President Vladimir Putin has not been seen in public for 13 days following claims of ill health, while the Kremlin is accused of releasing pre-recorded meetings.
The Russian president appears to have mysteriously disappeared - with his last public appearance being nearly two weeks ago at a conference in Sochi.
According to the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, Putin has been undergoing health treatments: “Indeed, Putin has been absent from work recently and receives all reports exclusively via special communications."
Those close to him are given the same standard answer in such cases: "He is undergoing a medical examination and a regular course of general health improvement."
The channel added that nobody actually knows what the real answer is or where he is.
This is not the first time speculation have grown regarding the Russian president’s health.
Some claim he has appeared overly tired, having difficulty walking and strongly gripping tables in meetings - sparking rumours of Parkinson’s disease.
He was also said to have cancer several times in 2014, 2020 and 2022, and reportedly travels with an entourage of doctors to assist him in case of a medical emergency.
There are also reports of Putin using body doubles, who are said to have gone through intense plastic surgery to look identical to the president.
Speaking to The Sun, Russia expert Keir Giles said: "If you watch Putin closely, it's hard to avoid the suspicion that often some of the appearances you're seeing are not, in fact, the same person."
He also noted the stark differences in the Russian president’s appearance - from looking healthy at one event to looking sick at the next.
"There are some times when he looks really quite frail, bloated, puffy, shaking, having to grip onto the table and only giving very short five-minute speeches even on major public events,” Giles said.
And then there are times when he appears to bounce back as a much healthier individual who is standing up and speaking for 40 minutes.”He added that the state of Putin’s health was a “mystery to us all.” The government has previously denied that Putin’s health is failing.
In October, Putin admitted in a televised meeting that he regularly undergoes medical examinations at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow.
After this comment, his aides quickly dispelled any rumours that the president was ill. His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “He meant routine medical examinations.”
The state news agency TASS also insists Putin “has no health problems.”
Regardless of the rumours, the Russian president seems to have no intention of slowing down, having won an election that permits him to continue ruling until 2030.
He has continued to lead Russia and its war on Ukraine.
The United Arab Emirates has arrested three individuals responsible for the murder of Abu Dhabi-based Rabbi Zvi Kogan, the UAE Interior Ministry announces, saying that it was done “in record time.”
The statement stresses the country’s “ability to deal firmly with anyone who tries to undermine the security and stability of society.”
Kogan was an Israeli-Moldovan national, but the UAE statement calls him “the Moldovan citizen.”
After Kogan’s family filed a report about his disappearance, says the statement, an investigation was initiated. The full findings of the investigation will be announced upon its completion.
“The United Arab Emirates, with all its institutions, will spare no effort to prevent any attack on its citizens, residents and visitors,” says the statement, adding that “all security agencies work around the clock to protect the stability of society and ensure the sustainability of the highest levels of security and safety that have been established since the founding of the state.”
The statement gives no details of the identity of the arrested suspects.
Israeli authorities announced earlier today that Kogan’s body was found in the Emirati city of Al Ain, which borders Oman, around 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Abu Dhabi.
Hebrew media outlets reported yesterday that officials suspected several Uzbek citizens recruited by Iran had assaulted the rabbi and later fled to Turkey.
But that's not what your headline says. Your headline said that they are debt free without going into details and judging from the reactions here, most believe that you're talking about total debt freedom.
Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid to finance their budget.
The idea of any African country being debt free is so absurd that only a fool would believe it
advanceDNA: Lol..credible source??....u are trying to form papaz on top what's all over the internet...
...what their finance minister meant by debt free is internal debt....they owe 322million from.internal sources ....so its technically not a lie
Mali Becomes The First African Country To Be Debt Free
Mali has become the first country on the continent to eliminate its national debt. This historic achievement marks a major milestone for the country's economy and sets a powerful precedent for other nations facing financial struggles
Trump could sanction British lawyer leading ICC push for Netanyahu arrest US leads major international backlash against Hague-based court, even as UK dithers on whether it would detain Israeli PM
Donald Trump is considering sanctions against a British lawyer over the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Hague-based court is facing a major international backlash for its decision to issue a warrant for the Israeli prime minister and Yoav Gallant, the former Israeli defence minister.
Mike Waltz, who will serve as Mr Trump’s national security adviser, said the court had “no credibility” and promised “a strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC” when the Trump administration takes office on Jan 20.
