BRICS: Russia Says It Won’t Ditch US Dollar After Trump’s Victory
In a shocking twist for the BRICS alliance, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that they will not ditch the US dollar. In a sit-down interview Thursday, Putin confirmed that Russia is not abandoning the dollar, it is “simply refusing to use the dollar as a settlement tool.”
Putin called the US dollar a “pillar of US power,” saying that the US is undoing this power. The BRICS bloc has long pushed its de-dollarization initiative, saying the greenback won’t be king for long. The alliance recently discussed de-dollarization at its October Summit, and multiple countries have decided to stop using the dollar.
“The payments in dollars are decreasing,” Putin said. “Not too much, as of yet, but as a means of savings, it’s going down step by step. Very gradually it’s shrinking, it is a trend. It’s their own doing.” In regards to BRICS proposals of ditching the US dollar, the Russian president reaffirmed that “our proposals are not aimed against [the] dollar. This is simply us rising to the challenge of modern times, in response towards the development of the economy we are thinking.”
BRICS Continues Developing Payment System to Rival US Dollar
Putin also discussed how BRICS is currently in the development phase of a unified BRICS payment system rooted in the payment systems of different countries. The new system will be “using the groundwork of the systems in each country in exchanging of financial information,” the Russian president said.
The bloc has continued to embrace trades in local currencies. Moreover, they have worked to develop their unique payment infrastructures. These projects should only encourage financial autonomy. Moreover, they should be clear threats to Western hegemony and US dollar dominance. The most interesting point from Putin’s interview is that despite the de-dollarization efforts, Russia has decided not to ban or abandon the greenback: simply avoid it.
Earlier this year, Donald Trump hinted he would consider lifting sanctions, encouraging the use of the dollar. Now that he will be President again, it will be interesting to see how the bloc responds if he does just that. Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping have already opened the door to speaking to Trump, so perhaps there is a future where BRICS and the US dollar live in harmony.
richiemcgold: Snoop himself is not in my best 3 of all time, but Ice Cube is there. Mine best 5 rappers of all time: 👇👇👇 Ice Cube Dr Dre Andre 3000 50 Cent Eminem
Go and listen to Slicky Rick's " It's a Boy".... and thank me later.
This gentleman, Ibrahim Yucel, a Turkish man who was 42 years old at the time of the events, decided in 2013 to have his head locked in a cage with the intention of quitting smoking; his wife was the only one who had the keys and she only opened it during meals.
Details 🚨
It was in 2013 when a man from Turkey put a circular cage around his head to quit smoking. The story resurfaced recently and people are going nuts over the man’s unusual strategy to rid himself of his unhealthy habits. Though largely considered a rumour, the incident has truth to it. The Turkish man caged himself in a metal ball to quit cigarettes. Although images and videos of the man putting on the cage did reach social media, there were no reports about the man’s progress on quitting smoking after wearing the contraption.
The man was Ibrahim Yücel from the town of Kütahya in Turkey. According to reports, Ibrahim decided to lay rest to his fatal habit after his father passed away from lung cancer. He had made the cage with his own expertise after smoking two packs of cigarettes a day for more than two decades of his life. Well, it is safe to say that he had had his fill of smoking cigarettes. Ibrahim fashioned his contraption after getting inspired by motorcycle helmets worn by bikers. He made the head cage himself with the help of over 130 feet of copper wire. Once he was locked inside the cage, he handed over the keys to the cage to his family members in case his withdrawal symptoms compelled him to tinker with the lock on his head cage. Amid his quest to quit smoking, reports mentioned how his wife was super supportive of his endeavours, even his extreme bid to lock his head in a cage.
Even though the incident is over a decade old now, people online can still not believe that a man took such extreme steps to quit smoking.
Till today he still walks around with his head in a cage.
FYI, I focus on adding context to social media posts that often lack it. If you're interested in seeing posts with added clarity and background, consider following me.
Numerouno94: Key reasons why Kamala Harris Lost to Donald Trump.
1.) Americans are not ready to allow a woman lead them as President. In as much as they champion gender equality, they understand the dangers of electing a woman, a black or mixed raced as the POTUS. The current generation of Americans now are not ready for that risk.
