Graphic News Planner (news) 19/06/2019 18:09:18

January 1, 2024 -- Half a century after NASA sent men to the moon under project "Apollo," the space agency is now working to land men and women on the lunar surface as part of its newly-named "Artemis" programme.

SPACE: NASA’s Artemis moon mission (Graphic DUE Jul 19, 16:00GMT)
GN39116 Graphic shows how the Artemis programme intends to put people on the Moon once more.
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June 19, 2019 -- A record 71 million people have been displaced worldwide by war, persecution and other violence, the UN refugee agency said Wednesday, an increase of more than two million from last year.

The annual “Global Trends” report by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees counts the number of the world’s refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people at the end of 2018.

The report, released on the eve of World Refugee Day on Thursday, said that 70.8 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of last year, up from about 68.5 million in 2017 – and nearly a 65 percent increase from a decade ago. Among them, nearly three in five people – or more than 41 million – are displaced within their home countries.

UNHCR said that its figures are “conservative” as they do not reflect those who have fled Venezuela.

Some 4 million people are known to have left the South American country in recent years, but only half a million have formally applied for asylum, the report said.

REFUGEES: 70.8 million people displaced worldwide (Graphic)
GN39259 Graphic shows numbers of people forcibly displaced by world region in 2018, and globally from 2009-2018.
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June 19, 2019 -- Three Russians and a Ukrainian have been charged with murder over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine in July 2014, that killed all 298 passengers and crew on board.

A team of international investigators announced the charges, saying the trial will start in March 2020 at the Hague District Court, sitting in a high-security courtroom near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

The suspects were named as Igor Girkin, a former colonel of Russia’s FSB spy service; Sergey Dubinskiy, employed by Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency; and Oleg Pulatov, a former soldier with the GRU’s special forces spetsnaz unit. All were Russian soldiers previously sent abroad.

A fourth suspect, Leonid Kharchenko, is a Ukrainian. He led a military combat unit in the city of Donetsk as a commander, it was alleged.

Investigators said that even if the four may not have pushed the button itself to launch a Buk missile that downed the plane, they were implicated in the preparations of the launch, making it sufficient to charge them.

The Dutch-led investigators concluded in May 2018 that the Buk missile system belonged to 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile brigade, based in the Russian city of Kursk.

AVIATION: Four charged with shooting down MH17 plane (Graphic)
GN39261 Graphic shows the four suspects and key facts about the MH17 crash.
(107mm wide by 167mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 18, 2019 -- Egypt's first democratically elected president, Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi, was buried under heavy security, a day after his dramatic collapse and death inside a Cairo courtroom.

Morsi, 67, hailed from Egypt's largest Islamist group, the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, and was elected president in 2012 in the country's first free elections following the ouster the year before of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

The military toppled Morsi in 2013 after massive protests and crushed the Brotherhood in a major crackdown, arresting Morsi and many others of the group's leaders.

During his years in prison, Morsi, who was known to have diabetes, was often held in solitary confinement and was largely barred from receiving visitors. His family was only allowed to visit three times. While in detention, Morsi continued to appear in court on a range of charges.

Morsi's Brotherhood accused the government of "assassinating" him through years of poor prison conditions. The group demanded an international investigation into Morsi's death and called on Egyptians to protest outside Egyptian embassies across the world.

EGYPT: Mohamed Morsi obituary (Graphic)
GN39257 Graphic shows key events in the life of Mohamed Morsi.
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June 18, 2019 -- Airbus kicked off the Paris Air Show by unveiling its A321XLR -- a new long-range aircraft -- and announcing $13 billion of orders.

Boeing orders have been at a standstill since global regulators grounded the 737 Max in March. The decision to take the plane out of service followed two deadly crashes.

United Airlines placed a firm order for 20 more Embraer 175s and took options on a further 19, with deliveries scheduled for the second half of 2020.

The E175s will be configured with 70 seats and replace older aircraft in United’s feeder fleet.

BUSINESS: Paris Air Show (Graphic)
GN39258 Graphic shows breakdown of orders at the 2019 Paris Air Show.
(107mm wide by 123mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 13, 2019 -- A half century ago the world experienced generation-defining events, the dawn of the information age, rising protest and resistance against the Vietnam War, an era of affordable air travel and cultural milestones as entertainment became increasingly interwoven with politics.

1. Apollo 11 fulfils a pledge made by the late President John F. Kennedy to send an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. On July 20, Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to step onto the surface of the Moon, saying “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

2. New York City police raid the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village. The assault on June 28 sparks six days of riots which serve as a catalyst for gay rights movements in the U.S. and around the world

3. Boeing’s 747, the world’s first wide-body commercial airliner, makes its maiden flight on February 9. The jumbo jet makes air travel affordable for millions of people around the globe

4. Concorde makes its first test flight from Toulouse, France, on March 2 before making its first supersonic flight on October 1

5. The first permanent ARPANET link between computers across the U.S. is established on October 29 -- a milestone in what becomes the World Wide Web enabling today’s hyper-tech world

6. The first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a TV show which goes on to achieve cult status worldwide, is transmitted in Britain on October 5. John Cleese, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam poke remorseless fun at the establishment

7. A year for antiheroes sees one of the most-watched films ever. Directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” goes on to win 16 awards including four Oscars

8. The legendary three-day Woodstock music festival begins in upstate New York on August 15. One of the most prolific lineups in history -- which includes such icons as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Santana, and The Who -- attracts 500,000 people and defines a generation

9. Richard Nixon’s inauguration to become the 37th president of the United States on January 20 is greeted with a backlash from protesters at the height of the Vietnam War, now in its 14th year

10. Golda Meir is elected prime minister of Israel on March 17, the world’s third woman to hold the office after Ceylon’s Sirimavo Bandaranaike and India’s Indira Gandhi

11. U.S. troop levels in Vietnam peak at 543,400. The war continues until April 1975, claiming the lives of 57,939 Americans

12. The Beatles perform live for the last time on the roof of Apple’s building in Savile Row, London, on January 30

HISTORY: 1969 -- The year that changed the world interactive (Interactive)
GN39220 Interactive graphic shows selection of events that shaped the year 1969.
(800px wide by 568px deep)

July 4, 2019 -- Netflix is launching a slew of merchandise tie-ins to coincide with the release of Season 3 of their smash hit streaming show “Stranger Things”. The move is seen as an attempt to enter the wider world of merchandising – the domain of industry giants like Disney.

