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Europe
Christmas Measures Announced
Countries across Europe are sharpening restrictions on people and business to slow the increasing spread of COVID-19. This map by BloombergQuint shows the total number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people recorded in Europe over the past 14 days according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Rapid growth in COVID-19 cases in Germany is forcing the country into a strict lockdown until January 10. Beginning today, all non-essential stores will be urged to close, and the size of private gatherings will be limited. The Netherlands will go into its strictest lockdown yet with schools and non-essential businesses forced to close for five weeks over the Christmas period. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced today the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom have agreed to go ahead with planned Christmas bubble rules, amid rising cases of COVID-19. The ruling will allow families from up to three households to spend time together over the festive period. Italy has overtaken the U.K. as the European country with the highest number of virus deaths, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to control the pandemic management in the country.
This map depicts the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Europe per 100,000 people over the past 14 days. Click on the map to learn more.
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Australia and China
Trade Disputes Elevated to WTO
Australia is bringing a trade dispute with China to the World Trade Organization (WTO) after bilateral negotiations between the two nations failed to resolve ongoing trade issues. This summer, China levied an 80% tariff on Australian barley exports, and accused Australia of “dumping,” or selling at a lower price on the international market than the domestic market. Australia denied the claim, but trade officials were unable to effectively communicate with their counterparts in China. Since the barley tariff went into effect, China also imposed trade restrictions on several other Australian commodities including copper, wine, timber, lobster, and most recently, coal. On Monday, Chinese state media reported a ban on Australian coal, though Australian officials have been unable to confirm the ban through official channels. Analysts are calling the disputes a precursor to a trade war, which some allege was launched in retaliation for Australia’s investigation at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in China.
This map depicts barley to China by Australian port. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Grain Central
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France
Fined for Hiring Too Many Women
Paris authorities are being fined €90,000 (~$110,000) by the public service ministry for hiring too many women to senior positions in public service. In 2013, a rule was passed to promote gender equality within the government by ensuring that no one sex held more than 60% of management positions in public service. The fine comes from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s recruitment of women to 69% of the jobs. Mocking the fine, Mayor Hidalgo joked in a council meeting that the city hall is now “too feminist,” while warning, “this fine is obviously absurd, unfair, irresponsible and dangerous.” She also highlighted the consistent gap in promoting women to senior positions within France and that appointing more women than men were in part an attempt to accelerate the progress towards gender equality. According to data from the World Bank, in 2020, women make up about a quarter of the apportioned seats in national parliaments, globally.
This United Nations map showcases each country’s proportion of women in government seats in 2020. Only three countries have a higher ratio of women to men in parliament. Click on the map to expand.
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Q: Approximately 300m long, which freshwater fissure is the only place in the world where divers can touch two continental plates simultaneously?
A: Silfra Fissure, Iceland
Located in the UNESCO world heritage area of Thingvellir National Park, Silfra Fissure is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Divers and snorkellers can dive and float between the American and Eurasian continental plates and those brave enough to dive to about 206 feet, can actually touch both continents at the same time. The visibility in Silfra exceeds 100m, making it some of the clearest water in the world. Only people with licensed dive organizations are allowed to dive or snorkel in the fissure.
Source
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Q: Over 300 m (984 ft) deep, the world’s deepest blue hole is located in which body of water?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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