During the final week of 2022, we have been asking such questions as whether in the course of the coming year Israel would end Iran’s nuclear threat, if Latin America’s pink wave would dim, if the Chi-Rus alliance would collapse, and whether America would again begin leading from the front.No more questions: While the following predictions may seem wild now, these are some events that will dominate the headlines in the coming year.*DiplomacyWashington will expel several envoys of Communist China following Beijing’s refusal to cooperate with a Republican-led congressional probe into the origins of Covid. An early-year sense of déjà vu will contribute to the growing Washington-Beijing hostilities, as Chinese tourists arriving in Italy and Seattle will import a new strain of the virus. RevolutionThe Islamic Republic’s regime will be on the verge of collapse as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards will begin to defect and join the months-long street uprising. A Kurdish-Iranian woman will emerge as leader of the revolution. The tipping point will be when, surrounded by thousands of protesters, she will approach the majlis building at Tehran, publicly daring regime enforcers to arrest her for failing to cover her hair.KremlinVladimir Putin will suffer a heart attack. The Wagner mercenary group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as “Putin’s Chef,” will be shot dead while attempting to capture the Kremlin. None of the usual suspects — the security council secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, a former president, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chief of staff, Sergei Kiriyenko — will be able to lead. Instead, a military general whose name is mostly unknown in the West will forcibly take over the presidency. He’ll then proceed to double down on the Russian assault against Ukraine. TurkeyIstanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, who was jailed in December for insulting election officials, will consolidate the opposition to President Erdogan and win the June election. He will then reverse Mr. Erdogan’s constitutional changes and return Turkey to a parliamentary system. Relations with Moscow will cool. The country’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood and other militant Islamists will end. IndiaAmerica and Israel will surpass Russia as India’s top arms supplier, as the Ukraine war further exposes the inferiority of the former Soviet Union’s weapons industry. The move will weaken New Delhi’s ties with Moscow and tighten India’s alliance with the West. JapanFollowing serious early-year economic and health crises in Communist China, Chairman Xi will send an armada to the Senkaku islands, administered by Japan since the end of the 19th century. Taiwan will rescind its own claim to the archipelago. In a joint statement, America, India, and Australia will confirm that an attack on Japan is an act of war against all four quad members. By the end of the year, Mr. Xi will pull his his ships in retreat. BibiIsrael’s Benjamin Netanyahu will be convicted on one of four indictments. Known as File 4000, it alleges corrupt dealings with a telecommunication giant, Bezeq. The Supreme Court will reject Bibi’s appeal. A tiny Knesset majority will then overturn the court’s decision, utilizing a new law passed this week. Nationwide anti-Bibi protests will paralyze the country for weeks, until a peace treaty with Saudi Arabia is signed following the accession of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the throne. BritainConservative politicians will turn their backs on Prime Minister Sunak. Why? Because that’s what Tories do nowadays. After Mr. Sunak’s resignation, the party will fail to unite behind a new leader. A new election will be announced for the fall. ArtsThe Gary Oldman-starring British spy thriller “Slow Horses” will be discovered by critics worldwide and hailed as best television series. Its creators will film a third season and its American carrier, Apple TV+, will ride the success of the series to become a major player in the streaming market, adding a new source of wealth to the Cupertino-based behemoth. Real WorldThe happiest event in the world will occur in October, when the New York Yankees return to the World Series for the first time since 2009. Led by their newly crowned captain, Aaron Judge, the Yanks will at last defeat the Houston Astros to win the American League championship. They will then meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in a coastal series and win in six games. This time, Mr. Judge will shine and be crowned series MVP. *If even one of these 2023 predictions comes true, please credit the author for his exceptional far-sightedness. Otherwise, forget the whole thing.
