Graphic News Planner (news) 18/03/2024 18:25:01
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INDIA: General election 2024 (Graphic DUE Mar 19, 16:00GMT)
April 19 - June 1, 2024 --
INDIA: General election 2024 (Graphic DUE Mar 19, 16:00GMT)
GN45581 Graphic shows map of India with election timeline and key parties.
(163mm wide by mm deep)
INDIA: General election 2024 (Graphic DUE Mar 19, 16:00GMT)
GN45581 Graphic shows map of India with election timeline and key parties.
(163mm wide by mm deep)
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MILITARY: Niger junta bans U.S. troops (Graphic)
March 18, 2024 -- Niger’s junta has revoked with immediate effect a military accord that allows the U.S. to mount counterterrorism operations in the Sahel from its military base in Niger.
The announcement followed a visit to the capital, Niamey, by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Molly Phee, the State Department’s top official for African affairs, and Gen. Michael E. Langley, who heads U.S. military operations in Africa.
The statement read on television, “denounced with force the condescending attitude” of the head of the U.S. delegation, which he said had undermined the long relationship between the two countries. The junta’s spokesman, Amadou Abdramane, said Niger was “denouncing with immediate effect” the accord with the U.S. military.
The United States operates a drone base in the north of Niger with around 1,100 military staff.
The Pentagon built Air Base 201 six years ago at Agadez for $110 million. It has been vital for monitoring extremist groups connected to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Gen. Langley warned earlier this year that if the U.S. closed the drone base, the move would be “impactful” in Niger and the region and for the United States’ broader counterterrorism strategy.
“If we can’t see, we can’t sense,” he said. “If we lose our footprint in the Sahel, that will degrade our ability to do active watching and warning, including for homeland defense.”
MILITARY: Niger junta bans U.S. troops (Graphic)
GN45598 Graphic shows Niger’s recent timeline since last year’s coup d'état.
(107mm by 160mm deep) View graphic
The announcement followed a visit to the capital, Niamey, by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Molly Phee, the State Department’s top official for African affairs, and Gen. Michael E. Langley, who heads U.S. military operations in Africa.
The statement read on television, “denounced with force the condescending attitude” of the head of the U.S. delegation, which he said had undermined the long relationship between the two countries. The junta’s spokesman, Amadou Abdramane, said Niger was “denouncing with immediate effect” the accord with the U.S. military.
The United States operates a drone base in the north of Niger with around 1,100 military staff.
The Pentagon built Air Base 201 six years ago at Agadez for $110 million. It has been vital for monitoring extremist groups connected to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Gen. Langley warned earlier this year that if the U.S. closed the drone base, the move would be “impactful” in Niger and the region and for the United States’ broader counterterrorism strategy.
“If we can’t see, we can’t sense,” he said. “If we lose our footprint in the Sahel, that will degrade our ability to do active watching and warning, including for homeland defense.”
MILITARY: Niger junta bans U.S. troops (Graphic)
GN45598 Graphic shows Niger’s recent timeline since last year’s coup d'état.
(107mm by 160mm deep) View graphic
CONFLICT: Israel-Hamas war sitrep day 164 (Graphic)
March 18, 2024 -- Israel’s military made its deepest incursion into Gaza City in about two weeks, saying its troops were undertaking a “precise operation” targeting the Al-Shifa hospital.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said senior Hamas terrorists have regrouped inside the hospital and are using it to launch attacks.
Hundreds of displaced Palestinians are sheltering at the hospital, which was raided by Israeli forces earlier in the conflict.
Al-Shifa hospital was Gaza's main medical facility prior to the conflict, but its operations have been severely disrupted after months of fighting, according to the BBC.
CONFLICT: Israel-Hamas war sitrep day 164 (Graphic)
GN45582 Graphic shows situation report in Israel and Gaza.
(107mm by 149mm deep) View graphic
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said senior Hamas terrorists have regrouped inside the hospital and are using it to launch attacks.
Hundreds of displaced Palestinians are sheltering at the hospital, which was raided by Israeli forces earlier in the conflict.
Al-Shifa hospital was Gaza's main medical facility prior to the conflict, but its operations have been severely disrupted after months of fighting, according to the BBC.
CONFLICT: Israel-Hamas war sitrep day 164 (Graphic)
GN45582 Graphic shows situation report in Israel and Gaza.
(107mm by 149mm deep) View graphic
POLITICS: Vladimir Putin – Russia’s longest Kremlin ruler since Stalin (Graphic)
March 15-17, 2024 -- Vladimir Putin has been elected for a fifth term as Russia’s president, extending a quarter-century of rule, and potentially aiding his stay in power until 2036.
In a surprise to absolutely nobody, Vladimir Putin has won a fifth term as Russia’s president, extending a quarter-century of rule and potentially aiding his wish to stay in power well into the next decade.
In 2020, he amended the Constitution of Russia to exempt himself from presidential term limits until 2036, when he’ll be 83.
Putin is Russia’s longest-serving Kremlin leader since Soviet-era dictator Joseph Stalin who was in power for 10,636 days – Putin has served 8,844 days, as of March 17, 2024, when polling booths closed.
All credible opposition to Putin is either dead, in prison or exiled, establishing his power over the country of 144 million people as absolute.
POLITICS: Vladimir Putin – Russia’s longest Kremlin ruler since Stalin (Graphic)
GN45579 Graphic charts the longest-serving Russian presidents.
(107mm by 123mm deep) View graphic
In a surprise to absolutely nobody, Vladimir Putin has won a fifth term as Russia’s president, extending a quarter-century of rule and potentially aiding his wish to stay in power well into the next decade.
