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Russia
Military Transport Plane Crashes
Around 65 Ukrainian service members and nine Russian passengers and crew are believed dead following the crash of a Russian Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane in the Russian region of Belgorod this morning. The Russian Defense Ministry has blamed anti-aircraft missiles fired from Ukrainian territory for downing the aircraft over the region bordering northeast Ukraine. Ukraine’s general staff first said the plane was transporting missiles for Russia’s air defense systems. Later communications from Ukrainian authorities did not mention the presence of Ukrainian prisoners of war on the flight but did confirm that a previously planned prisoner exchange would not be moving forward. Russian claims on the causes of the crash cannot be verified, leaving the possibility of mechanical failure. If the death count is accurate, this is the largest fatal incident of the near-two-year-old war to take place on Russian territory.
This map depicts the location of the Belgorod region of southeast Russia, where a military transport plane allegedly carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed this morning, killing everyone on board. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: CNN
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France
Farmers Protest EU Policies
Farmers in France, Germany, and Romania have been protesting against European Union (EU) policies and tax hikes which have raised the cost of agricultural production. In France, roadblock and protest actions, called the “green jacket protests,” began in the southwest, notably in the region of Occitanie before spreading to Brittany and others north of Paris. The farmers have mobilized with the FNSEA (Fédération nationale des syndicats d’exploitants agricoles) farmers’ union and Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers) union, to resist eco-transition policies that reduce their ability to compete. The policies raise the costs to produce food domestically, making imported products from countries with weaker environmental standards cheaper. Yesterday, a 30-year-old farmer and her 12-year-old daughter died after a car crashed into a protest in the south of France. German farmers are protesting against fuel subsidy cuts amid tighter rules and regulations in the EU. Romanian farmers are also protesting for fairer subsidies and the reduction of costs to insure their machinery.
This map depicts locations of protests around France, which initially started in the southwest regions. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Le Monde
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Space
Buried Water Ice Deposit on Mars
The European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter has found the largest amount of water ice ever detected at the equator of Mars. The deposits are estimated to be around 2.3 miles (3.7 km) thick, which means they would cover the entirety of Mars in a shallow ocean about 6.5 feet (two meters) deep if melted. The area where the ice lies is known as the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF). Scientists first discovered signs of possible ice deposits in this region back in 2007 but have not confirmed its presence until now. This discovery backs up previous evidence suggesting that the ancient climate of Mars featured glaciers, lakes, and river channels. While its presence near the equator is more easily accessible to future missions, the underground ice is topped by a crust of hardened ash and dust. Researchers say the thick crust will make accessing the water ice a decades-long process.
This map depicts the surface height of Mars, identifying the location of the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) where massive below-ground water ice deposits have been found. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What state is home to the largest underground lake in the United States?
A: Tennessee
The Lost Sea is America’s largest underground lake, discovered by thirteen-year-old Ben Sands in 1905. It’s located in the Craighead Caverns, an extensive cave system between Sweetwater and Madisonville, Tennessee. Beneath the calm waters of the four-and-a-half-acre lake, divers have discovered an even larger series of rooms completely filled with water. More than 13 acres of water have been mapped so far and still no end to the lake has been found. Twenty percent of known caves in the United States (10,000+) are located in Tennessee. In addition to numerous species of bats, these caves are home to hundreds of vulnerable species—mostly crustaceans, insects and arachnids—that live exclusively in these subterranean habitats scattered throughout much of the lower 48 states.
Source
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Q: What ancient flora known as the “Tree of Life” is found throughout the drier regions of Africa?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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