Building a media empire by expanding its intellectual properties is one way Netflix is preparing to face increasing competition.

The streaming service is bracing for new rivals players, like Disney+ and Apple TV+, due to debut later this year.

“Stranger Things” debuted in 2016 and immediately became a phenomenon, triggering Netflix to take its first tentative steps into consumer products by licensing the rights to BonusXP, who made a video game for iOS and Android devices.

Now for Season 3, two new games are on their way, as well as clothes, toys and food tie-ins.

Finding new ways to retain and grow subscription-paying viewers by capitalising on popular shows is becoming a vital way to cling on to the company’s dominance – especially important as Disney withdraws its Marvel and Lucasfilm content from Netflix, to air on its own upcoming streaming service.

ENTERTAINMENT: Stranger Things marketing blitz (Graphic)
GN39241 Graphic shows major marketing tie-ins linked to the popular “Stranger Things 3” Netflix streaming show.
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June 17, 2019 -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the United States is "considering a full range of options" regarding escalating tensions with Iran, but emphasised international diplomacy over any possible new U.S. military response.

Despite hard-line factions in both Iran and the United States that would like to pursue confrontation, both countries will remain keen to avoid a major war with each other, according to U.S.-based intelligence firm Stratfor

Nevertheless, the risk of miscalculation and escalation will remain high, particularly given Iran's force dispositions and conflict strategy, as both countries ramp up their military preparations.

A military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran would have regional and global economic and energy consequences.

MIDDLE EAST: U.S. and Iranian military assets (Graphic)
GN39238 Graphic shows U.S. and Iranian bases, U.S. military deployments and Iranian areas of influence.
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June 17, 2019 -- The United States has called on Australia and Canada to develop rare earth mineral deposits after China threatened to stop exports to America. Rare earth elements are crucial to advanced U.S. weapons.

It’s no surprise that following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off the supply of chips and processors to Huawei Technologies, China’s state economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), held three symposiums on rare earth elements to hear views from industry experts, including calls for export controls.

America imported 18,850 tonnes of rare-earth compounds and metals from China in 2018 -- 80 per cent of U.S. imports of the elements.

In 2018, China produced about 120,000 tonnes, while the totals of the next two leading producers -- Australia and the United States -- were 20,000 and 15,000 respectively, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Rare earths are a group of 17 chemically related metallic elements that have magnetic and optical properties useful for making electronics more efficient.

Every advanced weapon in the U.S. arsenal -- from precision-guided bombs to F-35 fighter jets to Aegis-equipped destroyers and cruisers -- is reliant on components made using rare-earth elements.

Each Virginia-class attack submarine needs 4,170kg of rare-earth materials, while each F-35 uses 417kg. The M1A2 Abrams tank and the Aegis Spy-1 3D radar both rely on Chinese-supplied samarium which is used in samarium-cobalt magnets, while the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 destroyer uses neodymium, which enhances the power of magnets at high temperatures in its hybrid drive system.

Now Washington is facing a new front in its bitter trade war with the world’s second-biggest economy.

TRADE: China rare earth export controls (Graphic)
GN39240 Graphic shows rare earth applications and global production.
(107mm by 162mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 13, 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has again criticised Germany over its Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline deal with Russia, threatening to impose sanctions on the project he says will leave Berlin “captive” to Moscow.

The Nord Stream 2 project will transport natural gas via a 1,200km pipeline from Russia to Europe. It has come under fire from the United States and some European countries claiming it could increase Europe’s dependence on Russia as a supplier of energy.

Washington, which wants to sell its liquefied natural gas to Europe, has threatened sanctions against companies involved in the Baltic pipeline. While it is wholly owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom, half of the project’s $9 billion cost is covered by five European energy and chemicals companies including Shell, BASF and ENGIE.

Russia, Finland, Sweden and Germany have already issued permits.

ENERGY: Trump threatens Germany with pipeline sanctions (Graphic)
GN39222 Graphic shows details of European natural gas supplies.
(107mm by 160mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 14, 2019 -- The Spring climbing season saw Mount Everest become even more overcrowded than any previous year since it was first conquered in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. 2019 saw a record 891 climbers reach the summit, leading to dangerous congestion on the limited routes up to the world’s highest peak.

The crowds on Mount Everest, which have been causing chaos for years, are now becoming a serious health hazard.

In 2019, there were only five days where winds were under 50km/h, compared with 11 days in 2018. The combined effect of more people making the attempt and fewer good climbing days intensified the bottlenecks and created long queues of climbers attempting to scale the mountain.

Many people suffering from altitude sickness could not descend to seek medical attention. In total, there were 11 deaths on Everest this season, making it one of the deadliest in its chequered history.

ENVIRONMENT: Mount Everest overcrowding (Graphic)
GN39224 Graphic charts every attempt, successful summit, and death on Mount Everest, since 1953.
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June 25, 2019 -- Following his conviction for drug smuggling Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is likely to spend the rest of his life at a U.S. maximum security jail.

Drug kingpin Guzman previously escaped two high-security Mexican prisons before he was captured and extradited to the United States.

He is now looking at spending the rest of his life in a maximum-security prison.

The U.S. has one supermax prison in Florence, Colorado (ADX for “administrative maximum”). The compound is secure, remote and austere, earning itself the moniker “Alcatraz of the Rockies”.

Located outside an old mining town two hours south of Denver, ADX’s hardened concrete buildings house the nation’s most violent offenders, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and Oklahoma City bombing accomplice Terry Nichols.

The 400 inmates are held alone for 23 hours a day in 2.1m by 3.7m cells, with fixed furnishings made of concrete.

Most inmates have a television offering limited programming, with their only real view of the outside world coming from a 10cm-wide window designed to prevent them from determining where they are housed in the facility. Human interaction is kept to the minimum, with prisoners even eating their meals in solitude – right beside their stainless steel toilets.

Guzman will be sentenced on June 25, for smuggling narcotics into the U.S. and for having a hand in dozens of murders.

CRIME: El Chapo likely supermax prison interactive (Interactive)
GN39197 Interactive graphic shows the whereabouts of the ADX Florence supermax prison, with diagram of the cell El Chapo will occupy if sent there.
(800px wide by 600px deep)

June 13, 2019 -- Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson won by far the most support from Conservative Party lawmakers in the first round of the contest to replace Theresa May as British prime minister.

