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Russia says Ukraine would disappear rather than join NATO
Russia has said it is either Ukraine drop the idea of joining NATO or disappear from the earth
This comes following NATO’s declaration that Ukraine’s eventual membership of the US-led military bloc is “irreversible.”
Former Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, in response, said the declaration means either Ukraine or the alliance – and preferably both – should disappear.
A joint statement adopted by the leaders of NATO states during a summit in Washington this week expressed support for Ukraine’s “right to choose its own security arrangements,” and declared that it is on an “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership.”
Russia has consistently said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would cross a ‘red line’. It cited the expansion of the bloc in Europe as one of the key triggers of the current hostilities with Kiev.
“The conclusion is obvious. We have to do everything to make sure that the ‘irreversible path of Ukraine’ towards NATO ends with either the disappearance of Ukraine, or the disappearance of NATO. Better, both,” Medvedev said on Thursday.
The wording of the joint statement, according to media reports, was intended to appease Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, who has claimed that his nation deserves to be fast-tracked into NATO in gratitude for fighting to supposedly “defend” the West from Russia. But member states, including the US, have made it clear that Ukraine will not be able to join them as a full participant while the conflict remains unresolved.
Kiev has signed numerous bilateral security agreements with Western nations in recent months in lieu of guarantees provided for under the NATO Treaty. The most recent pact was finalized with Luxembourg this week.
Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, previously called for caution in the event that Kiev made a U-turn and accepted Russia’s conditions for a negotiated peace.
He argued that such a deal, which would include Kiev’s renunciation of its NATO aspirations, could lead to a new coup in Ukraine and an even more radical government eventually seizing power.
In that scenario, he said, hostilities would resume and Ukraine’s statehood would be lost for good. But “the enemies of Russia will not go anywhere” and will “gather strength for a new attempt to destroy our country,” Medvedev predicted.
A petition to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central District, Natasha Ajpoti-Uduagban, has been rejected by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The Commission in a statement on Thursday said that the petition did not meet the requirements for recalling a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Commission recently formally received a petition from constituents of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling for the commencement of her recall process.
The Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, received the petition which was submitted at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
Natasha, who represents Kogi central in the Senate, is currently on suspension for allegedly flouting the Senate rules.
According to the petitioners, over 250,000 constituents’ signed the petition, out of about 480,000 registered voters in the senatorial district.
The petition was titled _Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence’.
In a brief statement on Thursday, the Commission said, “The petition for the recall of the Senato representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
Details later….
According to health experts, these are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of having stroke
1. Avoid smoking
Experts say the most important thing to do to improve brain health is to quit smoking cigarettes and vapes.
Apart from accelerating brain aging and increasing the risk for dementia, smoking causes damage to blood vessel walls in the brain and reduces overall oxygen levels due to the carbon monoxide in tobacco – making the body more prone to having a stroke.
2. Reduce blood sugar levels
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is a significant risk factor for stroke as it can damage blood vessels, which can lead to blood clots that travel to the brain.
Over time, excessive blood glucose can result in increased fatty deposits or clots in blood vessels. These clots can narrow or block blood vessels in the brain.
3. Maintain a healthy weight and diet
Being overweight and eating unbalanced meals can significantly amplify risks for having a stroke. Carrying too much weight increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes – all of which can damage blood cells, impact oxygen levels and contribute to higher stroke risk.
4. Regular Exercise
You need regular exercise to stay healthy and avoid stroke. Exercise should be spread evenly over four to five days a week, or every day. Do strengthening activities, usually more than two days per week.
5. Get Enough Sleep
While not a direct cause, poor sleep and sleep disorders, especially sleep apnea, are linked to an increased risk of stroke, potentially due to inflammation, reduced oxygen levels and blood flow to the brain.
The risk of stroke symptoms is four times greater among individuals who slept fewer than six hours a night compared to individuals who reported seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
However, experts also warn that ‘Too much sleep is also associated with increased stroke risk, so try to stay as active as possible so you can sleep as well as possible.’
6. Regular Checkup
You are expected to go for overall medical checkup regularly to ensure really detection and treatment of I’ll health.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, arrived in Budapest early morning on Thursday, marking his first visit to Europe since 2023, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Netanyahu last November, promising Hungary would not enforce the ICC arrest warrant, which he called politically motivated.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including using starvation as a weapon towards Palestinians in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US, the EU, and Israel, among others.
Hungary’s Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky received Netanyahu at the airport with military honours.
Orban is expected to back Netanyahu on US President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. That plan has been criticized by UN experts as ethnic cleansing.
Experts say Netanyahu is strategically visiting countries where he faces no risk of arrest, aiming to gradually normalize his international travel.
In February, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said he will find “ways and means” for Netanyahu to visit Germany.
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