2.) Americans don't joke with Israel's security. Whoever told Kamala Harris to criticize Israel, publicly condemning Israel defense of her homeland from Moslem terrorists attacks was wrong. She should have kept her mouth shut.
3.) In as much as Americans support freedom, equality and liberalism, the way Kamala Harris supports LGBT, Abortion, genderless madness and other anti Christian wokeism practices became worrisome to so many real Americans not the fake Americans wannabes.
4.) Most Americans are tired of Ukraine Russian war and they believe Trump can put an end to the war and save the world from a possible 3rd world war or nuclear battle. The Americans of today love fun and enjoyment more than anything and not ready to go to any war like Americans of the 1940s to 1990s
5.) Islamic Terrorists Madness in MiddleEast and the rising popularity of Iran. Americans believe only Trump can put a stop to Iran's madness in the MiddleEast.
6.) Migrant Influx. Many White Americans are tired of migrants trooping into their country. They believe if this is not checked, America will lose its glory in no distant time so they want a President that can be bold enough to stop or slow down migration to a great extent.
And Kamala Harris has been in support of allowing migrants in while Trump is against undocumented migrants coming into the US, especially those from Islamic countries, Africa, Haiti, Colombia and Mexico.
hotspec: With the hit and run twist, that may be a new lead. The cloth appears neater than it's a dog attack and no physical wound visible on the skin from that unclear image
So no cctv evidence of hit and run or just a hunch ?
Former US cybercriminal and now a cybersecurity consultant, Brett Johnson, has expressed skepticism about the likelihood of an easy release for Nigerian social media influencer, Ramon Abbas, known as Hushpuppi.
Hushpuppi is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence in the United States for international fraud.
Johnson, once on the FBI’s most-wanted list and currently a cybersecurity consultant for companies such as Microsoft, made this disclosure to The PUNCH at the just concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
He said that although he received a second chance after his criminal career, Abbas may struggle to find similar opportunities due to systemic inequalities.
“Hushpuppi may never get the second chance I did,” Johnson said, highlighting the challenges Abbas may face because of his background.
“I don’t know what type of opportunity that man is going to have because of where he is from. That’s the truth, and I think that’s a damn shame, but that’s the way the world is working right now,” he said.
Johnson masterminded ShadowCrew, an early online marketplace for illegal activities that helped pave the way for today’s darknet markets.
He was eventually arrested and cooperated with the Secret Service as a consultant and informant.
Speaking further, Johnson pointed out racial and socio-economic inequalities that often limit rehabilitation prospects, stating, “The truth of the matter is that white males have more opportunity than he’s (Abbas) going to have.”
The cybersecurity expert believes Abbas will encounter significant hurdles in attempting to rebuild his life after prison.
Hushpuppi had amassed over two million Instagram followers before his 2020 arrest in Dubai. Known for flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, Abbas allegedly funded his opulence through elaborate schemes that defrauded victims worldwide.
According to Johnson, imprisonment could serve as an opportunity for self-improvement.
“I was told this when I went to prison: whatever you don’t like about yourself, whatever you want to change, you have the opportunity to change that in prison,” he said. “If you’re a criminal and you want a different life, you can work on that from prison and change your life.”
Johnson urged Abbas to use his time behind bars for transformation, advocating for rehabilitation of crime. “It’s better to help people than to hurt people,” he stated.
Cassius the saltwater crocodile held the Guinness World Records title as the world's largest crocodile in captivity.
The world's largest captive crocodile has died in Australia.
He was thought to be more than 110 years old.
Cassius, the 5.48m (18ft) reptile, also weighed over a ton.
He had lived in a wildlife sanctuary on Green Island near the Queensland tourist town of Cairns in Australia for more than 37 years, according to the sanctuary's Facebook post.
The Marineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat said he had been in declining health since 15 October.
Sharing a post of Cassius enjoying a meal in his prime, they wrote: "He was very old and believed to be living beyond the years of a wild Croc."
Cassius originated in the neighbouring Northern Territory, where crocodiles are a key part of the region's tourist industry, the post said.
"Cassius will be deeply missed, but our love and memories of him will remain in our hearts forever," it added.