Johnson, the face of the official campaign to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum, won the support of 114 Conservative lawmakers.

His closest rivals in the first round were: Jeremy Hunt, the foreign minister, who garnered 43 votes; Michael Gove, environment minister, 37 votes and Dominic Raab, former Brexit minister, 27 votes.

Sajid Javid, interior minister, came fifth with 23 votes. Matt Hancock won 20 votes and Rory Stewart 19. Three were knocked out: Andrea Leadsom, former leader of the House of Commons, Mark Harper and Esther McVey.

The second round is due on June 18, with further ballots on June 19 and 20 until there are just two candidates.
From June 22, a postal ballot of the wider Conservative Party membership will then be held to pick leader.

UK: Tory leadership contest - first round (Graphic)
GN39223 Graphic shows results of the first round in the contest for the Tory leadership.
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June 13, 2019 -- Two oil tankers were hit and their crews evacuated in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman, one month after a similar incident in which four tankers in the region were struck.

Benchmark Brent crude spiked at one point by as much 4% in trading following the reported attack, to over $62 a barrel, highlighting how crucial the area remains to global energy supplies.

A third of all oil traded by sea passes through the strait, which is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.

The latest incident in the region comes after the U.S. alleged that Iran used mines to attack four oil tankers off the nearby Emirati port of Fujairah last month. Iran has denied being involved.

The firm that operates the Front Altair said that an explosion was the cause of the fire onboard. Its crew of 23 is safe after being evacuated by the nearby Hyundai Dubai vessel, it said.

The second vessel was identified as the Kokuka Courageous. BSM Ship Management said it sustained hull damage and 21 sailors had been evacuated, with one suffering minor injuries.

Iranian state television said 44 sailors from the two tankers have been transferred to an Iranian port in the southern province of Hormozgan.

MIDEAST: Two tankers struck in Gulf of Oman (Graphic)
GN39221 Graphic shows area of alleged attack and shipping lanes in Strait of Hormuz.
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June 12, 2019 -- Britain is aiming to become the first G7 economy to reach “net zero” fossil-fuel pollution by 2050. The move comes after oil giant BP warned that global emissions rose by an “unsustainable” two percent in 2018.

Outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May said the plan will be put before Parliament on June 12. The amendment to the 2008 Climate Change Act will intensify Britain's push to drastically reduce carbon emissions.

Scientists say the world must stop pumping more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere no later than the middle of the century if it wants to stop average global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial times.

The ambitious goal, set in the 2015 Paris accord, is seen as the best chance of preventing potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, from sea level rise to increases in extreme weather.

While experts agree it won't be possible to eliminate all emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, "net zero" would ensure that an equal amount of gas would be captured by natural means such as forests or artificial systems that suck carbon out of the atmosphere.

May's announcement means Britain will likely leapfrog other major industrialized countries, such as France and Germany, which are working on similar legislation to be passed this year.

Smaller European countries, including the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden already have the "net zero'" target enshrined in domestic laws, some of which are more ambitious than the UK proposal.

CLIMATE CHANGE: UK to commit to 2050 emissions target (Graphic)
GN39215 Graphic shows global carbon dioxide emissions by major economies in 2018.
(107mm by 123mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 12, 2019 -- “Salvator Mundi”, a painting controversially attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which sold for a staggering $450m in 2017 and subsequently disappeared from view, is allegedly decorating Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s “Serene” superyacht – believed to be in the Red Sea.

The whereabouts of the believed Leonardo Da Vinci masterpiece that sold at auction in 2017 for a record $450 million, has been solved, according to Artnet.

“Salvator Mundi” is allegedly aboard superyacht Serene, owned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. As of late May, the yacht’s location was in the Red Sea off Sharm el-Sheikh, an Egyptian resort town.

It seems likely that the controversial painting, that has experts at cross-purposes as to its authenticity, will remain aboard the yacht until the Saudis create a planned cultural hub in the Kingdom’s Al-Ula region.

Experts at the Louvre in Paris have attributed the work to Da Vinci’s workshop, rather than to the artist alone. The museum has asked to borrow the work for an October exhibition of da Vinci’s work to mark 500 years since his death, but has been declined – possibly because they refuse to authenticate it as an autograph work.

ART: The mystery of Salvator Mundi (1) (Graphic UPDATED Jun 12)
GN39214 Graphic looks at the controversial painting’s history, dramatic restoration, sale, and believed whereabouts.
(107mm by 160mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 12, 2019 -- Steps by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments in recent years have raised fears among residents that the freedoms they enjoy in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory are being eroded.

Following a day of sit-ins, tear gas and clashes with police, Hong Kong students and civil rights activists vowed to keep protesting a proposed extradition bill that has become a lightning rod for concerns over greater Chinese control over the former British colony.

The violence marked a major escalation of the biggest political crisis in years for the territory and forced the delay of legislative debate on the contentious bill.

The demonstrations pose a challenge to Chinese President Xi JInping, who has said he would not tolerate Hong Kong being used as a base to question the ruling Communist Party's authority.

Hong Kong was handed back from British to Chinese rule in 1997 with constitutional guarantees it would continue to enjoy rights and freedoms not granted in mainland China, including an independent legal system.

CHINA: Hong Kong eroding freedoms (Graphic)
GN39213 Graphic shows steps taken by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments in recent years, seen by critics as attempts to erode the territory’s civic freedoms.
(107mm wide by 162mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 11, 2019 -- The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, says Iran is increasing its uranium enrichment activities, following through on a threat to ignore limits on stockpiling materials agreed to in a 2015 deal with world powers.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said Iran’s low-enriched uranium “production rate is increasing,” but it wasn’t clear yet whether it has exceeded the limitations set in the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

The 2015 nuclear deal was designed to keep Tehran from building atomic weapons in exchange for economic incentives. But the decision by President Donald Trump to pull the U.S. out and to increase sanctions on Iran has taken a toll on the Iranian economy and left the other countries involved – Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia – struggling to find ways to keep the accord alive.

Amano said Tehran’s decision on May 8 to give those countries 60 days to come up with a plan to shield Iran from American sanctions had heightened tensions. If no plan emerges, Tehran said it would ramp up its enrichment of uranium beyond the purity allowed under the nuclear deal.

