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Russia-Ukraine
EU Deal, Strikes on Land and Sea
As both Russia and Ukraine continue their long-range strike campaigns, 200 Ukrainian drones were launched toward Moscow overnight into Thursday morning, while Kyiv endured a major Russian missile assault. In addition, both countries launched missile and drone attacks on Thursday on vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, stepping up hostilities in an area vital for grain exports and triggering a rise in global wheat prices. These attacks on land and sea came hours after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv and announced a new “drone deal” between Ukraine and the European Union (EU). The agreement aims to combine Kyiv’s battlefield expertise with the EU’s industrial capacity to establish joint projects and rapidly scale up production. Having boosted drone production and capabilities in four years of war, Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and military assets, targeting high-profile oil refineries in major cities as part of a sustained push to raise the economic cost of Russia’s conflict and weaken Russian forces in southern Ukraine.
This map depicts Russian oil refineries struck by Ukraine in 2026. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: The Guardian
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Canada – United States
800+ Wildfires & Poor Air Quality
More than 830 wildfires are burning across Canada, with over 100 considered out of control, as smoke from the blazes in northwestern Ontario and neighboring regions spreads into parts of the U.S. Midwest and Northeast. The wildfires are attributed to longstanding drought and extreme heat, creating ideal conditions akin to a giant timberbox. Strong winds from the Northwest have carried the thick smoke into the U.S., with many major cities in the Northeast and the Midwest reporting hazy skies. Detroit, Michigan, was reported on Wednesday to have the worst air quality in the world as the result of the ensuing smoke from the wildfires. Evacuations and rescues have also been reported in both countries. In the U.S., thousands of campers were evacuated from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, and a freight train crew was rescued from a forest blaze in northern Ontario, Canada.
This map depicts air quality conditions across the U.S. and Canada. Click on the map to learn more.
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
Orange-Lipped Monkey Found
A new monkey species with orange lips and a distinctive croaking call has been discovered in the dense forests of Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, only the fifth African monkey species found in 75 years. The species referred to as the Colobus congoensis or commonly known as the Likweli, was first spotted by researchers in 2008. However, with only blurry photos, further research was required to determine if the animals were a unique species. Through analysis of genetic samples of tissue along with further examination of their physical characteristics, scientists determined that the monkeys were distinct. They suspect that the monkeys, which are hunted for bushmeat, are already endangered. As a vital part of the forest ecosystems, conservationists hope that the new classification will bolster efforts to preserve the species. Given their restricted range, small population size and the pressures of hunting and habitat loss, the researchers recommend that Colobus congoensis be classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
This map depicts the distribution of other monkeys in the genus Colobus along with the known range of the Colobus congoensis. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What is the name of the flat-topped mountain (tepui, mesa) where the borders of Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela meet?
A: Mt. Roraima
Mt. Roraima is the highest and oldest of the Pacaraima chain of tepuis (table-top mountains) in South America, located at the junction of Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. With its 1,312-foot (400m) high walls, Mount Roraima is one of the least accessible places on the planet. The word tepui means “house of the gods” in the native tongue of the Pemon, the Indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela. About 9 miles (14 km) long and 9,094 feet (2,772 meters) high, Mt. Roraima is the source of many rivers of Guyana, and of the Amazon and Orinoco river systems. The tepui is one of the oldest geological formations on Earth, dating back two billion years, and was once part of a supercontinent called Gondwanaland. Mt. Roraima is famous for its prehistoric ecology, which sustains plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.
Source
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Q: Victoria Falls, locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or “The Smoke that Thunders,” forms a natural border between which two countries?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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