In 2020, he amended the Constitution of Russia to exempt himself from presidential term limits until 2036, when he’ll be 83.
Putin is Russia’s longest-serving Kremlin leader since Soviet-era dictator Joseph Stalin who was in power for 10,636 days – Putin has served 8,844 days, as of March 17, 2024, when polling booths closed.
All credible opposition to Putin is either dead, in prison or exiled, establishing his power over the country of 144 million people as absolute.
POLITICS: Vladimir Putin – Russia’s longest Kremlin ruler since Stalin (Graphic)
GN45579 Graphic charts the longest-serving Russian presidents.
(107mm by 123mm deep) View graphic
MILITARY: Turkey, Iraq reach Kurdish security deal (Graphic)
March 15, 2024 -- Turkey is expected to launch a military operation in northern Iraq in spring after a deal was agreed with Iraq to crack down on PKK Kurdish militants and make way for a major new trade route.
Turkish officials have said they will create a 30-40km security corridor in Iraqi Kurdistan around areas where tere are already over 40 Turkish military points. The cross-border campaign is likely to start once the snow melts in April or May
The Development Road is a 745-mile road and rail network linking the Persian Gulf with Europe, shortening the route from China by thousands of miles and allowing trade to bypass the Suez Canal, where maritime traffic is currently facing the threat of attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.
With a projected cost of around $17 billion, Turkey is the first major investor, with the construction of Grand Al-Faw Port near Basrah
likely to become the largest in the Middle East, but investment is also being sought from Gulf states. The route is expected to generate revenues of approximately $6bn each year.
MILITARY: Turkey, Iraq reach Kurdish security deal (Graphic)
GN45578 Graphic shows planned security buffer and Development Road project.
(107mm wide by 162mm deep) View graphic
Turkish officials have said they will create a 30-40km security corridor in Iraqi Kurdistan around areas where tere are already over 40 Turkish military points. The cross-border campaign is likely to start once the snow melts in April or May
The Development Road is a 745-mile road and rail network linking the Persian Gulf with Europe, shortening the route from China by thousands of miles and allowing trade to bypass the Suez Canal, where maritime traffic is currently facing the threat of attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.
With a projected cost of around $17 billion, Turkey is the first major investor, with the construction of Grand Al-Faw Port near Basrah
likely to become the largest in the Middle East, but investment is also being sought from Gulf states. The route is expected to generate revenues of approximately $6bn each year.
MILITARY: Turkey, Iraq reach Kurdish security deal (Graphic)
GN45578 Graphic shows planned security buffer and Development Road project.
(107mm wide by 162mm deep) View graphic
MIGRATION: 60 die in Mediterranean (Graphic)
March 15, 2024 -- Survivors rescued from a rubber dinghy in the central Mediterranean Sea have reported that some 60 people who departed Libya with them more than a week ago perished during the journey.
The ship Ocean Viking of the humanitarian rescue group SOS Mediterranee spotted a dinghy with 25 survivors on board on Wednesday (March 14).
SOS Mediterranee said on Thursday that two survivors, found unconscious, were flown to Lampedusa by an Italian Coast Guard helicopter but later died.
“The survivors departed from Zawiya, Libya, seven days before they were rescued,” SOS Mediterranee said on Thursday on X.
“Their engine broke after three days, leaving their boat lost, adrift without water and food for days. Survivors report that at least 60 people perished on the way, including women and at least one child,” it added, citing accounts from those rescued.
The rescue group’s spokesman, Francesco Creazzo, said the survivors were all male from Senegal, Mali, and The Gambia.
MIGRATION: 60 die in Mediterranean (Graphic)
GN45580 Graphic shows Mediterranean migrants and deaths since January 1, 2024.
(107mm by 141mm deep) View graphic
The ship Ocean Viking of the humanitarian rescue group SOS Mediterranee spotted a dinghy with 25 survivors on board on Wednesday (March 14).
SOS Mediterranee said on Thursday that two survivors, found unconscious, were flown to Lampedusa by an Italian Coast Guard helicopter but later died.
“The survivors departed from Zawiya, Libya, seven days before they were rescued,” SOS Mediterranee said on Thursday on X.
“Their engine broke after three days, leaving their boat lost, adrift without water and food for days. Survivors report that at least 60 people perished on the way, including women and at least one child,” it added, citing accounts from those rescued.
The rescue group’s spokesman, Francesco Creazzo, said the survivors were all male from Senegal, Mali, and The Gambia.
MIGRATION: 60 die in Mediterranean (Graphic)
GN45580 Graphic shows Mediterranean migrants and deaths since January 1, 2024.
(107mm by 141mm deep) View graphic
RUSSIA: Russia is dodging car import sanctions (Graphic)
March 14, 2024 -- According to a Sky News investigation, Russia is evading sanctions, brought about by its invasion of Ukraine, by importing UK luxury vehicles through former Soviet states, most notably Azerbaijan.
Luxury cars made in the UK are finding their way to Russia, despite the imposition of sanctions, according to a Sky News investigation.
Direct exports from the UK to Russia ceased after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, however, data from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) shows that in 2023, the UK exported £273 million of vehicles to Azerbaijan – a huge increase on the years prior to the invasion.
The HMRC data also reveals that the average value of a British car exported to Azerbaijan is more than £100,000 – suggesting that the consignments are primarily luxury car models, such as those manufactured by Rolls Royce and Bentley.