Karim Khan KC, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, could be among the officials targeted for sanctions by Mr Trump.
Germany has signalled it would not detain the Israeli leader because of its Nazi past and special relationship with the Jewish state, despite being a member of the ICC.
Viktor Orban, the prime minister of fellow member state Hungary, has vowed to defy the order to arrest Mr Netanyahu, and instead invited him for a state visit.
However, Britain has said it respects the court and ministers have refused to say if Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to the UK.
On Friday, Israel’s ambassador to the UK called on all countries to reject the ICC’s “farcical” order to arrest Mr Netanyahu.
Writing for The Telegraph, Tzipi Hotovely accused the court of finding common ground with Hamas, the Islamic terror group behind the October 7 massacre.
She said: “We thank the US and other allied countries that have rejected the farcical decision of the court and call upon other nations to follow suit in rejecting this injustice. The ICC has shown that every democratic leader, seeking to defend its people, may become a target of the court.
“We’ve reached an astonishing new low when an international court, which claims to uphold international law and human rights, has found common cause with a terrorist organisation that just over a year ago perpetrated the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust on its gratuitous rampage of murder, torture, kidnapping and rape. Make no mistake, this moment has sounded the death knell of the ICC,” she added.
Like Israel, the US does not recognise the authority of the Hague-based court. Senior Republicans have called for sanctions against the ICC’s top officials in response to the arrest warrants.
The court’s politically charged investigation into Israel’s military operation in Gaza was opened by Mr Khan. The ICC said Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant should answer charges of “starvation as a method of warfare” and “murder, persecution and other inhumane acts”.
Mr Khan is being investigated outside the ICC over allegations of sexual misconduct. He denies the accusations.
During his first term in office, Mr Trump sanctioned the court’s former chief prosecutor over an investigation into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan. At the time, Mike Pompeo, then-secretary of state, branded the court a “thoroughly broken and corrupted institution”.
The sanctions against Gambian-born ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, which included a travel ban, were eventually overturned by Joe Biden when he entered office in 2021.
But there is an expectation that Mr Trump could re-enact the same strategy in response to the ICC’s treatment of Israel.
He could also withdraw US involvement and resources from ICC-led investigations into Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Sanctions could hit Khan’s bank account Any sanctions enforced on Mr Khan and his staff could threaten the relationship between Britain and Mr Trump if Sir Keir opts to comply with the arrest warrants.
Depending on the nature of the sanctions, it could also make it difficult for Mr Khan to secure banking facilities in the UK.
The warrant marks the first time in the ICC’s 22-year history that its judges have sought the arrest of the leader of a Western-backed democracy.
The court’s 124 member states, including Britain, are responsible for enforcing arrest warrants it issues.
In a sign of splits among European nations, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands promised to arrest Mr Netanyahu, as well as Mr Gallant, if they arrived in their territories. France affirmed the court’s standing but stopped short of saying whether Mr Netanyahu would face arrest if he crossed its borders.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s top foreign diplomat, confirmed the bloc’s 27 member states, including Germany and Hungary, would be obliged to enforce the warrants.
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, refused on Friday to say publicly whether Mr Netanyahu would be detained if he travelled to the UK.
Mrs Cooper said: “That is not a matter for me as the Home Secretary. International Criminal Court investigations rarely become a matter for the British legal or law enforcement processes or for the British Government. If they ever do, there are proper processes that need to be followed and it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment in advance on any of those.”
However, Downing Street signalled the Israeli prime minister would face arrest if he entered the country.
Asked whether the Government would comply with the law, Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: “The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law.”
No 10, however, confirmed the Prime Minister would continue to talk to Mr Netanyahu despite the ICC arrest warrant, pointing to the need for dialogue to ease tensions in the Middle East.
Michael McCaul, chairman of the House foreign affairs committee, said the court had made a “shameful decision” to issue the warrants, accusing it of an “anti-Israel witch hunt”.
In an online statement, the Republican said the Senate should immediately enact legislation to sanction ICC officials to “protect American servicemembers and officials, and our allies”.
Lindsey Graham, a senator for North Carolina, went further, promising to back a law that would punish countries that comply with the arrest warrants.
“Any nation or organisation that aids or abets this outrage should expect to meet firm resistance from the United States, and I look forward to working with President Trump, his team, and my colleagues in Congress to come up with a powerful response,” he said.
