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Saudi Arabia – Yemen
Renewed Saudi-Houthi Fighting
Saudi Arabia and allied forces struck Yemen’s northwestern Saada province overnight following a sharp escalation that saw the Houthis launch ballistic missiles and drones at an international airport and two air bases in Saudi Arabia. The renewed fighting followed airstrikes by Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, on the runway at Sanaa International Airport. The strikes were intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. Eventually, the aircraft was diverted to the Hodeidah/Hudaydah airport on Yemen’s west coast. In response, Houthis launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, King Khalid Air Base and Prince Sultan Air Base. The Saudi-led military coalition said Saudi air defenses intercepted the incoming missiles and drones over the kingdom’s southern region. Strikes and missile attacks mark a major escalation after years of significantly reduced fighting between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis.
This map depicts airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen impacted by recent strikes. Click on the map to learn more.
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
DRC Ebola Outpacing Response
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be four times bigger than official figures suggest. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared its 17th Ebola epidemic on May 15, and it is currently spreading across eastern DRC and Uganda. As of July 13, DRC reported 1,963 confirmed cases and 719 deaths, with 736 patients hospitalized in isolation. Uganda reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, with most Ugandan cases connected to travel from DRC. According to official numbers, this is already one of the largest Ebola outbreaks recorded, with the virus spreading faster than ever seen before. The ongoing outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is neither a vaccine nor a treatment. International partners and African nations have mobilized $1.5bn to support the health response in the DRC. A clinical trial involving two treatments is currently under way.
This map depicts areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda affected by the 2026 Ebola outbreak. Click on the map to learn more.
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Sudan
EU Bans Sudanese Gold Imports
On Monday, the European Union announced new restrictions on the import and trade of gold from Sudan, tied to concerns that the trade has helped finance the country’s ongoing civil war. Sudan, one of Africa’s largest gold exporters, has been ravaged by conflict between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023. Both sides have fought for control of gold mines, which account for a substantial share of the country’s export value. The new rules block EU purchases and imports of Sudanese-origin gold, and cut off exports to Sudan of mercury and cyanide, two chemicals commonly relied on in the gold extraction process. While the EU hopes the new prohibitions will help bring an end to a vicious war, international experts caution that further measures will be needed to stop the trade.
This map depicts the locations of gold mineral deposits in Sudan. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What mountain range extends from Canada’s northernmost point?
A: Arctic Cordillera
The Arctic Cordillera, sometimes called the Arctic Rockies, is a vast deeply dissected mountain system along the northeastern shore of North America, extending southeast from Ellesmere Island, the most northerly point in Canada. The Cordillera comprises a large swath of the eastern coast of Nunavut, a distance of well over 621 miles (1,000 km). The mountain system covers much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago with high glaciated peaks rising through icefields and some of Canada’s largest ice caps, such as the Penny Ice Cap on Baffin Island. The Arctic Cordillera is a cold, harsh environment making plant life and animal-life sparse; even soil is rare in this ecoregion.
Source
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Q: What Caribbean country’s name derives from the Indigenous Arawak word for “Mountainous Land”?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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