UK carmakers say that they are no longer selling cars to Russia, but that it is impossible to track each British consignment once it has left port.
RUSSIA: Russia is dodging car import sanctions (Graphic)
GN45575 Graphic charts UK luxury car exports to Russia and Azerbaijan.
(107mm by 120mm deep) View graphic
Luxury cars made in the UK are finding their way to Russia, despite the imposition of sanctions, according to a Sky News investigation.
Direct exports from the UK to Russia ceased after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, however, data from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) shows that in 2023, the UK exported £273 million of vehicles to Azerbaijan – a huge increase on the years prior to the invasion.
The HMRC data also reveals that the average value of a British car exported to Azerbaijan is more than £100,000 – suggesting that the consignments are primarily luxury car models, such as those manufactured by Rolls Royce and Bentley.
UK carmakers say that they are no longer selling cars to Russia, but that it is impossible to track each British consignment once it has left port.
RUSSIA: Russia is dodging car import sanctions (Graphic)
GN45575 Graphic charts UK luxury car exports to Russia and Azerbaijan.
(107mm by 120mm deep) View graphic
UKRAINE: Magura V5 sea drone (Graphic)
March 14, 2024 -- Kyiv is stepping up attacks against Russian warships with the use of domestically produced sea drones, which have crippled Moscow’s naval capability in the Black Sea.
The Magura V5, named after a Slavic goddess of war, has a range is 800km, so it can easily reach the Crimean peninsula and even the Russian coastline. It can allegedly carry 350kg of payload, enough to sink a warship.
The Magura drone can sail up to 78km/h. Thanks to its speed and size – 5.5m long – it's hard to spot, especially among the waves at night.
The hydrodynamic hull and sleek profile allow the drone to move secretly, making it easy to launch from any remote location.
There is another advantage of the Magura. They do not require a complex infrastructure to launch. The control panel of this marine drone looks quite compact, no larger than a modern laptop.
Sea drones are proving difficult to stop, specially when launched as swarm to overwhelm the ship's defences.
In the latest reported strike, Ukrainian naval drones attacked the Sergei Kotov patrol ship near the Kerch Strait, according to the Ukraine's military intelligence agency.
In February, drones sank Russia's Caesar Kunikov amphibious landing ship and Ivanovets missile corvette.
UKRAINE: Magura V5 sea drone (Graphic)
GN45571 Graphic shows the specifications of the Magura V5 drone, and Russian ships sunk by sea drones.
(107mm wide by 157mm deep) View graphic
The Magura V5, named after a Slavic goddess of war, has a range is 800km, so it can easily reach the Crimean peninsula and even the Russian coastline. It can allegedly carry 350kg of payload, enough to sink a warship.
The Magura drone can sail up to 78km/h. Thanks to its speed and size – 5.5m long – it's hard to spot, especially among the waves at night.
The hydrodynamic hull and sleek profile allow the drone to move secretly, making it easy to launch from any remote location.
There is another advantage of the Magura. They do not require a complex infrastructure to launch. The control panel of this marine drone looks quite compact, no larger than a modern laptop.
Sea drones are proving difficult to stop, specially when launched as swarm to overwhelm the ship's defences.
In the latest reported strike, Ukrainian naval drones attacked the Sergei Kotov patrol ship near the Kerch Strait, according to the Ukraine's military intelligence agency.
In February, drones sank Russia's Caesar Kunikov amphibious landing ship and Ivanovets missile corvette.
UKRAINE: Magura V5 sea drone (Graphic)
GN45571 Graphic shows the specifications of the Magura V5 drone, and Russian ships sunk by sea drones.
(107mm wide by 157mm deep) View graphic
POLITICS: Biden and Trump set for rematch (1) (Graphic UPDATED Mar 13)
March 13, 2024 -- Democrat incumbent President Joe Biden and Republican former-President Donald Trump are set for a rematch of the 2020 election after both sealed their parties’ nominations.
Donald Trump sealed his nomination 244 days before the election, when Nikki Haley, his last remaining challenger, stood down after a disappointing Super Tuesday showing. More than a dozen hopefuls had stood against Trump, including former allies like Haley, Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former VP Mike Pence, but despite the four criminal charges and 91 felony counts hanging over the former president, ranging from allegations over his attempt to reverse his loss to Biden in 2020, to his handling of classified documents and payments to a porn star, Trump has seen them all off in near record time.
Neither candidate will be formally selected until the party conventions in the summer but both have already shifted the focus of their campaigns from the primaries to the November election. However, despite their strong showing against their primary opposition, weaknesses in their vote were clear and may be exploited by their opponent come autumn.
POLITICS: Biden and Trump set for rematch (1) (Graphic UPDATED Mar 13)
GN45570 Graphic charts data from the latest U.S. election poll of polls, and shows expected voting in each state.
(107mm wide by 157mm deep)
Donald Trump sealed his nomination 244 days before the election, when Nikki Haley, his last remaining challenger, stood down after a disappointing Super Tuesday showing. More than a dozen hopefuls had stood against Trump, including former allies like Haley, Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former VP Mike Pence, but despite the four criminal charges and 91 felony counts hanging over the former president, ranging from allegations over his attempt to reverse his loss to Biden in 2020, to his handling of classified documents and payments to a porn star, Trump has seen them all off in near record time.
Neither candidate will be formally selected until the party conventions in the summer but both have already shifted the focus of their campaigns from the primaries to the November election. However, despite their strong showing against their primary opposition, weaknesses in their vote were clear and may be exploited by their opponent come autumn.