Following the May 8 announcement, Tehran said it had increased its uranium-enrichment production capacity, though only of the lower-enriched uranium permitted by the agreement.

IRAN: Uranium enrichment threat (Graphic)
GN39210 Graphic shows Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.
(107mm by 135mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 11, 2019 -- The annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is taking place in Los Angeles. Nintendo is showcasing several franchise updates, including for the first time, its Switch remake of “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” – originally released for the Game Boy in 1993.

During E3 2019, Nintendo broadcast a new Nintendo Direct presentation on Tuesday, June 11.

Nintendo Direct E3 2019 focused entirely on brand new game titles coming in 2019 and 2020, with no talk of a new console.

The game giant’s 2019 lineup includes Super Mario Maker 2, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Astral Chain, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age — Definitive Edition, Animal Crossing for Nintendo Switch, Daemon X Machina, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword and Shield, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

GAMING: Celebrating The Legend of Zelda (Graphic)
GN39203 Graphic shows the history of the Zelda franchise, from its inception in 1986, to the latest instalment due out on September 20, 2019.
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June 11, 2019 -- A half century ago the world experienced generation-defining events, the dawn of the information age, rising protest and resistance against the Vietnam War, an era of affordable air travel and cultural milestones as entertainment became increasingly interwoven with politics.

1. Apollo 11 fulfils a pledge made by the late President John F. Kennedy to send an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. On July 20, Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to step onto the surface of the Moon, saying “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

2. New York City police raid the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village. The assault on June 28 sparks six days of riots which serve as a catalyst for gay rights movements in the U.S. and around the world

3. Boeing’s 747, the world’s first wide-body commercial airliner, makes its maiden flight on February 9. The jumbo jet makes air travel affordable for millions of people around the globe

4. Concorde makes its first test flight from Toulouse, France, on March 2 before making its first supersonic flight on October 1

5. The first permanent ARPANET link between computers across the U.S. is established on October 29 -- a milestone in what becomes the World Wide Web enabling today’s hyper-tech world

6. The first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a TV show which goes on to achieve cult status worldwide, is transmitted in Britain on October 5. John Cleese, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam poke remorseless fun at the establishment

7. A year for antiheroes sees one of the most-watched films ever. Directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” goes on to win 16 awards including four Oscars

8. The legendary three-day Woodstock music festival begins in upstate New York on August 15. One of the most prolific lineups in history -- which includes such icons as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Santana, and The Who -- attracts 500,000 people and defines a generation

9. Richard Nixon’s inauguration to become the 37th president of the United States on January 20 is greeted with a backlash from protesters at the height of the Vietnam War, now in its 14th year

10. Golda Meir is elected prime minister of Israel on March 17, the world’s third woman to hold the office after Ceylon’s Sirimavo Bandaranaike and India’s Indira Gandhi

11. U.S. troop levels in Vietnam peak at 543,400. The war continues until April 1975, claiming the lives of 57,939 Americans

12. The Beatles perform live for the last time on the roof of Apple’s building in Savile Row, London, on January 30


HISTORY: 1969 -- year that changed the world (Graphic)
GN39209 Photomontage shows selection of events that shaped the year 1969.
(163mm wide by 249mm deep)

June 10, 2019 -- The United States will likely move forward with plans to expand its military presence in Poland, which could include more than 1,000 new troops and the permanent stationing of forces in the country.

MILITARY: U.S. presence in Poland (Graphic)
GN39202 Graphic shows sites for potential military expansion.
(107mm by 160mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 10, 2019 -- Luxury cruise vessels docking in European ports produce two to five times more cancer-causing gases than entire passenger car fleets in those cities, according to a report.



A study of 203 cruise ships at sea in Europe in 2017, carried out by the European think-tank Transport & Environment, found that Barcelona, Palma Mallorca and Venice were the worst affected by sulphur dioxide (SOx) emissions.

In the case of Barcelona, in 2017, cruise ships emitted nearly five times as much SOx as all the city’s cars.

The city is Europe’s busiest cruise ship destination, with some 2.7 million passengers disembarking from 800 ships in 2017.

Ships run on fuel oil, which contains about 2,000 times more sulphur oxide than ordinary diesel.

In order to mitigate the environmental impact of the cruise industry, cruise liners are investing in new technologies with the aim of improving sustainability.

Carnival, one of the largest cruise ship corporations in the world, last year launched the AIDAnova, the first cruise ship powered by liquified natural gas. Ten additional such ships are to follow by 2025.

And on June 27, the Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten plans to launch the Roald Amundsen, the world’s first hybrid-powered cruise ship, propelled by both electric motors and internal combustion engines.

Full data available here: https://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/te/files/publications/One%20Corporation%20to%20Pollute%20Them%20All_English.pdf

EUROPE: Worst cruise ship-polluted ports (Graphic)
GN39205 Graphic shows worst polluted ports in Europe.
(107mm wide by 149mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 10, 2019 -- India’s mobile-broadband subscriptions more than doubled from 218 million to 500 million between 2016 and 2018, driven by the world’s cheapest data costs and an insatiable appetite for digital services.

India has 560 million internet users, representing 40.9 per cent of its population, and is the world’s second-largest behind China with 560 million -- 58.4 per cent of its population -- using the internet. The U.S. trails in third place with 293 million, or 89 per cent of its citizens with online access.

India is undergoing a massive phase of internet growth, primarily driven by the improved mobile network infrastructure and cheap data costs -- the average price of one gigabit (1GB) of mobile data is US$0.26, compared with an average cost in the U.S. of $12.37, and in South Korea of $15.12.

While households in India tend to have a single television shared by a family, the mobile phone has become the second screen for millions of people to do “timepass” -- filling time on their hands.

A wide-ranging 2018 study by Boston Consulting Group, a research firm, predicts that India’s internet users will reach 650 million by the end of 2023.

While the price of an Apple iPhone 7 weighs in at a steep 38,570 rupees ($556), far too pricey for most pockets, Reliance Jio is marketing an app-capable phone without a touchscreen for just 1,500 rupees ($22). Jio is backed by the financial muscle of the Reliance group, India’s largest wireless broadband service provider, with more than 280 million subscribers.

