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United States
Social Distancing on the Sidewalks
An urban planner in New York City created a map of the width of all city sidewalks to visualize where New Yorkers would have the most trouble social distancing. The interactive map was created by calculating the width between sidewalk outlines based on aerial imagery, then categorizing widths along a spectrum of which paths allowed for adequate social distancing–sidewalks wider than 12 feet are considered acceptable. The map is not intended to be used to stem the spread of the disease, but rather to be used by city officials evaluating sidewalk width when deciding where to restrict vehicular traffic on roadways and provide pedestrians with more space. Yesterday, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city would close an additional 40 miles of streets to allow New Yorkers more space to practice social distancing.
This map depicts the width of the sidewalks in New York City, paths in red are narrower than paths in blue. Click on the map to learn more. All COVID-19 updates will be displayed in a red box.
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Israel
West Bank Annexation
On Monday, the United States announced it will recognize Israel’s annexation of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, while also asking Israel’s new unity government to negotiate with the Palestinians. In January, President Donald Trump unveiled his Middle East “vision” that would allow Israel to annex much of the West Bank and leave Palestine with a sovereign but demilitarized state, and also move the capital to the outskirts of Jerusalem, which would remain fully under Israeli sovereignty. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated last Wednesday that the annexation is ultimately “an Israeli decision” but they would have American support. The Palestinians have so far refused to negotiate with the Trump Administration considering it “biased” and the E.U. has also criticized President Trump’s plan as “failing to achieve a two state solution.” The Arab League plans to hold a virtual meeting this week to discuss the annexation plan, which under the Israeli coalition deal could begin as soon as July.
This map depicts the annexation plan for Israel proposed by President Trump in his Middle East Vision. Click on the map to expand.
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Graphic Source: AFP (2)
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Antarctica
Frog Fossil Found
Evidence has emerged from Antarctica that it was home to an ancient species of frog around forty million years ago. Dr. Thomas Mörs, a vertebrate palaeontologist from Sweden, discovered the fossil remains of an ancient helmeted frog in 2015, the first modern amphibian to be discovered in Antarctica. This suggests that the coldest continent on the planet was once much warmer and temperate than it is today. Mörs announced the find in a study recently published in Nature’s Scientific Reports. The fossil was retrieved from Seymour Island on the Antarctic Peninsula, roughly 700 miles south of Tierra Del Fuego in South America.
These maps depict the location of the study area in Antarctica, the location of Seymour Island on the northern Antarctic Peninsula, and the geological landscape of Seymour Island. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Which country accounts for about 10% of the total number of lakes in Africa?
A: Uganda
Of the 677 lakes located in Africa, Uganda holds the title of having the largest number of lakes (69). The country is located in Africa’s Great Lakes region and approximately one-fifth of its total area is covered by open water or swampland. In addition, the south-eastern region borders Lake Victoria, the largest lake on the continent.
Source
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Q: Known for its rock formations, sometimes referred to as “goblins”, Goblin Valley State Park is located in which U.S. desert?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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