Hotspots & Navigation

WorldMonitor uses real-time news correlation to detect and visualize global hotspots, provides regional focus presets for rapid context switching, and supports map pinning for persistent monitoring workflows.

Dynamic Hotspot Activity

Hotspots on the map are not static threat levels. Activity is calculated in real-time based on news correlation.

Each hotspot defines keywords:

{
  id: 'dc',
  name: 'DC',
  keywords: ['pentagon', 'white house', 'congress', 'cia', 'nsa', ...],
  agencies: ['Pentagon', 'CIA', 'NSA', 'State Dept'],
}

The system counts matching news articles in the current feed, applies velocity analysis, and assigns activity levels:

This creates a dynamic "heat map" of global attention based on live news flow.

Hotspot Escalation Signals

Beyond visual activity levels, the system generates escalation signals when hotspots show significant changes across multiple dimensions. This multi-component approach reduces false positives by requiring corroboration from independent data streams.

Escalation Components

Each hotspot's escalation score blends four weighted components:

Score Calculation

static_baseline = hotspot.escalationScore ?? 3  // 1-5 per hotspot
dynamic_raw = (
  news_component × 0.35 +
  cii_component × 0.25 +
  geo_component × 0.25 +
  military_component × 0.15
)

dynamic_score = 1 + (dynamic_raw / 100) × 4  // maps 0-100 inputs onto 1-5
final_score = static_baseline × 0.30 + dynamic_score × 0.70

The static baseline is the editorial escalationScore on each hotspot config (default 3 when absent). It is deliberately kept on the same 1-5 scale as the dynamic output; the popup exposes it as staticBaseline alongside the component bars so users can separate structural risk from live movement. Many hotspots also carry a whyItMatters narrative rationale for the popup, but that text is not score-affecting. The code does not apply a geographic proximity multiplier to the final score.

Static Baseline Table

These values come from INTEL_HOTSPOTS in src/config/geo.ts. Rows without an explicit escalationScore inherit the default 3/5 baseline.

Trend Detection

The system maintains 48-point history (24 hours at 30-minute intervals) per hotspot:

• Linear regression calculates slope of recent scores
• escalating: Slope > +0.1 points per interval
• de-escalating: Slope < -0.1 points per interval
• stable: Slope within ±0.1, fewer than 3 valid history points, or a zero regression denominator

Signal Generation

Escalation signals (hotspot_escalation) are emitted when:

1. A hotspot crosses into a higher whole-number score band at or above 2/5
2. At least 2 hours since last signal for this hotspot (cooldown)
3. Or the score rises by at least 0.5 points
4. Or the score first reaches the critical threshold (>=4.5/5)

Signal Context

This multi-signal approach means a hotspot escalation signal represents corroborated evidence across independent data streams, not just a spike in news mentions.

Regional Focus Navigation

The FOCUS selector in the header provides instant navigation to strategic regions. Each preset is calibrated to center on the region's geographic area with an appropriate zoom level.

Available Regions

Quick Navigation

The FOCUS dropdown enables rapid context switching:

1. Breaking news - Jump to the affected region
2. Regional briefing - Cycle through regions for situational awareness
3. Crisis monitoring - Lock onto a specific theater

Regional views are encoded in shareable URLs, enabling direct links to specific geographic contexts.

Map Pinning

By default, the map scrolls with the page, allowing you to scroll down to view panels below. The pin button in the map header toggles sticky behavior:

When to Pin

• Active monitoring - Keep the map visible while reading news panels
• Cross-referencing - Compare map markers with panel data
• Presentation - Show the map while discussing panel content

When to Unpin

• Panel focus - Read through panels without map taking screen space
• Mobile - Pin is disabled on mobile for better space utilization
• Research - Focus on data panels without geographic distraction

Pin state persists across sessions via localStorage.