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Iraq
Baghdad's Green Zone Erupts
Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered his followers to stand down after clashes in the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq on Monday killed at least 30 people. Iraqi politics have been in a tense standstill for the last 10 months, since al-Sadr's political faction emerged as the main winner of the last election. However, Sadrites were unsuccessful in forming a coalition with Sunni Muslim Arab and Kurdish parties against the Shi'ite groups aligned with neighboring Iran. Yesterday's fighting erupted between the Shi'ite armed groups loyal to al-Sadr and the rival Shi'ite Iran-backed factions. Tensions leading to yesterday's clashes grew last week when al-Sadr announced his withdrawal from Iraqi politics, however this wouldn't be his first time doing so. His long-standing position has been to free Iraq of all foreign influence from both the United States and Iran.

This map depicts the Green Zone, an area with extra security for foreign embassies and government offices in the center of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Fighting between rival Shi'ite factions erupted in the Green Zone on Monday. Click on the map to learn more.
Further Reading: Reuters, The Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera
Graphic Source: AFP via Barron's
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Madagascar
Albino Kidnap Protest
On Tuesday, Madagascar police confirmed 19 people were killed and 21 others injured after officers opened fire on a mob seeking revenge for the kidnapping of an albino child. Around 500 protesters armed with blades and machetes attempted to enter a police station in the Ikongo district on Monday, defying police attempts to disperse the crowd. The protestors were demanding that police hand over four suspects arrested in connection with the reported kidnapping. In Madagascar, people with albinism are regular targets of violence, with more than a dozen attacks and murders reported in the past two years, according to the United Nations. Revenge attacks are also common in the country, such as in February 2017 when a mob of 800 people broke into Ikongo prison to kill a murder suspect.

This map depicts the location of the Ikongo District, where 500 protesters tried to force their way into a police station on Monday. Click on the map to learn more.
Graphic Source: Barron's
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United States
Artemis I Launch Delayed
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was forced to postpone yesterday's much-anticipated launch of the Artemis I mission following a malfunction in the cooling system in one of the launch rockets. This first unmanned Artemis mission is intended to test systems required for an eventual manned mission to the Moon. The last manned Moon mission, Apollo 17, was almost 50 years ago. The Artemis program utilizes a new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying an Orion spacecraft designed by the European Space Agency (ESA). The SLS is considered the most powerful rocket on Earth, and NASA officials have stated they will take all precautions to ensure a successful first launch. The next launch attempt has been tentatively set for Friday, September 2.

This map depicts the projected path of the Artemis I mission to send an unmanned Orion spacecraft into orbit around the Moon and back. Click on the map to learn more.
Graphic Source: NASA
Yesterday's Answer
Q: Known for its stunning landscapes of rice terraces in the north, what Southeast Asian country is the fifth largest exporter of rice?

A: Vietnam 
As a staple food, over half of the global population depends on rice as a major part of their diet, providing an estimated one-fifth of of the calories consumed by humans worldwide. Vietnam is one of the largest producers and consumers of rice, with rice farming a fundamental part of life and culture for Vietnamese farmers. Rice production thrives in flooded areas as the crops need a continual water supply to be cultivated. The Red River and Mekong Delta are the main sources of water for rice production in southern Vietnam’s lowland areas, and holds the majority of the country’s rice fields. However, for farmers in the highlands up north, they must rely on mountain steps and high precipitation to grow. Harvesting season falls around June during Vietnam’s summertime, where the terraced rice fields display the green and gold blooms. The terraced rice fields of Sapa, in northwest Vietnam, are considered one of the country's most famous attractions, however due to the climate in the region, this area only produces one crop per year. 

Source 

 
Today's Question
Q: What two U.S. states don't have counties? 
 
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