POLITICS: Biden and Trump set for rematch (1) (Graphic UPDATED Mar 13)
GN45570 Graphic charts data from the latest U.S. election poll of polls, and shows expected voting in each state.
(107mm wide by 157mm deep)
TECH: EU curbs Apple App Store fees (Graphic)
March 13, 2024 -- The EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA) forces Apple to reduce its commission on app revenue, and allows the use of alternative app marketplaces and payment methods.
Apple has capitulated in its fight to protect the dominance of its App Store on iPhones and iPads in Europe, telling developers they are now free to distribute their apps directly to consumers in that region, if they want to.
The changes comply with the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will dent the high profit margins of up to 30% that Apple has come to rely on from its walled-in App store.
Developers must still meet terms and conditions set by Apple, like being an authorised developer, but will now be charged less for every sale they make – or even nothing if they completely circumvent the official Apple App Store.
TECH: EU curbs Apple App Store fees (Graphic)
GN45572 Graphic charts Apple’s commission on app sales after new EU legislation.
(107mm by 145mm deep) View graphic
Apple has capitulated in its fight to protect the dominance of its App Store on iPhones and iPads in Europe, telling developers they are now free to distribute their apps directly to consumers in that region, if they want to.
The changes comply with the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will dent the high profit margins of up to 30% that Apple has come to rely on from its walled-in App store.
Developers must still meet terms and conditions set by Apple, like being an authorised developer, but will now be charged less for every sale they make – or even nothing if they completely circumvent the official Apple App Store.
TECH: EU curbs Apple App Store fees (Graphic)
GN45572 Graphic charts Apple’s commission on app sales after new EU legislation.
(107mm by 145mm deep) View graphic
POLITICS: Israel probe call (Graphic)
March 13, 2024 -- Five months after the outbreak of war in Gaza, an absolute majority of Israelis -- 92% -- want the establishment of a state commission of inquiry to investigate the failures of October 7.
According to the poll published by Channel 12 on Tuesday evening, 49% of people said they believe Israel should immediately establish a state commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the October 7 massacre, while 43% called for an investigation after the war ended.
Just 2% of Israelis believe no such commission is needed, and 6% said they were unsure.
64% of people believe that the country should hold early elections rather than wait until the end of the current government’s term in October 2026.
When asked who they would prefer to see as Israel’s next prime minister, 41% said they would prefer Benny Gantz, 29% would prefer Benjamin Netanyahu, 23% said neither was suitable for the position, and 7% didn’t know who they preferred.
POLITICS: Israel probe call (Graphic)
GN45573 Graphic shows response to poll conducted by the Midgam Institute for Channel 12 News.
(107mm by 104mm deep) View graphic
According to the poll published by Channel 12 on Tuesday evening, 49% of people said they believe Israel should immediately establish a state commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the October 7 massacre, while 43% called for an investigation after the war ended.
Just 2% of Israelis believe no such commission is needed, and 6% said they were unsure.
64% of people believe that the country should hold early elections rather than wait until the end of the current government’s term in October 2026.
When asked who they would prefer to see as Israel’s next prime minister, 41% said they would prefer Benny Gantz, 29% would prefer Benjamin Netanyahu, 23% said neither was suitable for the position, and 7% didn’t know who they preferred.
POLITICS: Israel probe call (Graphic)
GN45573 Graphic shows response to poll conducted by the Midgam Institute for Channel 12 News.
(107mm by 104mm deep) View graphic
POLITICS: U.S. pushing to pass TikTok bill (Graphic)
March 12, 2024 -- U.S. lawmakers are pressing ahead with a bipartisan bill that could force TikTok’s Beijing-based owner ByteDance to sell the platform or see it banned in the United States.
House Majority Leader and the U.S. Republican representative for Louisiana Steve Scalise, says the House will try to expedite the passing of a bill that aims to force ByteDance, the owners of TikTok, to sell the platform or face it being banned in the United States.
Momentum is growing on Capitol Hill from both political parties to demonstrate a willingness to be tough on China, amid concerns that ByteDance’s relationship with Beijing poses risks to U.S. national security – President Joe Biden says he will sign the bill.
TikTok refutes claims that ByteDance is a Chinese owned company, saying that only 20% is owned by Zhang Yiming – its founder and a Chinese private individual. They say the rest of the company is owned by global investment institutions and employees of ByteDance around the world.
POLITICS: U.S. pushing to pass TikTok bill (Graphic)
GN45568 Graphic charts TikTok users by nation.
(107mm by 140mm deep) View graphic
House Majority Leader and the U.S. Republican representative for Louisiana Steve Scalise, says the House will try to expedite the passing of a bill that aims to force ByteDance, the owners of TikTok, to sell the platform or face it being banned in the United States.
Momentum is growing on Capitol Hill from both political parties to demonstrate a willingness to be tough on China, amid concerns that ByteDance’s relationship with Beijing poses risks to U.S. national security – President Joe Biden says he will sign the bill.
TikTok refutes claims that ByteDance is a Chinese owned company, saying that only 20% is owned by Zhang Yiming – its founder and a Chinese private individual. They say the rest of the company is owned by global investment institutions and employees of ByteDance around the world.
POLITICS: U.S. pushing to pass TikTok bill (Graphic)
GN45568 Graphic charts TikTok users by nation.
(107mm by 140mm deep) View graphic
POLITICS: Russia presidential election (Graphic)
March 12, 2024 -- Russians will vote for one of four officially registered candidates in the presidential election from March 15-17, which Vladimir Putin is certain to win, clinching another six-year term in power.