A saltwater crocodile, Cassius had held the Guinness World Records title as the world's largest crocodile in captivity.
Minors: Klinsmann applauds FG, knocks Atiku for inflammatory comments; advocates almajiri care homes
[quote]A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Dunukofia Local Government of Anambra State, Pharmacist Chinedu Ikeagwuonwu Klinsmann, has commended the Federal Government for its prompt intervention in the troubling case of the young #EndBadGovernance protesters recently arraigned in court on charges that include treason.
In a statement released today, Pharm. Klinsmann praised the directive given by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, instructing the police to transfer the protesters’ case file to his office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a comprehensive review. According to Klinsmann, this action underscores the sensitivity of the President Tinubu-led administration, especially in light of public outrage over reports of some suspects collapsing in court.
Klinsmann also aimed at former Vice President and 2023 PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of exploiting the situation for political gain. He described Atiku’s reference to the “wickedness of T-Pain” in criticizing the Tinubu administration as immature, unstatesmanlike, and inflammatory.
“Atiku’s expression of ‘horror’ at seeing the children in court was merely a façade,” Klinsmann asserted. “If he genuinely cared about their plight, he should have used his position as Vice President for eight years and his considerable wealth to address the underlying issues that drive these children to the streets, at least in Adamawa, his home state.”
Klinsmann further remarked, “Many of these children are in detention today because they were on the streets during the chaotic #EndBadGovernance protest. Atiku has no moral ground to criticize others for failures he could have addressed. These young protesters are clearly almajiri children. If Atiku, with all his resources, had established an Almajiri Child Care Home in Adamawa, it could have set a precedent for others and perhaps prevented the region from becoming a hotbed of banditry and insecurity.”
He also expressed disappointment over comments made by former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP Presidential Candidate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who suggested that the Federal Government should prioritize tackling banditry, kidnapping, and Boko Haram instead of prosecuting children.
“Kwankwaso must remember that the apple does not fall far from the tree,” Klinsmann stated. “His failure to establish an Almajiri Child Care Home during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Kano State has significantly contributed to the high levels of youth violence, banditry, and insurgency in Northern Nigeria. Now, he seeks to deflect blame onto the Tinubu administration. It’s no surprise that Kano became the epicenter of the destruction that followed the #EndBadGovernance protest.”
Klinsmann emphasized that the northern political elite—and perhaps all Nigerians—must recognize that almajiri children represent a ticking time bomb. “These children are largely uneducated, disillusioned, and living in desperate conditions with no hope for the future,” he said.
He highlighted the stark contrast in how the #EndBadGovernance protest unfolded across different regions. “While the protest was relatively peaceful in the South and Middle Belt, it turned violent from the start in the North. Unlike their southern counterparts, who carried placards and banners, northern almajiri youths wielded sticks, cudgels, and machetes, looting shops and destroying public and private property.”
“We all witnessed images from the northern protests,” Klinsmann continued. “Billions of Naira were lost, and many lives were needlessly cut short, including innocent passersby struck by stray bullets. The situation was so dire that several northern states imposed dusk-to-dawn curfews.”
Klinsmann attributed the root cause of the almajiri crisis to pervasive poverty, which compels parents to send their children to almajiri schools. “Deprived of parental love and care from an early age, these children are sent into a harsh environment to seek knowledge but are ultimately driven by survival,” he said. “Begging for food, money, and basic needs becomes their only option. Without proper food, shelter, and care, many fall into cycles of drug addiction, violence, and crime.”
He noted that some almajiri children fall victim to ritualists and human traffickers, while others are manipulated into becoming political thugs, hired killers, and extremists.
“The perpetuation of the almajiri phenomenon is rooted in years of poor leadership and the neglect of the masses by the northern elite,” Klinsmann observed. He stressed that while the Federal Government has taken steps to address the problem, education is on the concurrent legislative list, meaning state and local governments also play critical roles in providing basic education.
Beyond education, Klinsmann advocated for the creation of care homes staffed by trained personnel to provide foster care and guidance. “Former President Goodluck Jonathan initiated a program to integrate western education into the Islamic education system, committing billions to build almajiri schools across Northern Nigeria.”
