map depicts the leading global exporters to the United States, all of which are affected by the new tariffs. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Medium
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Israel-Palestine
Buffer Zone Expansion
Israeli control has grown to roughly 50% of Gaza as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) push the expansion of a buffer zone to protect Israel from militant attacks. Israeli soldiers have been ordered to raze homes, farms, and infrastructure within Gaza .6 miles (1 km) from the border with Israel. The buffer zone is designed to allow a clear line of sight to observe and stop any oncoming attacks like the one carried out by Hamas and associated militants that initiated the war in October, 2023. In addition to the expanded buffer zone, the Israeli government has confirmed its intention to establish control over a corridor running across southern Gaza, similar to the current Netzarim Corridor that separates Gaza City from the rest of the strip, as another mechanism to monitor and limit the mobility of Palestinian militants.
This map depicts territory in Gaza currently controlled by the Israeli military as it continues its operations to reduce the capability of Palestinian militants to mount attacks against Israel. Click on the map to learn more.
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Germany
7,000-Year-Old Algae Revived
Researchers have successfully revived algae that remained dormant within sediment at the bottom of the Baltic Sea for more than 7,000 years. The tiny diatom cells have regained full biological activity despite thousands of years beneath the seafloor without light or oxygen, according to the paper, published in the ISME Journal. Scientists were able to practice “‘resurrection ecology” to return the plankton to full viability under favorable conditions. This evolutionary biology technique involves reviving dormant organisms from lake sediments to study animals as they existed at the time they were buried in the sediment. The visible algae was able to be awakened from dormancy from nine sediment samples under favorable nutrient and light conditions. The researchers are hoping to use the findings to discover more about the environment at the time. The study has also shown that they can directly trace genetic changes over many millennia by analyzing living cells, rather than fossils or traces of DNA.
This map depicts location in the Baltic Sea where sediment core sampling retrieved dormant algae that was revived after over 7,000 years. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What country is home to the largest active military barrier in the world?
A: Morocco
The disputed territory of Western Sahara, a swath of ungoverned desert just south of Morocco and northwest of Mauritania, is divided by the Moroccan Wall, a 1,600-mile-long (2,700 km), 10-foot-tall (3 m), fortified berm, or sand wall. At 16 times longer than the Berlin Wall was, the Moroccan Wall, also known as “the Berm,” is the largest active military barrier. Landmines dot the length of the fortification, making it also the longest minefield in the world. The portion of land to the west of the wall, along the Atlantic Ocean, is controlled by Morocco. The eastern side is governed by the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi liberation movement. The fight for Sahrawi independence is what drove Spain, which had ruled Western Sahara for more than 90 years, out of the region in 1976. When Spain withdrew, Morocco took over the Atlantic coast and Mauritania the eastern portion, which was eventually overtaken by Sahrawi fighters.
Source
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Q: What country is home to the world’s longest artificial river and oldest canal?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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