Other than Putin, there are three registered candidates: the nationalist conservative Leonid Slutsky, the Communist Party candidate Nikolai Kharitonov, and the businessman Vladislav Davankov. They all support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kremlin critics accuse Putin of being an autocratic war criminal who rules by fear. However, Russia’s Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) indicates that 80% of voters support him and view him as the authoritarian leader needed to stand up to the West.
Presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin, a prominent critic of the war in Ukraine, was banned by the Central Election Commission (CEC), which refused to register him as a candidate in February. The CEC said it had found flaws in the signatures he had collected in support of his candidacy.
“I collected more than 200,000 signatures across Russia. We conducted the collection openly and honestly -- the queues at our headquarters and collection points were watched by the whole world,” Nadezhdin said.
Putin, 71, is almost sure to extend his 24-year leadership of Russia, including eight years as prime minister, for at least another six years.
POLITICS: Russia presidential election (Graphic)
GN45569 Graphic shows Vladimir Putin and his three presidential contenders.
(107mm by 143mm deep) View graphic
Other than Putin, there are three registered candidates: the nationalist conservative Leonid Slutsky, the Communist Party candidate Nikolai Kharitonov, and the businessman Vladislav Davankov. They all support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kremlin critics accuse Putin of being an autocratic war criminal who rules by fear. However, Russia’s Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) indicates that 80% of voters support him and view him as the authoritarian leader needed to stand up to the West.
Presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin, a prominent critic of the war in Ukraine, was banned by the Central Election Commission (CEC), which refused to register him as a candidate in February. The CEC said it had found flaws in the signatures he had collected in support of his candidacy.
“I collected more than 200,000 signatures across Russia. We conducted the collection openly and honestly -- the queues at our headquarters and collection points were watched by the whole world,” Nadezhdin said.
Putin, 71, is almost sure to extend his 24-year leadership of Russia, including eight years as prime minister, for at least another six years.
POLITICS: Russia presidential election (Graphic)
GN45569 Graphic shows Vladimir Putin and his three presidential contenders.
(107mm by 143mm deep) View graphic
MOVIES: Oscars TV audience 2024 (Graphic)
March 11, 2024 -- Some 19.5 million people watched the 96th Academy Awards ceremony, the biggest TV audience in four years, boosted by nominations for top box office hits like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”.
The show, carried on Walt Disney’s ABC network, attracted an audience of 19.5 million viewers, the network said, a 4.3% increase from last year’s ceremony.
The viewership peaked in the final half hour, when the audience saw Ryan Gosling perform “I'm Just Ken” from “Barbie,” saw Cillian Murphy win best actor, Christopher Nolan win best director for “Oppenheimer” and Al Pacino give the film the best picture Oscar in an odd presentation.
The ratings report will prompt cheers at ABC and the Academy, which bumped the start of the awards ceremony an hour earlier than usual, in the hopes that more viewers would stick around through the final categories.
The Oscars sank to an all-time low in 2021, a year that saw all award shows slump due to the pandemic.
MOVIES: Oscars TV audience 2024 (Graphic)
GN45566 Graphic shows Oscars TV audiences since 2018.
(107mm wide by 99mm deep) View graphic
The show, carried on Walt Disney’s ABC network, attracted an audience of 19.5 million viewers, the network said, a 4.3% increase from last year’s ceremony.
The viewership peaked in the final half hour, when the audience saw Ryan Gosling perform “I'm Just Ken” from “Barbie,” saw Cillian Murphy win best actor, Christopher Nolan win best director for “Oppenheimer” and Al Pacino give the film the best picture Oscar in an odd presentation.
The ratings report will prompt cheers at ABC and the Academy, which bumped the start of the awards ceremony an hour earlier than usual, in the hopes that more viewers would stick around through the final categories.
The Oscars sank to an all-time low in 2021, a year that saw all award shows slump due to the pandemic.
MOVIES: Oscars TV audience 2024 (Graphic)
GN45566 Graphic shows Oscars TV audiences since 2018.