Affordability and timepass have seen mobile consumption surge to 10.4GB per subscriber per month -- nearly three times as much mobile-phone data as Americans devour -- and around three-quarters of all mobile traffic in India is video streaming.

India users each spend an average of 200 minutes a day on mobile internet -- not yet up to the United States’ 300 minutes a day -- and could well lead the world in the next mobile revolution. Consumer demand exists, and the opportunity is real.

ASIA: India mobile data costs (Graphic)
GN39201 Graphic shows mobile data costs in Asia.
(107mm by 151mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

January 1 - June 29, 2019 -- Graphic shows anniversaries and events on this day in history. Updated now to include the data for weeks 25 and 26 i.e. June 16-28. The events and images are the same as on the GN On This Day print graphics GN39122 and GN39123. If you are hosting GN36036 on your own servers (rather than using the embed code supplied by Graphic News), the data in the hypersources folder can be topped up with the data for the separate weeks. These can be downloaded separately in the ZIP.clip file.

The graphic is “audo-updating” so if you look at the graphic tomorrow, it will show a different picture and selection of events to those shown today. This is because the graphic is constructed like an “interactive” graphic, but is not “interactive” in the sense that the viewer can change the events displayed; instead it “interacts” with the clock on your computer or mobile and this determines the selection shown.

The graphic is also responsive so if you view on a mobile phone it will look as good, but different, from the version seen if you view on your larger tablet or computer screen.

If you host the graphic yourself you may wish to substitute some of the events or images to give a more national or local interest. This is easy to do as there are separate files for the images and words for each day in the hyper sources folder. (Instructions available - See below).

HISTORY: ON THIS DAY “interactive” (week 25-26) (Interactive UPDATED Jun 10)
GN36036 Responsive graphic showing anniversaries and events from today’s date in history, changes automatically each day. Come back tomorrow to see anniversaries and events for that date.
(800px wide by 650px deep)

June 23-29, 2019 -- Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries for each day of the week. This week features the British “Brexit”, Saudi women drivers, Pop superstar Michael Jackson, the Pied Piper, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, Charles I of Spain who became Holy Roman Emperor. and Isabel Peron of Argentina.

June 23, 2016: The UK voted in a referendum to leave the European Union. Prime Minister David Cameron said he would resign as “Brexit” sent shockwaves around the globe

June 24, 2018: Saudi women drivers took to the roads legally for the first time in the kingdom’s history after a decades-old ban on women driving was lifted

June 25, 2009: Pop superstar Michael Jackson died after ingesting a powerful cocktail of sleeping drugs. His death triggered an outpouring of grief among fans around the world

June 26, 1284: According to legend, the Pied Piper lured 130 children from the German town of Hamelin, allegedly in revenge for not being paid for clearing the town of rats

June 27, 1829: James Smithson, British scientist whose bequest enabled the foundation of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, died in Genoa, Italy

June 28, 1519: Charles I of Spain became Holy Roman Emperor. As Charles V his vast empire encompassed much of Europe as well as Spanish territories in the Americas

June 29, 1974: Isabel Peron was sworn in as President of Argentina, the West’s first non-royal female head of state in modern times. She replaced her ailing husband Juan Peron

HISTORY: On this day June 23-29, 2019 (week 26) (Graphic)
GN39123 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set)

June 16-22, 2019 -- Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries for each day of the week. This week features Nelson Mandela, the Taj Mahal, the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT 2, King Felipe VI of Spain, American tennis player Gussie Moran, the Japanese island of Iwo To, and actress Meryl Streep

June 16, 1999: In a moving ceremony, Nelson Mandela stepped down as South Africa’s first black president. He was succeeded by ANC leader Thabo Mbeki

June 17, stricken husband spent 17 years building her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal

June 18, 1979: U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev signed the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT 2) in Vienna

June 19, 2014: Felipe VI was crowned King of Spain, challenged with restoring the monarchy’s prestige after a series of scandals and amid economic discontent

June 20, 1949: American tennis player Gussie Moran created a sensation at Wimbledon by exposing lace-trimmed panties under her short skirt

June 21, 2007: Reflecting the wishes of its original inhabitants, the Japanese island of Iwo Jima was renamed Iwo To, as it was known before World War II

June 22, 1949: Actress Meryl Streep was born. Nominated for a record 21 Oscars, she has won three, for Kramer vs Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, and The Iron Lady

HISTORY: On this day June 16-22, 2019 (week 25) (Graphic)
GN39122 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set)

June 7, 2019 -- The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to be one of the world’s largest single markets, potentially boosting economic growth across a continent of 55 nations.

If all African nations join, the free trade area will cover more than 1.2 billion people and have a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.

AfCFTA is meant to eliminate 90 percent of tariffs and create a single market with free movement of goods and services. Full implementation will take years.

The operational phase of the free trade area is expected to be formally launched on July 7 at a summit of the African Union in Niger.

BUSINESS: African Continental Free Trade Area (Graphic)
GN39198 Graphic shows details of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
(107mm by 140mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 19, 2019 -- The European Commission says that Italy is breaching EU rules over its growing government debt, starting a process that could lead to financial sanctions. Italy’s debt grew to 132.2 percent of GDP in 2018, second only to bailed-out Greece.

If the Economic and Financial Committee agree with the European Commission’s findings, that Italy is breaching EU rules over its mounting debt, disciplinary proceedings will likely begin.

Italy escaped disciplinary action in 2018, when it reached an agreement with the commission over its 2019 budget.

Recently revealed official data shows Italy’s debt grew to 132.2% of GDP in 2018, the largest ratio in the EU after bailed-out Greece. EU forecasts suggest it will only increase over the next two years, despite EU rules that say it must lower.

EU: Italy’s out of control debt (Graphic)
GN39193 Graphic compares Italy’s debt-to-GDP percentage to that of Greece, and the four other European countries which had to be bailed out by the EU in the European debt crisis.
(107mm by 110mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 6, 2019 -- The U.S. plans to sell more than $2 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, a move that has angered China and is likely to escalate the growing trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.

Taiwan Defense Ministry said it has submitted a letter of request for 108 cutting-edge M1A2 Abrams tanks, 1,240 TOW anti-armor missiles, 409 Javelin anti-tank missiles and 250 Stinger man-portable air defense systems.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that China firmly opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

China considers self-governing Taiwan part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

The U.S. is the main supplier of weapons to Taiwan, and earlier reports have said Taiwan is also seeking 66 F-16 fighter jets in the most advanced "V'' configuration.