He noted that the Buhari administration also had plans to address the almajiri system by establishing the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education. This body was designed to implement education, skill acquisition, and entrepreneurship programs to combat illiteracy and youth poverty. “Unfortunately, the impact of the Commission is yet to be felt,” he lamented.
“These efforts have fallen short because the children need more than education—they need a nurturing environment where they feel loved and supported,” Klinsmann said. “They need parental discipline and guidance.”
Pharm. Klinsmann called on the National Assembly and the governors of the 19 northern states to enact laws that would establish a comprehensive national strategy for the care and protection of almajiri children. “If these children had been in care homes during the #EndBadGovernance protest, they would not have been used as instruments of destruction,” he said.
He urged local governments to establish children’s homes within their communities and collaborate with state governments in developing the necessary infrastructure for the care and rehabilitation of these children. “States should work with relevant public and private entities, including NGOs, donor agencies, and multinational companies, to create systems that ensure neglected children receive community and state-based support.”
In conclusion, Klinsmann commended the Federal Government’s efforts to reform almajiri education and appealed for widespread support. “I call on affluent individuals to engage in philanthropic initiatives aimed at improving the lives of almajiri children. While northern leaders have failed them, it is now our collective responsibility to rescue and rehabilitate these children. If left unaddressed, they pose a significant risk to our future and that of our own children.”
N15m bribe claim: Bobrisky released on bail after denying voicenote
[quote]The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on bail.
The embattled cross-dresser was stopped and removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos late Thursday night while attempting to leave the country for London, the United Kingdom.
He quickly alerted his followers on social media about the arrest, stating that he sustained injuries during the process.
Bobrisky wrote, “Nigerians, help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”
He was subsequently flown to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja, where he was interrogated on his bribery allegations against the commission.
In a voice note shared by a controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him.
Libya begins mass arrest of Nigerians after CAF verdict
Following the verdict delivered by the Confederation of African Football in response to the complaint lodged by the Nigeria Football Federation over the recent inhumane treatment meted out to the Super Eagles in Libya, members of the Nigerian community have reported mass arrests and fines in the country.
The Nigerian football team was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya’s national team.
The contingent was scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match was to be played.
However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot reportedly received a directive from Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.
The development sparked widespread outrage, forcing the NFF to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official complaint to CAF.
In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African football body awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match.
The disciplinary board ruled that the Libyan Football Federation breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The panel also ordered the LFF to pay a fine of $50,000 within 60 days of the notification of the decision.
Displeased with the verdict, the LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s influence within CAF played a major role in the outcome.
A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official appeal within hours and that if the appeal was denied, the body would resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to ensure “their legitimate rights are secured.”
Campaign against Nigerians
Following the CAF ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, posted on Sunday, stating, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.
“The fine that Libya is accused of will be paid by Nigerian citizens who live in Libya. We have been subjected to injustice. We have no borders with Nigeria. What benefit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan people. They have to go back home.”
The blog has more than 188,000 followers on Facebook and 57,000 likes.
The post was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who said, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya so that they can pay a tax of $500 and regulate their stay in the country by obtaining residence permits.”
Another Libyan site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations wanted the government to start arresting Nigerian workers.
“Those who don’t have Libyan papers will have to pay a fine of $500 for taxes. If you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan government will pay the Nigerian government from their citizens’ money,” the post said.
Mass arrests
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, a Nigerian living in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, Adenaike Emmanuel, said the arrests began on Sunday after the CAF statement was released in the country.
“They have already started. The news came out on Saturday, and they were saying they can’t accept it and that they are not the ones who will pay the money. They have started proving this.
“Someone called me and said they had already begun arresting people in his area. The same thing is happening here in Tripoli. In some places, people were arrested on Sunday morning and afternoon. As I mentioned before, Libyans don’t hide their feelings. They believe that by doing this, they are getting their revenge,” Adenaike stated.
The President of the Nigerian community in Libya, Peter Omoregbie, also confirmed the arrests in a video shared by multiple Libya-based Nigerian blogs during the week.
Omoregbie, who confirmed this while making an official report at the Libyan immigration office on Monday, said, “The arrests started on Sunday night in some areas in Tedora. They are arresting innocent people. They don’t even care whether you have passports or residence permits. They just don’t care, which doesn’t happen in other countries.”