Jim Risch, the Republican senator who is the incoming chairman of the foreign relations committee, also urged sanctions against the court’s top officials. “While I supported the work the ICC was doing to prosecute Putin for his war crimes in Ukraine, I can no longer support an organisation that has blatantly chosen to disregard its mandate,” he said.
So Oprah Winfrey's logic is: "They didn't pay me a dime personally, but they paid my production company" And people bought this pathetic line of reasoning hook, line and sinker?😂😂😂
Kamala Harris's campaign paid more than double what was previously thought to Oprah Winfrey as Democrats continue to fundraise past the election after going into debt to run a presidential bid.
Reports emerged that Harris's campaign paid Winfrey's Harpo Productions $1 million as part of a very pricey and short run for the White House.
But now, the New York Times reports that two people familiar with the matter reveal the full price of the event with Winfrey cost closer to $2.5 million.
Overall, Harris' campaign spent a whopping $100 million per week during her very condensed presidential run, which began in late July.
And supporters of the vice president are still being flooded with requests for donations after her extravagant $1.6 billion campaign budget left the Democratic Party $20 million in debt.
The indulgent spending has caused broader concerns about the Democrats campaign give badly they lost the election despite a $1 billion war chest.
President-elect Donald Trump beat Harris with 312 Electoral College votes, a margin of victory not seen since the 1988 election.
The 2024 election also saw Republicans maintaining control in the House of Representatives and retaking a majority in the Senate – give the GOP a trifecta of government come 2025, as well as a six-to-three conservative majority in the Supreme Court.
Spending included nearly $9,000 in ice cream from high-end shops like Sweet Lucy's Ice Cream and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.
The campaign reportedly allocated almost $15,000 on food delivery services such as Uber Eats and DoorDash from July through the end of the race in early November.
But the some of the biggest spending was for influencer partnerships and for celebrities to appear and perform at her events.
The campaign also spent $900,000 just to reserve ad space on Las Vegas' Sphere in the final week of the election.
Harris' campaign also spent $2.6 million in private jet travel during a two-week blitz of battleground states in October.
Winfrey was paid $2.5 million for her production firm holding a town hall with Harris in September.
Campaign finance laws prevent businesses from providing services to campaigns at below-market rates.
The television personality insisted she did not pocket any of the funds, but paid her team and charged for what the campaign needed for the event.
'I was not paid a dime,' Winfrey wrote in an Instagram comment.
'For the live-streaming event in September, my production company Harpo was asked to bring in set design, lights, cameras, crew, producers and every other item necessary (including the benches and the chairs we sat on) to put on a live production. I did not take any personal fee,' she added.
'However, the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.'
The few dozen million spent on other celebrity events included Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry and many more.
The effectiveness of celebrity endorsements and performances is now coming into question considering Harris' star-studded and pricey campaign and her definitive loss.
Trump, on the other hand, gained a significant amount of publicity and viewership by appearing on podcasts for free – including tens of millions of listens and views on the world's most popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.
Hahaha🤣 Look at these dimwit, low IQ scavengers! They're trying to apply APC nickel and dime, "anywhere belle face" ideology to American politics😂 Blacks who voted for Trump are not begging for handouts and charity unlike you born losers who cannot live without quota systems and affirmative action. Yes, we supported Trump and we do not regret it. We will still support JD Vance when he runs in 2028, so prepare for another season of tears and foaming at the mouth😂
12% of the 50 million Black American population voted for the RACIST Trump, and now, to their chagrin, they've been given the COLD SHOULDER by the racist as we knew they would.
Now they feel so stupid, as the rest of black America LAUGHS at them for their stupidity in supporting a white RACIST.
AntiChristian: When the eye is poor and deluded they can only see poverty and delusion! The Richest man in Africa is a Muslim from the North! And the owner of Bua is another one!
Clear your eyes from poverty mentality and malady!
Mia le Roux who was set to represent South Africa at the Miss Universe finals this weekend in Mexico has pulled out of the competition, organisers have announced, citing health concerns.
The 28-year-old made history as the first-ever deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa in August, following a controversy-hit competition which saw one finalist withdraw after being trolled over her Nigerian heritage.
She had spent weeks in Mexico preparing for the finale of the prestigious beauty contest.
