🧵 Events to watch out for in 2024.

A century-old territorial dispute deepened by the discovery of oil is boiling over between neighbors Guyana and Venezuela.

Potential military confrontation looms over Essequibo, a mineral-rich territory. As China’s growth has slowed, tensions boiling over Taiwan, and the US continues to limit Chinese access to advanced technologies, the “new cold war” rhetoric has hardened.

Expect Washington and Beijing to woo the “middle powers” of the global south.

Traditional thread from me. We've got enough negative news for 2023, here's some good news you've probably missed.

* For the first time, scientists detected low-frequency gravitational waves moving through the galaxy (Wired) * Tyrannosaurus rex and other carnivorous dinosaurs likely had a different pucker than suspected, sporting lips that covered their formidable teeth (University of Portsmouth)

* Number of discovered planets rises past 5,500 (NASA)

Thread. Welcome to Glasgow (Lego version)

Glasgow Subway © Chris Miller The University Cafe © Denis Donoghue

Thread. Dogs decades before Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok

Surveying Midtown Manhattan, through a sunroof. Dec. 17, 1975 by Neal Boenzi Crossing Seventh Avenue. Feb. 14, 1971 by Michael Evans

Some other #WC2022 facts:

During a match against Qatar last week, England’s 19-year-old Jude Bellingham became the first player born in the 21st century to score a goal in a World Cup match. The Qatar tournament also features the first set of full siblings to compete for different teams, with Iñaki Williams representing Ghana and his younger brother, Nico Williams, making his World Cup debut for Spain.

Goal for Germany! Germany will be still out since Spain got better goal difference

Sun Chunlan, one of China’s most senior pandemic response officials has said the country is entering a “new stage and mission” in the latest indication of the government’s changing approach after mass protests against its zero-Covid policy. But Beijing got a lot of problems ahead as it must deal with China's booming middle-class.

It is also possible that China, currently the world’s second-largest economy, won’t pass the US to become the largest economy, after all.

According to leaks, Polish FA started naturalization process for Qarabag midfielder Kady.

Kady is a Brazilian winger with Polish roots. One of his surnames is Malinowski, as his paternal grandfather is from Poland.

The footballer expected to visit Poland in upcoming days. Kady caught eyes of Polish FA after Qarabag beat Lech Poznań during UEFA Champions League qualifier. He was a key player during both games.

Penalty for Argentina but fantastic save from Polish goalkeeper. Messi hit it well but superb save from Szczęsny.

Thread about Joseph Stalin's adventures in Caucasus since most media outlets often ignore this part of his life.

In 1905, Stalin was in Baku when a spate of ethnic violence broke out between Armenians and Azerbaijanis; at least 2000 were killed. Stalin formed a Bolshevik Battle Squad which he ordered to try and keep the warring ethnic factions apart, also using the unrest to steal printing equipment.

He proceeded to Tbilisi, where he organised a demonstration of ethnic reconciliation.

Foreign investment firms, private equity, pension funds and businesses lodged in tax havens own more than 70% of the water industry in England, according to research by the Guardian. 🇺🇸 US-based companies own at least 17% of England's water. Including BlackRock, one of the world's largest investment funds, which has stakes in several water companies.

Interestingly, Christianity in the UK is in decline but its influence is not

https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1597615622472482817

There's more factors to this.

Hypocrisies and conflicts in church don’t just drive people to other churches, as in the past, but often take them out of Christianity altogether.

Key points from Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev's statement regarding war in Ukraine:

* It's impossible to predict international events related to this conflict.
* What's happening in the world will depend on "when and how" war is going to end. * Azerbaijan supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine since this is a "fundamental principle of international law."
* West backed Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia's territorial integrity but not so keen when it comes to Azerbaijan.

Thread. Iran's Achilles' heel - Azerbaijanis in Iran.

Tehran tends to stimulate the Armenian-Iranian-Russian partnership against Azerbaijan.

This plan was working efficiently until the II Karabakh war. During the II Karabakh war, Russia, Iran and their satellites are backed Armenia, whereas much of the West as well as Turkey and Israel are supported Azerbaijan.

Thread. Azerbaijani cities in a nutshell and what they're famous for (includes foreign and local stereotypes):

⚽️ Aghdam: Qarabag FK, mosques, mugham (music genre)

🛢️ Baku: Oil, gas, wind, jazz, Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Eurovision, building boom

🥀 Khojaly: Khojaly Massacre 🌰 Gabala: Chestnut, waterfalls

🥔 Gadabay: Potatoes

📚 Ganja: Literature, red brick buildings, mosques

🎵 Gazakh: Ashig music

🔴 Göychay: Pomegranates

🪙 Kalbajar: Gold, mountains

🍺 Khirdalan: Beer

🗻 Khizi: Mountains, religious sites

🟡 Kürdamir: Melons, heat

Thread. Azerbaijan's most loudest criminal news at the moment:

A meykahana singer stabbed his neighbour to death amid a dispute about lyrics about drugs.

Rashad Daghly (pic), 38, struck Isgandar Mehdiyev 9 times in his car in Baku's Qaradagh district. According to information, the singer took part in a wedding held in one of the wedding houses in Baku. He sang against the distribution of drugs with his colleagues at the wedding.

Why Biden can't do this?

https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1583502468839018496

Now, this thread going to attract some NRA fan boys so before this thread gets ruined:

1. Guns are rarely used in self-defense.
2. Countries with restrictive gun control laws have lower gun homicide and suicide rates than the US.

Thread.

Moscow in search of a scapegoat to justify their failures in Ukraine.

As a result, Russian elites are split as the country's war falters.

So who's who? 1. The Oligarchs

The group of oligarchs consists of two subgroups: the “old” oligarchs, who came to wealth and power in the 1990s under the presidency of Boris Yeltsin, and the “new” oligarchs, who rose to prominence under Putin.

After Aral Sea, Lake Urmia and Caspian Sea's shrinkage, Kazakhstan's Lake Balkash (pictured) also facing similar fate.

Kazakhstan president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of has raised concern over the future of his country’s largest lake. The biggest problem facing Balkhash is growing demand for water along Chinese sections of the Ili River, which accounts for 70% of flows into the lake.

If the Kremlin does decide to deploy large numbers of troops to Belarus with a view to opening up a new northern front in the invasion of Ukraine, Lukashenko would find himself under enormous pressure to crush any domestic dissent. There are also fears that Lukashenko may order mobilization in Belarus itself if pressured to do so by Moscow.

Thread. Today's military updates from Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces advanced closer to Svatove in Luhansk Oblast, while Russian units reached the outskirts of Bakhmut from the south. Ukrainian troops advanced near to Svatove and liberated Stelmakhivka settlement.

Pershotravneve is very likely under Ukrainian control but waiting for more confirmation.