When asked to provide background to the incident, he said, “The football body is an association on its own, which the government isn’t supposed to interfere with according to CAF laws. There was a football match scheduled between Nigeria and Libya on October 15. Nigeria was supposed to arrive in Benghazi, but they were diverted to another state, so the match could not take place. The Nigerian football team then returned home. Since then, CAF has investigated the issue and set up a committee to find out what really happened.
Akpoguma yearns for Super Eagles return Uche on Villa, Newcastle radar “Yesterday, the verdict was issued that Libya has to pay a fine of $50,000 to CAF due to the way they treated the Nigerian football team. Now, on social media, Libyan journalists and numerous bloggers are saying that Nigeria will be made to pay the $50,000 fine by arresting all Nigerians in Libya. But in other countries, nothing like that happens.
“As the community leader, I received some videos showing that the arrests started last night in the Tedora area. They said the Libyan police have started arresting Nigerians, whether they have passports or not. Some of us are already afraid, calling everywhere to ask what to do. Sometimes, as community leaders, we are helpless. Even the Nigerian Embassy’s hands are sometimes tied. But international bodies need to intervene in this situation.”
Two days after Omoregbie’s report, another Nigerian in the country, Omo Oba Legba, said the arrests had intensified.
In a Facebook video posted on Wednesday, he said, “My Arab master, who is a policeman, just called me now and told me not to go out to buy anything because they have started arresting Nigerians in Libya. I asked him, ‘What about those with Libyan passports?’ But he said they aren’t considering passports and that anyone who is Nigerian will be arrested. That’s why I decided to alert our people so they know how far this issue has gone.
“The Super Eagles had what they needed to and returned. They got their money, whether they won or not. But see the problem they’ve caused for us. If Nigeria was good, we wouldn’t have come to Libya to suffer. The Nigerian team only faced a day of hardship—what about other Nigerians here who face the same treatment every day? My Arab told me that until the CAF fine is overturned, they won’t stop arresting Nigerians. Please, we appeal to the Nigerian government to come to our aid.”
Similarly, Libya INF.TV posted a video on Thursday where a Nigerian pleaded with the Libyan police to stop the indiscriminate arrests.
He said, “Football has nothing to do with us. If you want to catch them, catch them when they come here. Leave us out of this. And to the Nigerian team, I don’t know what you’re thinking, coming here to play football with the Libyan people. You don’t have sense. Please, Libyan police, please.”
Libyan rights institution warns security agents
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Institution for Human Rights in Libya, Ahmed Hamza, has warned against retaliatory acts targeting Nigerian workers in the country in the aftermath of the CAF ruling.
According to Libya Review, Hamza noted that some media platforms were inciting hostility towards foreigners by portraying them as illegal or irregular residents.
“We warn against any form of retaliation against foreign and migrant workers in Libya, especially Nigerian workers, by security forces, armed groups, or citizens,” Hamza stated.
He cautioned that unlawful actions against foreigners could lead to repercussions in domestic and even international justice.
When Sunday PUNCH contacted the Libyan Embassy in Abuja for comments, a lady who identified herself simply as Rose said she was not authorised to talk.
She said, “As you can see, I am not the media secretary. Whatever information you need, kindly put it into writing and send it to the embassy. Then, they will respond to it. Address the letter to the ambassador of the Libyan embassy.”
Our correspondent wrote a letter of inquiry to the embassy as requested. However, 48 hours later, there was no response.
A request for information from the Nigerian Embassy in Tripoli was also not replied to as of press time.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eche Abu-Obe, simply said, “I have sent a message to the Director Africa.”
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had yet to respond to calls and a text message from Sunday PUNCH as of the time of filing this report.
Ex-envoy urges probe
A former Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said the Federal Government should investigate the retaliatory arrests and report Libya to the African Union.
He said, “The Nigerian government doesn’t have hardcore evidence, and if they do, they should report Libya to the African Union. If Nigerians collate evidence of the maltreatment, the Federal Government can protest directly to the Libyan government over what Nigerians are facing.”
Amedu-Ode further advised Nigerians in the Arab country to keep low profiles until the situation was under control.
