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Sri Lanka
President Flees Amid Unrest
Amid unresolved conflicts between Sri Lanka's Prime Minister and protesters, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the country. This comes days after protesters stormed his office. His flight out of the country has fueled protesters' frustrations, leading them to descend upon to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's official house on Wednesday, stating they would not leave until the president officially resigned. The Prime Minister does not plan to vacate his current position and has invited political leaders of all parties to talk in an effort to resolve the ongoing crisis. The movement against Mr. Rajapaksa and his allies has been building up for some time amid an economic crisis instigated by food and fuel shortages.
This map depicts the location of prime minister's official house where protesters broke in and occupied. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Barron's
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Turkey
Russia and Ukraine Talk Grain
Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet with Turkish officials and representatives of the United Nations in the Turkish capital of Istanbul today to seek an agreement on facilitating grain exports from Ukraine. Russia's war on Ukraine has resulted in both a blockade of Black Sea ports by Russia's navy and the mining of Ukrainian waterways by Ukraine in defense against Russian vessels, blocking most of Ukraine's ability to ship grain by ocean-going vessels. Currently, around 22 millions tons of grain are stuck in storage in Odesa and other Ukrainian Black Sea ports, leaving inadequate storage space for the impending harvest. Interim efforts to export the grain haven't had the speed or capacity to move the grain quickly enough.
This map depicts the current overland routes and ports being used to export Ukrainian grain due to the blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports by the Russian navy. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: New York Times
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Israel
President Biden Visits Middle East
United States President Joe Biden began his first foreign trip as President today by visiting the Middle East. The trip is set to last to July 16 and includes the President meeting with 11 regional leaders, including visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Biden's trip begins in Israel where he is set to meet with Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday in the occupied West Bank. White House officials have framed the visit as an opportunity to strengthen ties and promote stability in the region. This includes an unprecedented direct flight between Israel and Saudi Arabia. While in Saudi Arabia, Biden is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to discuss human rights and oil production. One of the signature announcements during the trip is expected to be the transfer of two islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, a long-awaited deal that could include steps toward Riyadh establishing formal ties with Israel, according to experts.
This map depicts the itinerary for U.S President Biden's visit to the Middle East. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Stretching 3,365 miles (5,415 km) from Oregon to Massachusetts, what U.S. highway is the longest in the country?
A: Historic Route 20
Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 begins in Boston, Massachusetts, at the junction of Route 2 and stretches across the entire country to end in Newport, Oregon, at the junction with Highway 101, passing through 12 states - Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon. Because Yellowstone National Park lies in the path of Route 20, the road is divided into an eastern section, ending at the east entrance of Yellowstone, and a western section which begins at the west entrance of the park. Although Route 20 passes through some major cities such as Boston, Cleveland, and Chicago, the majority of the highway is a quiet, 2-lane road. To drive its entirety, it would take around 50 - 60 hours.
Source
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Q: What is the only landmass crossed by the Prime Meridian in the Southern Hemisphere?
Stay tuned for the answer to today's question in tomorrow's DailyGeo.
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