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United States
Court Rules on Gerrymandering
It doesn’t get more geographic than this. The Supreme Court ruled yesterday in a 5-4 decision that federal courts cannot hear challenges to partisan gerrymandering, the practice by which the ruling party in state legislatures manipulates electoral districts to give their side a political advantage. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that there was no standard for federal courts to assess “excessive partisanship,” while Justice Elena Kagan’s dissent argued that gerrymandering can “amount to rigging elections.” The decision reverses the outcome of rulings in Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio, where courts had ordered new voting maps drawn. Reformers are concerned the decision will skew maps in critical redistricting battles after the 2020 census.
This map depicts states in which legislators will redraw congressional district boundaries following the 2020 census. Click on the map to learn more.
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Italy
Remains of Bridge Demolished
Demolition experts blew up the two remaining towers of the Morandi bridge in Genoa almost a year after the structure collapsed. The Morandi bridge, which linked northern Italy to France, collapsed last August and killed 43 people after falling 45 meters. Around 3,500 people were evacuated from the areas surrounding the bridge’s remains in preparation for the explosions. Prosecutors have considered a lack of maintenance and flaws in the structure’s design as the causes behind the incident and architect Renzo Piano has designed a new bridge.
This map depicts the location of the bridge in Genoa. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: BBC (2)
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Spain
Wildfires Continue to Spread
Wildfires in Spain’s Catalonia region have reached a scale not seen in 20 years as firefighters battle to keep the massive blaze under control. More than 500 firefighters and soldiers are working with support from helicopters and planes to contain the fires, but strong winds throughout the region’s thick forests and hills have impeded efforts so far. Authorities have warned that up to 50,000 acres of land may be lost if the fires are not extinguished soon. Meanwhile, Europe continues to experience record-breaking heat throughout Germany, France, Poland, and the Czech Republic, while temperatures in northeastern Spain may climb as high as 113 °F.
This map depicts the locations of the wildfires in Catalonia. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Along what two states can you find the largest U.S. estuary?
A: Maryland and Virginia
The Chesapeake Bay, spanning 64,000 square miles, includes more than 150 rivers and streams that drain into the Bay. In its entirety, the estuary encompasses six states – Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.
Source
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Q: Which landlocked country is home to the world’s coldest capital, with an average annual temperature of 29 °F (-1.3 °C)?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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