International News
Ex-Russian President Says EU Will Collapse In 2023
In what many have termed “obviously satirical” or “Putin’s wish list, Ex-Russian President and current Deputy Chair of the Security Council of the Federation of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, has tweeted what he termed “our humble contribution” to New Year predictions.
The tweeted thread which has been viewed over 18 million times at the time of press, received over 10,000 comments and over 7, 000 quoted replies from Twitter users around the world including the new Twitter owner, Elon Musk
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The tweeted thread reads, “On the New Year’s Eve, everybody’s into making predictions
Many come up with futuristic hypotheses, as if competing to single out the wildest, and even the most absurd ones.
Here’s our humble contribution.
What can happen in 2023:
1. Oil price will rise to $150 a barrel, and gas price will top $5.000 per 1.000 cubic meters
2. The UK will rejoin the EU
3. The EU will collapse after the UK’s return; Euro will drop out of use as the former EU currency
4. Poland and Hungary will occupy western regions of the formerly existing Ukraine
5. The Fourth Reich will be created, encompassing the territory of Germany and its satellites, i.e., Poland, the Baltic states, Czechia, Slovakia, the Kiev Republic, and other outcasts
6. War will break out between France and the Fourth Reich. Europe will be divided, Poland repartitioned in the process
7. Northern Ireland will separate from the UK and join the Republic of Ireland
8. Civil war will break out in the US, California. and Texas becoming independent states as a result. Texas and Mexico will form an allied state. Elon Musk’ll win the presidential election in a number of states which, after the new Civil War’s end, will have been given to the GOP
9. All the largest stock markets and financial activity will leave the US and Europe and move to Asia
10. The Bretton Woods system of monetary management will collapse, leading to the IMF and World Bank crash. Euro and Dollar will stop circulating as the global reserve currencies. Digital fiat currencies will be actively used instead
Season greetings to you all, Anglo-Saxon friends, and their happily oinking piglets!”
In response, the Tesla boss immediately replied “Epic thread!!” and asked a reminder bot to remind him of the thread in a years time.
However, in what seems like a turnabout, 5 hours after his initial response, Musk, most likely in response to the backlash his initial response garnered declared the predictions to be absurd.
He said, “Those are definitely the most absurd predictions I’ve ever heard, while also showing astonishing lack of awareness of the progress of artificial intelligence and sustainable energy.”
The thread however, seems more like a satirical response to the increased prediction of an imminent collapse of the Russian state in western media, than it is a serious prediction expected from someone who occupies such an informed position.
The Russian/Ukrainian war that began in March has continued to rage, longer than many predicted it would and continues to increase worry over a potential nuclear war breaking out as a result of the war.
Since it began, the war has produced millions of refugees, mostly of Ukrainian extraction, and has increased the refugee crisis in Europe.
The war has also affected the price of basic commodities in the international market, notably the price of gas and availability of wheat which has caused the prices to skyrocket and increased inflation in most countries.
Here are some of the responses to the thread:
Residents of Istanbul were jolted by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, which struck the Marmara Sea near the city’s western fringes, prompting widespread concern but causing no immediate casualties.
The quake, which occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time (0949 GMT), originated in Silivri, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
“An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Marmara Sea, Istanbul,” he confirmed on X, formerly Twitter. Yerlikaya also noted that tremors were felt in nearby provinces.
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Following the initial tremor, Turkey’s disaster management authority, AFAD, reported three more earthquakes ranging from 4.4 to 4.9 in magnitude.
The seismic activity sent people fleeing onto the streets, with many seen anxiously checking their phones or making calls.
“I just felt earthquake, I’ve got to get out,” said a decorator who dashed out of a fourth-floor apartment near Galata Tower. He declined to give his name, visibly shaken by the experience.
Despite the intensity, there were no reports of injuries or building collapses in the city of approximately 16 million people.
“Until now, we have no information about any buildings collapsing,” the governor’s office stated, urging residents to avoid entering structures that may have sustained damage.
Reassuring citizens, the Istanbul municipality also confirmed, “No serious cases have been reported so far following the earthquake in Istanbul,” in a post on X.
Tremors from the quake were reportedly felt as far as Sofia, Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist and damage assessments are conducted across the region.
The Vatican has disclosed that Pope Francis died of a stroke, which caused a coma and irreversible heart failure, according to his official death certificate released on Monday.
The 88-year-old pontiff passed away on Monday morning, nearly a month after being discharged from hospital following treatment for double pneumonia.
In the statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the cause of death was identified as “a stroke, followed by coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.”
READ MORE: JUST IN: Vatican Mourns As Pope Francis Passes Away At 88
The certification was issued by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State.
The medical report also detailed the Pope’s history of health challenges, including “acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and Type II diabetes.”
His death was confirmed through electrocardiographic thanatography.
“I hereby declare,” wrote Dr. Arcangeli, “that the causes of death, to the best of my knowledge and judgment, are as stated above.”
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013 and was widely recognized for his efforts to modernize Church doctrine and promote global social justice.
Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced on Monday.
His passing came just a day after he made an emotional appearance before thousands of faithful gathered at Saint Peter’s Square for Easter Sunday celebrations.
“It is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in an official statement shared via the Vatican’s Telegram channel.
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“This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”
The pontiff’s final public appearance, marked by visible frailty, came as a surprise to many, as he had only recently been discharged from the hospital following a prolonged battle with pneumonia. Francis had endured two life-threatening health scares earlier this year and spent 38 days hospitalized before being released on March 23.
Despite his condition, the pope greeted crowds on Easter Sunday with a heartfelt “Happy Easter” and delivered his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, using the occasion to call for global peace, freedom of thought, and tolerance.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to assume the papacy.
His decade-long leadership was marked by a focus on compassion, humility, social justice, and outreach to marginalized communities.
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