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France
Wave of Attacks Against Prisons
French prosecutors have opened an investigation alleging terrorist conspiracy and attempted murder after several prisons were attacked Monday in response to government anti-drug trafficking efforts. These attacks in southern France and near Paris mostly included burning cars, but also automatic rifle volleys fired at a prison entrance in Toulon. Monday night’s attacks come after seven vehicles were set on fire in a similar attack on France’s national school of prison administration on Sunday. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the letters DDPF – meaning “French prisoners’ rights” – were found on damaged vehicles. France’s Justice Minister said these were coordinated acts of intimidation against prison workers. French authorities in recent months have stepped up efforts against drug trafficking with a focus on cocaine, and measures have been proposed to tighten prison security, including building high-security jails to isolate the country’s top 100 kingpins.
This map depicts the prisons across France which were attacked in a coordinated campaign. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: The Sun
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Iraq
Sandstorm Hospitalizes 3,700
A massive sandstorm struck central and southern Iraq on Monday, causing airport closures and mass hospitalizations. The thick dust swirling in the air dropped visibility to less than a half mile (1 km), and brought an orange glow to the atmosphere. Authorities in the cities of Basra and Najaf were forced to close the airports. Over 3,700 hospitalizations for respiratory difficulties were attributed to the storm. This is the worst sandstorm to strike Iraq since 2022, when 5,000 people were hospitalized and one person died. Dust storms are a regular occurrence in Iraqi springtime, but analysts fear they will become more severe with climate change, making Iraq one of the top five countries for climate change vulnerability.
This map depicts the satellite view of Iraq as it was struck by a massive sandstorm on Monday and Tuesday. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Yahoo! UK
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Sweden
Moose Migration Draws Viewers
A live stream of moose migration in Sweden has become a global phenomenon, drawing over 9 million viewers. The program, titled Den stora älgvandringen in Swedish and often translated as “The Great Moose Migration” or “The Great Elk Trek,” first aired in 2019. The cameras are located in Ådalsleden Kullberg on the Ångerman River in central Sweden, which dozens of moose pass through on a northward journey, following the same migratory route their ancestors have used for thousands of years. The migration is captured by by more than 30 remote and drone cameras and broadcast 24/7 for three weeks. About 300,000 moose live in Sweden, making it the country with the world’s densest moose population.
This map depicts the location of cameras in Sweden that are capturing the moose migration in a live stream for millions of viewers. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What country is home to the largest Muslim population in the world?
A: Indonesia
Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with over 1.8 billion people practicing the religion – which accounts for nearly 24% of the global population. Home to 246 million Muslims, Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world in terms of population. Also, Indonesia is the largest economy in the Muslim world, projected to be the fourth largest economy in the world by 2050. Indonesia’s historical inhabitants were animists, Hindus, and Buddhists. Islam in Indonesia is considered to have gradually spread through merchant activities by Arab Muslim traders, adoption by local rulers, and the influence of Sufism (mystical Islamic belief and practice) since the 13th century. By the end of the 16th century, Islam had supplanted Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion of Java and Sumatra. During the late colonial era, it was adopted as a rallying banner against colonialism.
Source
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Q: What country is home to Earth’s wettest place, with the highest average annual rainfall?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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