A fleet is wrecked near Adriatic sea

Lifted by earthquake, dropped upon the land

Egypt, a-quake the Muslims' spread to see

An envoy sends, surrender in his hand

SINISTER words, prophetic words, the vision of a clairvoyant, or the ramblings of a crank? Only time will tell. Written 500 years ago, this four line verse is one of hundreds penned by the 16th Century apothecary and prophet Nostradamus.

He foretells a massive invasion of Mediterranean Europe by hordes from the East, who will be "Asiatic, Muslim and red".

Sounds entirely plausible in the time it was written. Except, according to the author of the book, Nostradamus In The 21st Century, Peter Lemesurier, it should be happening any time now.

Marauding Muslims will pour into Italy and the North African coast and, via Spain, invade France.

"The Pope will be forced to flee to the Rhone valley, where he will be pursued, captured and eventually killed: moreover he will apparently be the present Pope. The Vatican will subsequently be destroyed," Lemesurier says.

In their millions they will march north, looting, raping and persecuting Catholics en route. With the help of some kind of "aerial fire weapon", they will over-run defences on the rivers Garonne and Loire until they reach the Channel. Only dissension in the Asiatic ranks will prevent the invasion of Britain, from where a huge counter-invasion will be launched, chasing the infidels out of a desolated and depopulated France.

A charismatic western leader will pursue them across the Middle East, before becoming ruler of most of Europe, heralding an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity.

Apocalyptic? Yes. Far fetched? Perhaps. But Lemesurier points to events already happening which could be precursors to the conquest.

"In Central Asia, the newly-independent Muslim republics of the former Soviet Union are steadily finding their feet, aided by Turkey and other Muslim countries," he says. "Their combined potential oil wealth is considerable, their store of armaments (left over from the Cold War) immense. Islam is recovering its former power by leaps and bounds."

He also highlights other troublespots; talk of founding a United States of Central Asia; the Middle East; possible Arab intervention in the former Yugoslavia - the very heart of Europe itself.

If Nostradamus, through Lemesurier, sees the threat coming from the former Soviet Bloc and the salvation coming from Britain, it's a view shared by the other famous soothsaying chronicler, Old Moore's Almanack.

This year it predicts Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, to be the spin master of 2001, a man to be watched carefully. Nothing he says will be as it seems and what it seems doesn't look very good either. It claims high-profile dissidents will be silenced and the Russian mafia will continue to hold society to ransom. During this dangerous period, America will be "out to lunch" thanks to a new leadership uninterested in foreign affairs.

While stopping short of portraying Britain the Conqueror, Moore's does see the country beginning an expansion phase lasting many years, driven by companies specialising in new activities. But it warns not to dabble in dotcom companies unless you know exactly what you are doing. Even then, it foresees the collapse of some very big operations.

Overseeing this revival will be Tony Blair. There'll be an election and there is nothing in the stars to show that William Hague will be at No 10 this year. But Moore's predicts trouble at mill with New and Old Labour battling for supremacy and the heady days of a large Labour majority over for the time being.

It also sees the spotlight falling on Prince William more and more this year, though the public can expect to see a more truculent heir to the throne when things don't go his way. There's no sign of the Queen abdicating in favour of Charles - ever.

Forget any solution to Northern Ireland, and Israel can expect to experience more trouble with its neighbours, though the Arab conflict within its borders may become more settled.

Science will explode in 2001 with a symbiosis of human brain and computer to produce bio-computers, which will make current machines primitive and obsolete. Progress in genetics could see an end to a host of diseases and hunger. "But also lurking is the danger that it maybe the path to Frankenstein," Old Moore says.

Lots of predictions, as there were last year, but what about the results? Well, Moore's did predict a white Christmas, freak weather patterns and damaging storms. Last year it also said the US election would be bitterly fought and won by the narrowest margin.

So, 2001, good year or bad? Old Moore is tempted to say the answer is yes. "The year will be what you make of it for yourself, like it always is," it claims.

After 500 years, nothing new there, then. Only time will tell.

l Nostradamus In The 21st Century (Piatkus, £8.99), Old Moore's Almanack (Foulsham, £1.50)