(107mm wide by 99mm deep) View graphic
HISTORY: On this day March 31-Apr 6, 2024 (week 14) (Graphic)
March 31 - April 6, 2024 -- Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week. This week features the Eiffel Tower, the Inuit people of Canada, the neon signs of London’s Piccadilly Circus, actor Marlon Brando, Finland joining NATO, the French Revolutionary Tribunal and the Swedish band ABBA
March 31, 1889: The Eiffel Tower, built by the engineer Gustave Eiffel, was inaugurated in Paris, France. At 324m (1,063ft), it was the world’s tallest man-made structure
April 1, 1999: A new territory, Nunavut, “our land”, was created in Canada to provide autonomy for the Inuit people. It comprises most of the Canadian Arctic archipelago
April 2, 1949: Years of post-war gloom ended as neon signs were lit up again in London’s Piccadilly Circus, 10 years after they were banned at the start of World War II
April 3, 1924: Marlon Brando, Oscar-winning U.S. movie actor whose best known films included The Wild One (above), On the Waterfront, and The Godfather, was born
April 4, 2023: Finland was welcomed into NATO, doubling the length of the alliance’s borders with Russia. It applied to join the group after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
April 5, 1794: Georges Jacques Danton, who set up the French Revolutionary Tribunal, became one of the victims of the Terror himself when he was guillotined for treason
April 6, 1974: The Swedish band ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with the pop classic Waterloo, which was later voted the best song in the contest’s history
HISTORY: On this day March 31-Apr 6, 2024 (week 14) (Graphic)
GN45521 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set) View graphic
March 31, 1889: The Eiffel Tower, built by the engineer Gustave Eiffel, was inaugurated in Paris, France. At 324m (1,063ft), it was the world’s tallest man-made structure
April 1, 1999: A new territory, Nunavut, “our land”, was created in Canada to provide autonomy for the Inuit people. It comprises most of the Canadian Arctic archipelago
April 2, 1949: Years of post-war gloom ended as neon signs were lit up again in London’s Piccadilly Circus, 10 years after they were banned at the start of World War II
April 3, 1924: Marlon Brando, Oscar-winning U.S. movie actor whose best known films included The Wild One (above), On the Waterfront, and The Godfather, was born
April 4, 2023: Finland was welcomed into NATO, doubling the length of the alliance’s borders with Russia. It applied to join the group after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
April 5, 1794: Georges Jacques Danton, who set up the French Revolutionary Tribunal, became one of the victims of the Terror himself when he was guillotined for treason
April 6, 1974: The Swedish band ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with the pop classic Waterloo, which was later voted the best song in the contest’s history
HISTORY: On this day March 31-Apr 6, 2024 (week 14) (Graphic)
GN45521 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set) View graphic
HISTORY: On this day March 24-30, 2024 (week 13) (Graphic)
March 24-30, 2024 -- Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week. This week features Isabel Peron of Argentina, the discovery of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl, the first successful non-direct blood transfusion, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, Ireland’s ban on smoking in public places, and the glass pyramid at the Louvre
March 24, 1976: Argentine president Isabel Peron was deposed in a bloodless military coup. She lived under house arrest for five years before being exiled to Spain in 1981
March 25, 1655: Christiaan Huygens, Dutch astronomer and mathematician, discovered Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Huygens also determined the nature of Saturn’s rings
March 26, 1964: Barbra Streisand shot to stardom in the musical Funny Girl, based on the life and career of comedian and Broadway star Fanny Brice
March 27, 1914: The first successful non-direct blood transfusion, using stored blood rather than transfusing directly from donor to receiver, was performed
March 28, 1979: A partial meltdown in a nuclear reactor at the Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania caused the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history
March 29, 2004: Ireland, renowned for its pub culture, became the world’s first country to impose a nationwide ban on smoking in public places, including all bars and restaurants
March 30 1989: The imposing new entrance of the Louvre Museum, a dramatic glass pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, was opened
HISTORY: On this day March 24-30, 2024 (week 13) (Graphic)
GN45520 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set) View graphic
March 24, 1976: Argentine president Isabel Peron was deposed in a bloodless military coup. She lived under house arrest for five years before being exiled to Spain in 1981
March 25, 1655: Christiaan Huygens, Dutch astronomer and mathematician, discovered Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Huygens also determined the nature of Saturn’s rings
March 26, 1964: Barbra Streisand shot to stardom in the musical Funny Girl, based on the life and career of comedian and Broadway star Fanny Brice
March 27, 1914: The first successful non-direct blood transfusion, using stored blood rather than transfusing directly from donor to receiver, was performed
March 28, 1979: A partial meltdown in a nuclear reactor at the Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania caused the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history
March 29, 2004: Ireland, renowned for its pub culture, became the world’s first country to impose a nationwide ban on smoking in public places, including all bars and restaurants
March 30 1989: The imposing new entrance of the Louvre Museum, a dramatic glass pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, was opened
HISTORY: On this day March 24-30, 2024 (week 13) (Graphic)
GN45520 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set) View graphic
ARCHAEOLOGY: San José shipwreck recovery (1) (Graphic UPDATED Mar 5)
March 4, 2024 -- Colombia is embarking on a deep-water expedition to recover the Spanish galleon San José, known as the “holy grail of shipwrecks”, which sank in 1708, carrying treasure believed to be worth up to $20 billion.
Between April and May, an underwater robot would be sent to recover some of its bounty.
The operation will cost more than $4.5 million, and a robot manufactured by the Swedish marine services company Saab will work at a depth of 600m to remove some items.
The San José was the flagship of an armada carrying treasure from Spain’s colonies in South America to the court of King Philip V to fund the War of Spanish Succession.
On June 8, 1708, it was ambushed off the coast of Cartagena by a British squadron led by Admiral Charles Wager. Before the San José could be boarded, it exploded and sank with the loss of all but 11 of its 600 crew and passengers.
Ever since, finding the ship has been the fantasy of treasure hunters, adventurers and novelists. In Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, the unrequited lover, Florentino Ariza, dreams of recovering the sunken hoard for his love Fermina Daza.
Colombia had been involved in a lengthy legal battle with the Seattle-based commercial salvage company Sea Search Armada over breach of contract and ownership of the bounty. In 1980, the company claims to have located the shipwreck.
Spain argues that the San José is a military vessel and therefore it is still Spanish property under the UNESCO convention.
Indigenous groups and local descendants of Afro-Caribbean communities also argue that they are entitled to reparations, because their ancestors mined the treasure.
ARCHAEOLOGY: San José shipwreck recovery (1) (Graphic UPDATED Mar 5)
GN45081 Graphic shows details of the San José and the expedition to recover its bounty.
(163mm wide by 237mm deep)
Between April and May, an underwater robot would be sent to recover some of its bounty.
The operation will cost more than $4.5 million, and a robot manufactured by the Swedish marine services company Saab will work at a depth of 600m to remove some items.
The San José was the flagship of an armada carrying treasure from Spain’s colonies in South America to the court of King Philip V to fund the War of Spanish Succession.
