Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio.

I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Part of the national story that China likes to tell itself and the world is that it's the longest continuous civilization in history.

That claim is very much up for debate, but a new archaeological dig allegedly holds some proof.

And the world is losing its oldest, tallest, tallest trees.

Deforestation continues all over the world, and climate change is driving further threats to old-growth forests.

All that adds up to a worrisome environmental feedback loop.

First up, though.

Today, Greece and the United Arab Emirates will begin joint military drills in the sea around Crete.

Over the weekend, Turkey carried out naval and air exercises in the Aegean Sea, and on Wednesday, Greece is expected to sign an agreement with Egypt on maritime

boundaries. There's a lot of diplomacy and posturing going on in the eastern Mediterranean,

and it's mostly about the stores of oil and natural gas beneath.

Turkish ships have been conducting energy surveys in Greek and Cypriot waters, and after some clumsy

maneuvering earlier this month, Greek and Turkish warships collided.

Given Turkey's recent expansionism and its involvement in wars in the Middle East, these maritime skirmishes

are drawing in other powers too. Turkey seems to be on the wrong side of its neighbors and their

allies, and so far shows no sign of backing down. Turkey has been sending ships into contested waters,

really for two reasons.

Shishonk Joshi is the economist's defense editor.

One of them is challenging Greek maritime claims, and the other one is the status of Cyprus,

the island that has been divided since the 1970s.

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