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Cambodia-Thailand
Clashes Over Disputed Borders
At least 11 Thai civilians have been killed after violent armed clashes broke out between Cambodia and Thailand over a long-disputed border area. It is unknown how many people – if any – have been killed on the Cambodian side. On Thursday, Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery. More than 40,000 people from 86 villages in the area have been evacuated so far. Thursday’s events are the result of recent heightened tensions between the countries after a Cambodian soldier was killed at a border clash in May. The disputed area is known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia and neighbouring Laos meet. It has been fought over since French colonial authorities drew the boundaries in 1907.
This map depicts recent armed clashes along a disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: CNA
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Turkey
Wildfire Claims Ten Lives
On Wednesday, a wildfire in Turkey’s northwestern Eskisehir province killed at least 10 rescue and forestry workers. Despite a team of 10 helicopters, 5 firefighting planes, and 30 fire engines working together to tame the blaze, volatile wind conditions caused the flames to suddenly shift, a phenomenon increasingly common this wildfire season. By Wednesday evening, the fire had burned 3,700 acres and forced 1,200 people to evacuate. Throughout this summer, wildfires have raged across Turkey—and Europe more generally—due to strong winds, high temperatures, and dry conditions, particularly during June’s heat dome. In neighboring Cyprus, a wildfire scorched 38.6 square miles (100 sq km) of forested hillsides on Wednesday. At the moment, extraordinarily high temperatures and extreme wind shifts are fueling 7 active fires across Turkey.
This map depicts the location of current wildfires in both Turkey and Cyprus. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: The UK Sun
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Italy
Ötzi’s Ancestry Mystery
A recent genetic study led by the Institute for Mummy Studies in Italy has revealed that Stone and Bronze Age populations in the Eastern Alps shared deep ancestral roots with early farming communities from Anatolia, now present-day Turkey, offering new insight into Ötzi the Iceman’s unique genetic lineage. Researchers analyzed DNA from 47 individuals who lived in the Austrian Tyrol between 6400 and 1300 B.C.E. Most showed stable Anatolian farmer ancestry (80–90%) with little genetic change over time, unlike the shifting ancestries seen across much of Europe. Ötzi’s paternal lineage was more widespread, while his maternal lineage is unknown in ancient or modern populations. This suggests he may have belonged to an isolated or vanished group. The findings shed light on long-term genetic continuity and social dynamics in prehistoric Alpine communities.
This map depicts archaeological sites in the Italian Alps where ancient DNA samples, including Ötzi’s, were collected to study population ancestry from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Which two countries claim the disputed Essequibo region?
A: Guyana and Venezuela
Long disputed between the nations of Guyana and Venezuela, the Essequibo region makes up more than two-thirds of the total land currently controlled by Guyana. When the British Empire acquired British Guiana (now the country of Guyana) from the Netherlands in 1841, the Venezuelan government accused the British of encroaching on their territory. Essequibo has been under control of British Guiana and now the country of Guyana for over a century. Essequibo is separated from the rest of Guyana by the Essequibo river, but is primarily a hinterland forest like the rest of Guyana. Dominated by jungle, Guyana is relatively sparsely inhabited. Guyana’s fast-growing economy is largely driven by oil and gas, similar to Venezuela. In 2015, discovery of oil off of Essequibo’s coast revived the dispute over the 61,776 sq mile (160,000 sq km) region.
Source
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Q: What country is home to the largest freshwater island in the world?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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