On June 8, 1708, it was ambushed off the coast of Cartagena by a British squadron led by Admiral Charles Wager. Before the San José could be boarded, it exploded and sank with the loss of all but 11 of its 600 crew and passengers.
Ever since, finding the ship has been the fantasy of treasure hunters, adventurers and novelists. In Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, the unrequited lover, Florentino Ariza, dreams of recovering the sunken hoard for his love Fermina Daza.
Colombia had been involved in a lengthy legal battle with the Seattle-based commercial salvage company Sea Search Armada over breach of contract and ownership of the bounty. In 1980, the company claims to have located the shipwreck.
Spain argues that the San José is a military vessel and therefore it is still Spanish property under the UNESCO convention.
Indigenous groups and local descendants of Afro-Caribbean communities also argue that they are entitled to reparations, because their ancestors mined the treasure.
ARCHAEOLOGY: San José shipwreck recovery (1) (Graphic UPDATED Mar 5)
GN45081 Graphic shows details of the San José and the expedition to recover its bounty.
(163mm wide by 237mm deep)
HISTORY: On this day March 17-23, 2024 (week 12) (Graphic)
March 17-23, 2024 -- Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week. This week features Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, the founding of NATO, the legalisation of gambling in the U.S. state of Nevada, the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world by balloon, Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia, the major humanitarian crisis in Darfur, and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
March 17, 1969: Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel. Her efforts to forge peace with the Arab states were halted by the outbreak in 1973 of the Yom Kippur War
March 18, 1949: The text of the North Atlantic Treaty was first published, bringing NATO into being. The world’s largest military alliance now has 31 members
March 19, 1931: The U.S. state of Nevada voted to legalise gambling, outlawed since 1909, to bring much needed money into the state during the Great Depression
March 20, 1999: Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones completed the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world by balloon, in their craft Breitling Orbiter 3
March 21, 2023: Chinese president Xi Jinping made a state visit to Russia in a show of support for President Vladimir Putin. It was Xi’s first visit since the invasion of Ukraine
March 22, 2004: The UN warned of a major humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan, where ethnic cleansing was taking place in Darfur with the complicity of the government
March 23, 2014: What became the worst ever outbreak of the Ebola virus was confirmed in West Africa. Over 11,000 people died, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
HISTORY: On this day March 17-23, 2024 (week 12) (Graphic)
GN45503 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set) View graphic
March 17, 1969: Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel. Her efforts to forge peace with the Arab states were halted by the outbreak in 1973 of the Yom Kippur War
March 18, 1949: The text of the North Atlantic Treaty was first published, bringing NATO into being. The world’s largest military alliance now has 31 members
March 19, 1931: The U.S. state of Nevada voted to legalise gambling, outlawed since 1909, to bring much needed money into the state during the Great Depression
March 20, 1999: Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones completed the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world by balloon, in their craft Breitling Orbiter 3
March 21, 2023: Chinese president Xi Jinping made a state visit to Russia in a show of support for President Vladimir Putin. It was Xi’s first visit since the invasion of Ukraine
March 22, 2004: The UN warned of a major humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan, where ethnic cleansing was taking place in Darfur with the complicity of the government
March 23, 2014: What became the worst ever outbreak of the Ebola virus was confirmed in West Africa. Over 11,000 people died, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
HISTORY: On this day March 17-23, 2024 (week 12) (Graphic)
GN45503 Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries on each day for the week.
(Each 52mm wide by 118mm deep packaged as a set) View graphic
HISTORY: ON THIS DAY auto-updating (3) (Interactive UPDATED Feb 28)
January 1, 2024 -- Have a look at how this mobile-friendly widget auto-updates each day to show a range of international anniversaries and events today in history - a daily feature to engage your online visitors day after day.
EDITORS: This is a responsive interactive graphic that can be published in an iframe. The events and picture displayed are determined by the system clock on the device on which it is viewed.
The graphic can be published using embed code. 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. The image and text for each day are held in the hyperesources folder. Data is supplied for a whole year.
HISTORY: ON THIS DAY auto-updating (3) (Interactive UPDATED Feb 28)
GN40881 Responsive interactive graphic shows 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 - auto updating)
EDITORS: This is a responsive interactive graphic that can be published in an iframe. The events and picture displayed are determined by the system clock on the device on which it is viewed.
The graphic can be published using embed code. 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. The image and text for each day are held in the hyperesources folder. Data is supplied for a whole year.
HISTORY: ON THIS DAY auto-updating (3) (Interactive UPDATED Feb 28)
GN40881 Responsive interactive graphic shows 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 - auto updating)
WORLD AGENDA: March 2024 (Graphic)
March 1-29, 2024 -- Events in March include Donald Trump’s hush-money trial, Israel’s offensive in Rafah, crucial elections in Iran, Portugal and Russia, the 96th Academy Awards ceremony and the auction of Lionel Messi’s first contract with Barcelona.
Mar 1, Iran: Voters cast their ballots for a new parliament and the Assembly of Experts, a key body in charge of appointing the supreme leader. The election is the first since the 2022 crackdown on protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Mar 10, Gaza Strip: Israel has warned it will launch an offensive in Rafah unless Hamas frees all hostages held in Gaza by the start of Ramadan on this day.
Mar 10, Portugal: The ruling socialists remain on course to win a snap election called after Prime Minister António Costa was forced to step down in November amid a sprawling corruption probe.
Mar 10, U.S.: With 13 nominations, Oppenheimer – about the scientist who helped develop the atomic bomb – leads the Oscars battle, closely followed by the fantasy drama, Poor Things and box office hit, Barbie.