The M1 Abrams would mark a significant upgrade from the aging tanks Taiwan's army now uses, while the TOW and Javelin systems would upgrade Taiwan's ability to repulse an attempt by China to land tanks and troops from across the 160km-wide Taiwan Strait.

The Stingers meanwhile could help boost Taiwan's defenses against China's more than 1,000 advanced fighter aircraft and 1,500 missiles pointing at the island.

Taiwan, which split from China amid civil war in 1949, has had no formal diplomatic ties with the U.S. since Washington recognized Beijing in 1979.

However, U.S. law requires it to take threats to the island seriously and to "make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability."

MILITARY: U.S. plans $2bn weapons sale to Taiwan (Graphic)
GN39192 Graphic shows main features of F-16 upgrade package and comparison of Taiwanese and Chinese fighter aircraft.
(107mm wide by mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 6, 2019 -- China’s largest technology company, Huawei Technologies Co., is working on contingency plans, operating 24 hours a day, after U.S. President Trump put the telecom equipment and smartphone manufacturer on a trade blacklist, citing national security concerns.

Trump has said the restrictions are a response to allegations that Huawei is helping Beijing spy on foreign governments. Huawei has also been accused of stealing intellectual property from several tech companies, including Cisco Systems Inc. and T-Mobile. Huawei denies all the charges.

To try to mitigate the trade bans, Huawei has assigned some 10,000 developers to work across three shifts a day to eliminate the need for software and vital components supplied by chipmakers from the U.S. and Europe.

Under pressure from Washington, Australia and New Zealand have boycotted Huawei’s 5G network equipment, while Japan has effectively done so. Others, including the U.K., are considering a ban.

In a gleam of success amongst the gloom, Huawei has signed a deal with Russia’s top mobile phone operator MTS to develop 5G technology in Russia over the coming year.

The agreement was signed on Wednesday following talks in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

BUSINESS: Huawei security issues (Graphic)
GN39191 Graphic shows timeline of Huawei’s global setbacks.
(107mm by 344mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 4, 2019 -- None of the world’s countries are on course to meet a 2030 deadline for achieving gender equality, according to a new global index which measures success against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As many as 40 percent – almost 1.4 billion – of the world’s female population live in countries that fail to meet basic measures of gender equality, while a further 40 percent face substandard equality conditions, according to the inaugural SDG Gender Index, developed by the Equal Measures 2030 partnership.

The global index was launched at the Women Deliver 2019 conference in Vancouver, Canada, attended by some 8,000 delegates from more than 160 countries, Reuters reported. The event, billed as the world’s largest gathering on the health, rights and well-being of women and girls, is taking place from June 3-6.

GENDER EQUALITY: World off track on 2030 targets interactive infographic (Interactive)
GN39178 Interactive graphic shows country rankings on the SDG Gender Index.
(800px wide by 568px deep)

June 5, 2019 -- The success of a potential UK post-Brexit free trade deal with the U.S. may be determined by Washington’s demands, as can be surmised from previous trade talks it has held with other would-be trade partners.

Donald Trump has promised the UK a “very, very substantial” post-Brexit trade deal with the United States, which Brexit supporters are keen to rapidly ratify – seeing it as a route to a prosperous “Global Britain” outside the European Union.

However, past experience of Washington’s dealings with other would-be trade partners hints at what it is likely to seek and the limits on what it would offer.

BREXIT: Issues that could hinder UK-U.S. trade deal (Graphic)
GN39190 Graphic highlights likely areas of difficulty in potential UK-U.S. free trade negotiations.
(107mm by 166mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 4, 2019 -- Russia’s prototype stealth drone is due to make its maiden flight in July or August. The Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik (Hunter) will be fully autonomous and follow a pre-programmed flight path, according to Russian news agency TASS.

MILITARY: Russian S-70 stealth drone (Graphic)
GN39179 Graphic shows details of Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
(107mm by 140mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 5, 2019 -- The number of British applications for an Irish passport has more than doubled since the Brexit referendum in June 2016.

Almost 100,000 Britons sought to hang onto their EU citizenship via a passport from their nearest neighbour in 2018, up from 46,000 in 2015, the year before the Brexit vote led to a sharp rise in applications.

This year, more than 37,000 Britons applied for an Irish passport from January to March, with numbers expected to rise during the latter half of the year.

Anybody born in the Irish Republic or Northern Ireland, or with an Irish parent or grandparent, is entitled to an Irish passport - a total of about 6 million British citizens. Dual citizenship permitted.

BREXIT: Irish passport applications from UK soar (Graphic)
GN39189 Graphic shows numbers of passport applications made by British citizens from 2012.
(107mm wide by 125mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 21, 2019 -- Toy Story 4 is set to break movie theatre box office records for an animated feature – Pixar’s latest offering has already broken advance ticket sales records in the United States.

Box office analysts believe Toy Story 4 has a good chance of setting a new opening record for an animated movie – beating Incredibles 2’s three-day haul of $182.7m. They think Disney-Pixar’s latest offering could realistically do around 10% more business than the current record holder.

As a signal of good fortunes ahead, Fandango and Atom Tickets are already reporting first day movie ticket pre-orders for Toy Story 4 have set a new record.

A recent summer movie survey from Atom Tickets indicated Toy Story 4 had cracked the competitive top 5 “most anticipated movies of the summer” list. Film fans also voted for it as one of their top 3 “most anticipated family movies”.

Like Finding Dory and Incredibles 2 before it, the secret formula to Toy Story 4’s likely success is its multi-generational appeal, and the fact that Toy Story was Pixar’s first movie and has become one of the most beloved franchises in cinema.

ENTERTAINMENT: Toy Story 4 eyes $200m opening weekend (Graphic)
GN39176 Graphic charts box office earning for previous Toy Story iterations, with additional data on all of Pixar’s box office takings to date.
(163mm by 200mm deep)

June 3, 2019 -- More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, a two-fold increase in a decade. Almost 45,500 deaths involved opioids.

In 1996, a new synthetic opioid, a form of oxycodone called OxyContin, came on the market to help relieve chronic non–cancer-related pain. Its maker, Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, claimed OxyContin’s slow release formulation would make it less addictive than ordinary oxycodone.

