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Belgium
New Migration Rules Take Effect
New EU restrictions regarding immigration come into effect Friday, strengthening border controls and the tracking of asylum applications. The new measures to reform the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) require a preliminary screening of asylum seekers before entering the EU. In this way, asylum applications from those from countries deemed “safe” can be promptly rejected and the applicants repatriated. Those rejected who cannot be repatriated will be sent to third, “safe,” countries that have negotiated deals with the EU to house asylum seekers. The new rules also expand Eurodac, the EU’s shared biometric database, which will now collect fingerprints and facial images from a broader range of migrants. Another important aspect of the new rules is the so-called “Solidarity Mechanism,” a way to distribute the logistical and financial burden among states that receive different levels of asylum applications and processing.
This map depicts a decline in irregular border crossings at the main points of entry of the European Union during the beginning of 2026.
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Graphic Source: Frontex
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Algeria
Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline
Algeria has begun constructing its 752-mile (1,210-km) section of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline that is planned to carry Nigerian natural gas across the Sahel and the Sahara to European markets. The completed pipeline will extend approximately 2,562 miles (4,128 km) and could transport as much as 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. Once completed, the pipeline should strengthen energy supplies and economies across West and North Africa and provide Europe with another energy supply route. The estimated $13 billion project was first proposed in the 1970s but has faced decades of delays. Europe’s push to diversify its energy supplies and support pipeline completion is driven by the desire to reduce dependence on Russian gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and disruptions along Gulf shipping routes.
This map depicts the planned Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline that would carry natural gas through West Africa and North Africa to Europe. Click on the map to learn more.
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Indonesia
Deadly Rainfall for Orangutans
A recent study has shown how a spell of extreme rainfall in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province killed a significant portion, nearly 7 percent, of endangered Tapanuli orangutans. The research was conducted with overlaid satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope. In November 2025, more than 39 inches (1,000 mm) of rain fell over a period of 4 days in the West Block of the Batang-Toru ecosystem, a major orangutan habitat area. The extreme rainfall triggered landslides, leading to the deaths of many orangutans who could not escape fast enough. In addition, the landslide also destroyed tree canopy coverage, which is a crucial source of habitat and food for the orangutans. Orangutans have been long threatened by anthropogenic activities including mining, palm oil plantations, and infrastructure. The slow reproduction cycle of orangutans means there will be significant challenges to population recovery from these events.
This map depicts tree canopy loss in habitat of Tapanuli orangutans in Northern Indonesia. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What country is 70% covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert?
A: Turkmenistan
The Karakum Desert is a desert located in Central Asia. The word “Karakum” translates to “Black Sand” in Turkic languages, and the name refers to the dark shale-rich soil found below the sandy surface of the desert. The desert covers about 70% or 135,000 square miles (350,000 sq km) of Turkmenistan., and is divided into three regions, the elevated northern Trans-Unguz Karakum, the low-lying Central Karakum, and the southeastern Karakum, home to a chain of salt marshes. Some 30 million years ago the entire Karakum region was covered by the sea. Orogenic (mountain-building) processes in the southern part of the Turan Plain resulted in a gradual diminishing of the sea and, ultimately, in its disappearance.
Source
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Q: What major river in the Western Hemisphere is known as the “Father of Waters”?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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