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China
Trump & Xi Hold Summit
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing yesterday for high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. A broad scope of topics are set for discussion through the visit, the first by a U.S. President in almost 10 years. With China being a strategic partner to Iran, the Israeli-U.S. war there and its effects on the global economy are top of the agenda, along with U.S. support for Taiwan, trade, artificial intelligence, and drugs. Despite the grandeur of the welcome to President Trump, Xi has already issued a warning about the United States’ position on Taiwan, saying that “mishandling” of the issue could lead to a “highly dangerous situation.” Perhaps to highlight the importance of trade and technology, Trump is being accompanied by leaders of some of America’s biggest and most influential companies, in the stated hope that China will “open up” to American corporations. The trip runs through tomorrow.
This map depicts the change in prominence as a global trading partner between the United States and China over the last 25 years, with China overtaking the U.S. as the predominant trading partner for most countries in the world. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Al Jazeera
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United States
Midsize Cities Grow in Slump
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that midsize American cities, those with populations between 25,000 and 70,000, saw the highest population growth among all cities in the period from July 2024 through the end of June 2025. The trend was seen most strongly among midsize cities in close proximity to large cities, and across the South. Four midsize cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and one Houston-area suburb comprised the top five cities over 20,000 for growth over the period. More permissive building regulations leading to lower housing costs have been credited for the growth. Between declining immigration and a falling birthrate already below replacement level, the United States saw a decline in population growth at only 0.5 percent overall. By July 1, 2025, the population of the United States was just short of 342 million.
This map depicts population growth (in green) or decline (in red) at the county level across the United States for the period from July, 2024, to June, 2025. Click on the map to learn more.
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Space
ESA and JAXA Apophis Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to deepen collaboration in planetary defense. The partnership comes alongside a dedicated agreement for cooperation on the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses) to the near-Earth asteroid Apophis. Apophis is 410 yards (375 m) across, and is predicted to pass just 19,883 miles (32,000 km) above Earth’s surface on Friday April 13, 2029 – one tenth the distance to the Moon and closer than satellites in geosynchronous orbits. The Ramses spacecraft will rendezvous with Apophis in 2028 and accompany it throughout the flyby, observing how Earth’s gravity alters its shape, surface, and motion. By comparing before-and-after measurements, scientists hope to gain insights into asteroid structure, composition and behaviour that will be important for any future deflection efforts.
This map depicts the path of the large asteroid Apophis, which will pass by Earth in 2029. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What country is home to a hot, dusty wind called “ghibli” which reaches the Mediterranean Sea?
A: Libya
The ghibli is a hot and dusty wind descending from the interior highlands of Libya toward the Mediterranean Sea. Although the wind may occur throughout the year, it is most frequent during the spring and early summer. Along the northern African coast, the hot air originates directly from the Sahara Desert, producing hot, dry, and dusty conditions. As the air travels northward across the Mediterranean Sea, the Sirocco picks up much moisture because of its high temperature, causing clouds, fog, and rain over northern Mediterranean areas. Ghibli winds can have a profound effect on the landscape by moving vast quantities of sand.
Source
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Q: What country is the largest sovereign enclave in the world, known as the “Mountain Kingdom”?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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