Mar 15-17, Russia: Vladimir Putin is expected to win his fifth term as president in elections that will extend his quarter-century rule and keep him in power until at least 2030.
Mar 18-27, UK: A napkin on which 13-year-old Lionel Messi’s first contract with Barcelona was signed is auctioned in London, with a starting price of $380,000.
Mar 26-Jul 14, France: The Musée d’Orsay stages “Paris 1874. The Impressionist Moment” to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition.
Mar 25, U.S.: Donald Trump will become the first former U.S. president to face a criminal trial, indicted on 34 felony counts connected to hush-money payments made to a porn actress in the run-up to the 2016 election.
WORLD AGENDA: March 2024 (Graphic)
GN45504 Graphic shows selected news events in March 2024.
(163mm wide by mm deep) View graphic
Mar 1, Iran: Voters cast their ballots for a new parliament and the Assembly of Experts, a key body in charge of appointing the supreme leader. The election is the first since the 2022 crackdown on protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Mar 10, Gaza Strip: Israel has warned it will launch an offensive in Rafah unless Hamas frees all hostages held in Gaza by the start of Ramadan on this day.
Mar 10, Portugal: The ruling socialists remain on course to win a snap election called after Prime Minister António Costa was forced to step down in November amid a sprawling corruption probe.
Mar 10, U.S.: With 13 nominations, Oppenheimer – about the scientist who helped develop the atomic bomb – leads the Oscars battle, closely followed by the fantasy drama, Poor Things and box office hit, Barbie.
Mar 15-17, Russia: Vladimir Putin is expected to win his fifth term as president in elections that will extend his quarter-century rule and keep him in power until at least 2030.
Mar 18-27, UK: A napkin on which 13-year-old Lionel Messi’s first contract with Barcelona was signed is auctioned in London, with a starting price of $380,000.
Mar 26-Jul 14, France: The Musée d’Orsay stages “Paris 1874. The Impressionist Moment” to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition.
Mar 25, U.S.: Donald Trump will become the first former U.S. president to face a criminal trial, indicted on 34 felony counts connected to hush-money payments made to a porn actress in the run-up to the 2016 election.
WORLD AGENDA: March 2024 (Graphic)
GN45504 Graphic shows selected news events in March 2024.
(163mm wide by mm deep) View graphic
SCIENCE: Great North American eclipse (Graphic)
April 8, 2024 -- On April 8, a total solar eclipse will dazzle millions of people in North America along a path crossing from Mexico into the United States and then Canada.
The eclipse will be entering over Mexico’s Pacific coast, dashing up through Texas and Oklahoma, and crisscrossing the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New England, before exiting over Eastern Canada into the Atlantic.
The total solar eclipse will have a narrow path roughly 185 kilometres wide.
Within the U.S., more than 31 million people live inside the path of totality. Millions more reside within the path in Mexico and Canada, especially the more populated cities of Mazatlán, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.
The path of totality comes within 322km of major cities of the U.S.: Washington D.C.; Baltimore; Philadelphia; New York; and Boston. Additionally, over half the nation’s population lives within 400km of the path of totality.
This eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse to be visible in the provinces of Canada since 1979,the first in Mexico since 1991, and the first in the U.S. since 2017. It will also be the last total solar eclipse visible in the vontiguous United States until August 23, 2044.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, aligning perfectly and completely blocking the sunlight.
SCIENCE: Great North American eclipse (Graphic)
GN45499 Graphic shows eclipse path and stages.
(163mm wide by 199mm deep) View graphic
The eclipse will be entering over Mexico’s Pacific coast, dashing up through Texas and Oklahoma, and crisscrossing the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New England, before exiting over Eastern Canada into the Atlantic.
The total solar eclipse will have a narrow path roughly 185 kilometres wide.
Within the U.S., more than 31 million people live inside the path of totality. Millions more reside within the path in Mexico and Canada, especially the more populated cities of Mazatlán, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.
The path of totality comes within 322km of major cities of the U.S.: Washington D.C.; Baltimore; Philadelphia; New York; and Boston. Additionally, over half the nation’s population lives within 400km of the path of totality.
This eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse to be visible in the provinces of Canada since 1979,the first in Mexico since 1991, and the first in the U.S. since 2017. It will also be the last total solar eclipse visible in the vontiguous United States until August 23, 2044.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, aligning perfectly and completely blocking the sunlight.
SCIENCE: Great North American eclipse (Graphic)
GN45499 Graphic shows eclipse path and stages.
(163mm wide by 199mm deep) View graphic
POLITICS: 2024: World’s biggest election year (Graphic)
February 12, 2024 -- This year will see the largest number of national elections in history, with more than 70 countries going to the polls – affecting around half the world’s population.
Globally, more voters than ever before will head to polling booths in 2024, as at least 70 countries, representing about half of the world’s population, hold national elections of some kind.
Out of the 10 most populous countries, eight of them are holding elections this year – Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia and the United States.
POLITICS: 2024: World’s biggest election year (Graphic)
GN45470 Graphic charts number of people affected by elections over two centuries.
(107mm by 115mm deep) View graphic
Globally, more voters than ever before will head to polling booths in 2024, as at least 70 countries, representing about half of the world’s population, hold national elections of some kind.
Out of the 10 most populous countries, eight of them are holding elections this year – Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia and the United States.
POLITICS: 2024: World’s biggest election year (Graphic)
GN45470 Graphic charts number of people affected by elections over two centuries.
(107mm by 115mm deep) View graphic