“If the atmosphere is too hot for them, they should leave Libya,” he added.
I had a relationship like this 13years ago, we parted ways cos nobody wan shift for nobody........unfortunately, now she keeps sending me "What God Cannot Do Does Not exist" prayers every morning even though I have moved on smoothly wit someone that understands the values of respect, peace and privacy.
Here's the country with the most worthless currency in the world
In every country, their currency is the medium of exchange and a means of identification, but this is not the case in Zimbabwe.
Here’s why the Zimbabwean dollar is one of the most useless currencies in the world: They don’t even use it as a medium of exchange
Since 2009, Zimbabwe uses other currencies, forgoing its own after the hyperinflation of over 5,000 percent made it virtually worthless.
Zimbabwe is uses currencies like the U.S. dollar, South African rand, British pound, Indian rupee, Japanese yen, and Chinese yuan, for day-to-day purchases to address hyperinflation.
This system has led to a deflation rate of -2.3%, according to Zimbabwe's bank governor.
They used to have a trillion-dollar note
Zimbabwe's Z$100,000,000,000,000 note, one trillion Zimbabwean dollars, was worth $0.40 when it was exchanged for U.S. dollars up until April 2016.
It is now being sold for higher prices as a novelty or collector's item on eBay.
When inflation got to 230,000,000 per cent in 2009, the country's central bank declared the U.S. dollar as its official currency.
Mismanaged economy Inflation brought on by the government's excessive money printing has devalued the currency.
Zimbabwe's economy has been damaged by problems like political unrest, corruption, and unsustainable fiscal policies.
For necessities, Zimbabwe is largely dependent on imports. Purchasing foreign goods is difficult due to the ZWL's low value, which further devalues the currency as demand for stable foreign currencies rises.
Zimbabwe's economics stands as a warning post for countries that export nothing and import everything.
Russian court fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
A Russian court has ruled that Google owes Russian media stations around $20 decillion in fines for blocking their content, and the fines could get bigger.
To put that into perspective, the World Bank estimates global GDP as around $100 trillion, which is peanuts compared to the prospective fine. Google would therefore have to find more money than exists on Earth to pay Moscow - but on Tuesday fell a little short of that mark when it posted $88 billion quarterly revenue.
The bizarre amount has been calculated after a four-year court case that started after YouTube banned the ultra-nationalist Russian channel Tsargrad in 2020 in response to the US sanctions imposed against its owner. Following Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022 more channels were added to the banned list and 17 stations are now suing the Chocolate Factory, including Zvezda (a TV channel owned by Putin's Ministry of Defence), according to local media.
"Google was called by a Russian court to administrative liability under Art. 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code for removing channels on the YouTube platform. The court ordered the company to restore these channels," lawyer Ivan Morozov told state media outlet TASS.
The court imposed a fine of 100 thousand rubles ($1,025) per day, with the total fine doubling every week. Owing to compound interest (Einstein's eighth wonder of the world), Google is now on the hook for an insane amount of money, or what the judge on Monday called “a case in which there are many, many zeros.”
Not that there's much chance of bankrupting Alphabet over the issue. Google in Russia has been inactive since 2022 after the search giant effectively pulled out of the country following Putin's special military operation. Google says the Russian authorities had seized its bank accounts and the offshoot was essentially bankrupt. The ad-spreader had over 200 staff in Russia and, while some have been relocated, others were laid off.
The battle is now on in courts around the globe as Russia seeks to seize Google's assets, with little success. The Chocolate Factory certainly seems sanguine about it.
"We have ongoing legal matters relating to Russia. For example, civil judgments that include compounding penalties have been imposed upon us in connection with disputes regarding the termination of accounts, including those of sanctioned parties," Alphabet reported in its last earnings statement [PDF].
"We do not believe these ongoing legal matters will have a material adverse effect."
Federal High Court is not the Apex court, the execution of this decision will be stayed while Appeal is filed. CBN cannot put a whole state on hold, because of a controversial decision driven by the apathy btw Wike & Fubara.
Foreign Affairs / Re: Iran Behind Plots To Destabilise Nigeria: Israel by Morbeta11(m): 5:52pm On Nov 09
ikegwuru