Data Vis Dispatch, September 15: 9/11, iPhone launches, and “coolcations”

As the U.S. midterm elections draw nearer, Trump's declining approval ratings have led to speculation about which party will gain control of Congress. Changes in the racial and ethnic makeup of eligible voters could strongly affect the outcome. Meanwhile, new design requirements for mail ballots could interfere with delivery deadlines.

AI warnings continue to make headlines amid growing concerns over its rapid acceleration. Meanwhile, a considerable amount of the electricity generated in the US is being used for data centres.

Turning to trade routes, China has announced an alternative shipping route through the Arctic as a seasonal supplement to other key shipping routes. Regarding current conflicts, attacks by the Houthi militia pose a threat to global shipping, while the civil war in Myanmar has disrupted traditional jade trade routes.

Moving on to German politics, the AfD has secured a new record number of seats in state parliaments following its historic landslide victory. However, pockets of resistance remain in the centres of two major cities.

The number of deaths resulting from ectopic pregnancies has increased in recent years, particularly in states with an abortion ban. Car accident-related deaths are rare in Switzerland, unlike hiking accidents in the Mythen region.

On the topic of costs, the majority of Major League Baseball's international spending goes towards signing players from the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, rising inflation in the U.S. is pushing up prices, while electricity bills in the U.K. are expected to initially increase due to a planned grid transformation. Since their initial release, investor reaction to Apple's iPhone launches has been muted, raising questions regarding the latest launch.

Turning to the environment, farming methods reveal no clear winner, but the European Waste Awards presented by The European Correspondent do! Drought is affecting water levels in American reservoirs, while wildfires and extreme rain are increasing their sediment levels. In Indonesia, hotter and drier conditions increase the risk of fire hotspots.

In continuation of last week's Dispatch, we present a new selection of map projections relating to the ongoing debate.

We end this Dispatch with some other interesting topics: “coolcations”, the 25th anniversary of 9/11, America's recorded-music revenue, the Great Geological Tour of Britain, surnames in Switzerland, and the ages of New York's 1.67 million buildings.