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Russia-Ukraine
Weapons Use Expanded
The administration of US President Joseph Biden has given approval to limited strikes by Ukrainian armed forces on Russian territory using weapons supplied by the United States. Several NATO allies, including the Baltics, Finland, France, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom had already granted permission to Ukraine to strike military targets on Russian territory using arms supplied by their countries. The Ukrainian government had appealed for permission to strike Russian territory for most of the 27-month-old war, given Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian territory as part of its ongoing invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin has given repeated warnings that attacks on Russian territory with Western arms would be viewed as an escalation, though Ukraine has already made repeated strikes on Ukrainian territory that Russia has annexed and claimed is legally Russian territory without repercussions.
This map depicts military targets in Russian territory that are within reach of ATACMS long-range missile systems provided to the Ukrainian military by the United States. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: iNews
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Sudan
Siege on El Fasher Kills Hundreds
Over 130 people have died at a single hospital in Sudan’s besieged city of El Fasher, reported medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). MSF also said the hospital was struggling to cope with more than 900 casualties in the past two weeks, with supplies running low. Fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the battle for control of the North Darfur city of El Fasher has recently intensified. This is the last urban center in Darfur in the hands of Sudan’s army, and also a refuge for many internally displaced people. The RSF is attacking the city from three sides and blocking all supply routes. Hospitals and markets are facing violent artillery shelling. UN experts warn civilians in El Fasher are being targeted because of their ethnicity, and that the Darfur region as a whole is facing a growing risk of genocide.
This map depicts areas of control in Sudan as of May 23, 2024, with territories divided between the RSF paramilitary, Sudan’s army (SAF), and militias/rebel groups. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: The Economist
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World
Clean Shipping Causes Warming
A recent study published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment describes how new regulations to cut sulfur emissions from shipping have caused a spike in global warming. The rise in temperatures is due to the reduction of sulfur emissions in the air which release aerosols that thicken and brighten clouds, reflecting sunlight and creating a cooling effect on the planet. Researchers warn the global effort started in 2020 to transition to alternative low-sulfur fuels could contribute to a doubling of the warming rate. Created with the intent of curbing air pollution, the rule reduced sulfur dioxide emissions by 80 percent. The study suggests that artificial cloud brightening to reflect the sun’s rays back into space could be a geoengineering solution to warming.
This map depicts the mean effective radiative forcing (ERF), the solar energy reflected away from the Earth measured in watts per square meter, across the globe with an 80% reduction in shipping emissions. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What mountain chain forms a natural divide between Spain and France?
A: Pyrenees
The Pyrenees form a high wall between France and Spain that has played a significant role in the history of both countries and of Europe as a whole. The mountain range stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Bay of Biscay on the Atlantic Ocean on the west. The mountains have long been a formidable land barrier between Spain and Portugal on the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe; as a consequence, these two countries traditionally have developed stronger associations with Africa than the rest of Europe, and have become tied to the sea. The Pyrenees are the ancestral land of a variety of peoples, including the Andorrans, Catalans, Béarnais, and Basques.
Source
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Q: What is the only country in the world with three capital cities?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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