Purdue aggressively marketed and promoted OxyContin, and sales grew from $48 million in 1996 to more than $1 billion in 2000. In 2001 alone, the company spent $200 million to promote OxyContin.

Between 2008 and 2016, the Sackler family, which owns a controlling interest in Purdue, took home more than $4 billion from sales of OxyContin, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But abuse of the drug quickly grew as users found that they could crush the pills or dissolve the coating, then snort the drug like cocaine or inject it like heroin, to get access to large amounts of oxycodone contained in the pills.

Since 1999, more than 217,500 people have died in the U.S. from overdoses involving prescription opioids. States and cities continue to file a wave of lawsuits against Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers and distributors.

In March this year, Purdue and the Sackler family agreed to pay $270 million to avoid going to an Oklahoma state court trial. And now the first opioid trial has kicked off in Norman, Oklahoma, against Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

The trial will be closely watched by the parties participating in a much larger trial overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Dan Polster, set for October in Cleveland, Ohio.

Purdue faces nearly 1,900 lawsuits from cities, states and counties over its alleged role in the U.S. opioid epidemic.

HEALTH: U.S. opioid crisis (Graphic)
GN39173 Graphic shows rise in U.S. overdose death caused by prescription opioids.
(107mm by 141mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 7-30, 2019 -- The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Theresa May is to step-down as Conservative Party leader, triggering a contest that will elect a new prime minister.

The UK’s Theresa May will resign as Conservative Party leader on June 7, setting in motion a contest that will elect a new party leader and prime minister.

Her announcement, however, does not trigger a parliamentary election. Instead, the Tory party will elect the successor through several rounds of internal ballots.

POLITICS: How UK will choose a new prime minister (Graphic)
GN39171 Graphic shows how a new Conservative Party leader, and UK prime minister, will be chosen.
(107mm by 153mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

May 29, 2019 -- China is signalling that it may use rare earths exports as leverage in the trade war with the U.S., as tensions between the two powers escalate.

Rare earths, a group of 17 metals with a variety of high-tech applications, used in magnets, instrument displays and other strategic applications, are the one raw material where China dominates global supply.

Chinese mines account for around 70% of global output.

Around 80% of the rare earths imported by the U.S. comes from China, according to US government data.

The official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, People's Daily, said in an editorial Wednesday that the U.S. is a major buyer of China's rare earth materials and is "highly dependent" on such resources.

Columns from the official Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times newspaper also pointed to China's rich supply of rare earths.

Last year, the US Geological Survey designated these minerals critical to the economy and national defence.

TRADE: China may weaponise rare earths (Graphic)
GN39164 Graphic shows major producers of current rare earth reserves
(107mm wide by 151mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

June 1-30, 2019 -- The World Agenda gives a preview of world events scheduled for June, including the G20 summit in Japan, President Trump’s state visit to Britain, anniversary commemorations of D-Day and Tiananmen Square, and the Women’s World Cup in France.

Events covered include:

Jun 3-4, China: Pro-democracy demonstrators were forcibly cleared from Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 30 years ago, and hundreds if not thousands died. The scale of the milestone vigil in semi-autonomous Hong Kong will indicate if resignation is replacing outrage

Jun 3-6, UK: Britain needs post-Brexit trading partners, an explanation for why, despite much opposition, U.S. President Donald Trump is being flattered with a controversial full state visit ahead of D-Day 75th anniversary events in England and France

Jun 6, France: Some 156,000 Allied forces launched a surprise invasion 75 years ago on the coast of Normandy. D-Day, regarded as the greatest ever seaborne invasion, began the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control

Jun 7-Jul 7, France: The Women’s World Cup will be the biggest to date, with 24 countries taking part. But while prize money has doubled to $30m, the men’s tournament has increased by more, meaning the gender pay gap has actually widened

Jun 21, U.S.: Toy Story 4 opens more than 20 years after the smash original. The tale revolves around the gang learning to accept Forky, a spork (hybrid of spoon and fork), while also figuring out what makes something a toy

Jun 25-26, Bahrain: Details of President Trump’s so-called Deal of the Century to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are expected to be released at an investment conference. It is believed to offer economic inducements to Palestinians but nothing to satisfy their political aspirations

Jun 26-27, U.S.: The Democratic Party kicks off its 2020 presidential primary debates. With 20 candidates in the ever-expanding field, the debates provide a first opportunity to stand out from the pack


Jun 28-29, Japan: Prime minister Shinzo Abe welcomes G20 leaders to Osaka as they seek ways to ameliorate threats to global growth. The growing trade war between China and the U.S. is a major concern

WORLD AGENDA: June 2019 interactive (Interactive)
GN39141 Responsive interactive graphic shows news events in June 2019.
(640px wide by 568px deep)

June 1-30, 2019 -- The World Agenda gives a preview of world events scheduled for June, including the G20 summit in Japan, President Trump’s state visit to Britain, anniversary commemorations of D-Day and Tiananmen Square, and the Women’s World Cup in France.

Jun 28-29, Japan: Prime minister Shinzo Abe welcomes G20 leaders to Osaka as they seek ways to ameliorate threats to global growth. The growing trade war between China and the U.S. is a major concern

Jun 26-27, U.S.: The Democratic Party kicks off its 2020 presidential primary debates. With 20 candidates in the ever-expanding field, the debates provide a first opportunity to stand out from
the pack

Jun 3-6, UK: Britain needs post-Brexit trading partners, an explanation for why, despite much
opposition, U.S. President Donald Trump is being flattered with a controversial full state visit
ahead of D-Day 75th anniversary events in England and France

Jun 6, France: Some 156,000 Allied forces launched a surprise invasion 75 years ago on the coast
of Normandy. D-Day, regarded as the greatest ever seaborne invasion, began the liberation of
Western Europe from Nazi control

Jun 25-26, Bahrain: Details of President Trump’s so-called Deal of the Century to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are expected to be released at an investment conference. It is believed to offer economic inducements to Palestinians but nothing to satisfy their political aspirations

Jun 3-4, China: Pro-democracy demonstrators were forcibly cleared from Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 30 years ago, and hundreds if not thousands died. The scale of the milestone vigil in semi-autonomous Hong Kong will indicate if resignation is replacing outrage

Jun 21, U.S.: Toy Story 4 opens more than 20 years after the smash original. The tale revolves around the gang learning to accept Forky, a spork (hybrid of spoon and fork), while also figuring
out what makes something a toy

Jun 7-Jul 7, France: The Women’s World Cup will be the biggest to date, with 24 countries taking part. But while prize money has doubled to $30m, the men’s tournament has increased by more, meaning the gender pay gap has actually widened

WORLD AGENDA: June 2019 (Graphic)
GN39140 Graphic shows news events in June 2019. An interactive version of this graphic is also produced each month.
(163mm wide by 210mm)

May 31, 2019 -- Disneyland’s new billion dollar Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction is its most immersive to date. A crew of over 4,000 people worked for more than five years to create the movie saga tie-in. The Disneyland attraction in Southern California opens May 31, with its twin at Walt Disney World, Florida opening August 29.

