Kremlin dismisses rumors of Putin's illness, use of body doubles
MOSCOW: The Kremlin has refuted recent reports suggesting that President Vladimir Putin is unwell and has categorically denied persistent rumors about the use of body doubles to substitute for him during public appearances.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, addressing the allegations, stated, "Everything is fine with him; this is absolutely another fake." He was responding to an unsourced report circulating on a Russian Telegram channel, which had been picked up by certain Western media outlets, claiming that the president had experienced a serious health incident on Sunday evening.
Peskov openly laughed off inquiries about the existence of body doubles for Putin, denying any such practice. "This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity. This evokes nothing but a smile," Peskov remarked.
Despite recent speculation, Putin, a judo enthusiast known for his "action man" image, celebrated his 71st birthday on October 7. He continues to maintain a busy schedule filled with meetings and public appearances, many of which are televised. His recent engagements included a visit to China last week, with stopovers in two Russian cities on his return journey.
In a 2020 interview, Putin directly addressed longstanding rumors about the use of body doubles, vehemently denying the claims. He did mention that he had been offered the option to use one in the past due to security concerns, but he had declined the offer.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