Disney is believed to have spent an eye-watering $1 billion building a Star Wars theme park attraction at its Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California (it is also creating one at Walt Disney World in Florida – costing another billion dollars).

The epic five-year project features the area of “Black Spire Outpost”, on the planet Batuu – a location only briefly but mentioned in recent movies.

Visitors will be able to walk through streets and bazaars teaming with alien life, and Star Wars merchandise, while being able to build their own lightsaber, design a droid and eat Star Wars food – such as Luke’s blue milk.

Highlights include:
• $78 million “Rise of the Resistance” ride, the largest and most advanced ever built by Disney (still under construction and opening later this year)
• $56 million “Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run” ride
• $18 million “Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo” restaurant
• $13 million ”Oga’s Cantina” cocktail bar

Populating the environment will be a host of actors playing Batuu natives, Resistance fighters and First Order villains – all of who will talk and interact with their earthling visitors.

ENTERTAINMENT: Disney's cosmic Star Wars gamble interactive (1) (Interactive UPDATED May 20)
GN39102 Interactive graphic shows the main attractions at the “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” theme park addition to Disneyland.
(800px wide by 568px deep)

May 15 - July 20, 2019 -- On July 20, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the Moon, declaring, as he stepped on to the lunar surface, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Just 12 men have walked upon the Moon, and they remain the only human beings to have visited another world. But the moonwalkers were just the most visible face of a vast project -- in total, no fewer than 400,000 people were involved in Project Apollo.

President John F. Kennedy’s bold commitment in 1961 to put a man on the Moon before the decade is out led to a whirlwind of daring firsts, nail-biting close calls, and tragedy.

NASA’s Apollo programme stopped cold on January 27, 1967, when a flash fire swept through the Apollo 1 command module during a “plugs out” dry run rehearsal, killing astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. In the wake of the tragedy, a new schedule was set, and it was as relentless as ever. The next crewed mission was slated for October 1968, leaving little more than a year before the end of the decade.

Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Service Module (Columbia) Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module (LM) Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

On July 19, Apollo 11 flew behind the Moon, out of contact with Earth, and entered lunar orbit.

On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin entered the LM, made a final check, and separated from Columbia, on its 13th lunar orbit. Problems began immediately as radio links with Earth started to fade in and out.

At Mission Control Flight Director Gene Kranz gave the crew “Go” for powered descent and communication was immediately lost again as the descent engine fired. Unknown to Kranz this triggered a 13-minute life-or-death struggle, 385,000 kilometres from Earth.

Within minutes the onboard computer -- crucial to the landing -- started flashing a “1202” error code that the crew had never before seen -- and the sound of the master alarm filled the tiny cabin.

“Give us a reading on the twelve-oh-two,” Armstrong demanded tensely. At Mission Control a team scrambled to try to find an answer -- the error code meant that the 32K memory of the computer was struggling but still working and able to perform its mission-critical tasks. Armstrong had an answer: “We’re go on that alarm!” Four more error alerts sounded in the cabin. “The same type, we’re go,” Armstrong was told.

But there was another problem -- Armstrong and Aldrin found they had overshot the planned landing zone and were flying over a vast crater field. Running low on fuel, Armstrong searched for a new landing zone through his commander’s window. Mission Control called a 60-second fuel warning.

As Armstrong focused intently on a flat spot ahead, while Aldrin called out speed and range, Mission Control called a 30-second fuel warning. Seconds later, as the descent engine kicked up clouds of dust, a long metal rod that extended from the landing legs touched the lunar plain. A blue light on the console signalled their arrival. Armstrong’s voice crackled from the speakers at Mission Control -- he said simply, “the Eagle has landed.”

An estimated 530 million people watched Armstrong’s televised image as he stepped onto the lunar surface. Kennedy’s dream of putting humans on the Moon by the end of the decade had at last come true.

SPACE: Moon landing 50th anniversary (Graphic)
GN39115 Graphic shows timeline of Apollo programme and problems experienced by Apollo 11 during Moon landing.
(265mm wide by 393mm deep)

June 19, 2019 -- A pistol believed to have been used by Vincent van Gogh to take his own life in 1890 is to go under the hammer at an auction in Paris.

Described by some as the art world's most famous weapon, the 7mm pocket revolver will be put up for sale by Auction Art on June 19.

The handgun was discovered in the 1960s in fields in the northern French village of Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh is widely believed to have shot himself in the chest in 1890. He died two days later.

A book by Pulitzer-Prize winning authors has questioned that version of the painter's death, concluding that Van Gogh was shot by two teenagers.

The revolver going under the hammer in Paris was part of a 2016 exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

ART: Van Gogh’s suicide weapon up for auction (Graphic)
GN38990 Graphic shows facts around Van Gogh’s death
(107mm wide by 172mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))

April 29 - October 7, 2019 -- The Beijing Expo, the biggest international horticultural exhibition ever staged, will be a centrepiece of China’s celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Communist state.

The show, located in Yanqing on the outskirts of Beijing municipality, will open on April 29th and last for more than five months, according to the Economist newspaper.

Organisers say at least 16 million visitors are expected to attend the expo, with more than 100 countries and international organisations putting on displays.

Built by thousands of workers, the 960-hectare expo park is half as big again as the one made for the 2008 Olympics, which was previously the city’s record-setter.

CHINA: Beijing Expo 2019 (Graphic)
GN38672 Graphic shows location and details of exhibition.
(107mm by 161mm deep (print) and 2-screen responsive graphic (digital))