The Miss South Africa organisation in a statement said Ms Le Roux's health and well-being "are our utmost priority" and pledged to support her until she "returns to full health".
The last-minute withdrawal means South Africa will not be represented at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant, where Ms Le Roux was among 120 beauty queens vying for the coveted title.
"Making this decision has been incredibly challenging, knowing the dreams and hopes that have been placed upon me," she said in the statement.
"However, I am deeply grateful to have the opportunity to focus on my health and recovery so that I may continue to serve my country with full strength.”
She has not disclosed the nature of the health problem.
The Miss South Africa organisation said Ms Le Roux had shown “incredible courage and grace throughout this difficult period”.
"Our hearts are with her as she takes the necessary steps toward recovery,” the organisation added.
Last month, Ms Le Roux expressed her excitement about the chance to represent South Africa on the Miss Universe stage terming it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for my voice to be heard".
She said then that she hoped to showcase her country’s "beautiful diversity".
She was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of one and has a cochlear implant to help her perceive sound.
In an earlier interview, she said it had taken two years of speech therapy before she was able to say her first words. She spoke passionately about her journey, acknowledging the challenges she has faced.
Thank you for proving my point, follower of a moronic fake "prophet" of poverty and almajiri.🤣🤣 No wonder the only thing they can offer is poverty and backwardness.
AntiChristian: See a stupid comment from a stupid entity raised by a stupid home from a stupid community....
Look at this stupidity. He's ashamed that MU-MU ticket is producing MUMU results🤣🤣🤣 Stupid religion founded by a stupid "prophet" for his stupid followers.
AntiChristian: This guy why is it that you always fish out bad news about Nigeria but never for once fish out bad news from alaigbo?
One of the wildest spectacles in recent sports history came to an end Friday night.
Jake Paul beat Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in a fight livestreamed by Netflix and held in front of more than 70,000 spectators at AT&T Stadium.
The heavyweight boxing matchup followed a sometimes zany build-up to an unlikely bout: the 58-year-old former world heavyweight champion against the 27-year-old social media sensation. At the weigh-in Thursday, for example, Tyson slapped Paul in the face.
Paul entered the fight as the betting favorite, but it's unlikely anyone will cash in like the two boxers will. Paul is expected to make $40 million and Tyson is expected to make $20 million.
It was Tyson’s first pro fight since 2005, and his career record falls to 50-7.
It was Paul’s biggest moment in a boxing career that started less than five years ago. He improved his career record to 11-1.
In that case, it's not just your woman you must suspect. You must also suspect your brother or your cousin because they might be the one who fathered the child and gave the family look to the child
There's nowhere in the world where pay as you watch exists for digital satellite TV. The only solution for DSTV is to go the way of Netflix and Amazon Prime and go full broadband Internet. They've already started doing that with Showmax.
Digital satellite television has never been a metered service unlike electricity and telephony, so the idea of charging per second is unworkable in that medium
madridguy: I hope Multichoice Nigeria won't end up like Nokia. Their greed will surely ruin their business. You cannot expect Nigerians to be buying 1k per litre fuel to watch your over repeated movies.
Your customers have been clamouring for pay as you view module, instead of you to listen, you keep bribing the lawmakers, let see of the lawmakers will force Nigerians to pay for subscriptions.
Children are now watching their cartoon on their tab or their parents phone.
Adult now prefer Netflix.
Multichoice Nigeria should start preparing their handing over because boys are not watching football as before self.
There's nowhere in the world where pay as you watch exists for digital satellite TV. The only solution for DSTV is to go the way of Netflix and Amazon Prime and go full broadband Internet. They've already started doing that with Showmax.
Digital satellite television has never been a metered service unlike electricity and telephony, so the idea of charging per second is unworkable in that medium.
Ttalk: They should just pack one side with their extortion. Until they they change subscription to pay as you watch, they will continue to lose customers with their contents that promotes promiscuity over educative programmes
The Kamala Harris campaign is now $20 million in debt, and Lindy Li, a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Finance Committee, said she and others were misled about the vice president’s chances of winning the election.
Li said she helped raise millions for the campaign and is now left trying to explain to voters why Harris lost.
Vendors and staff are also worried they may not get paid for their work.
According to reports, the campaign spent six figures building a set for Harris’ appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast with host Alex Cooper.
A source familiar with the campaign confirmed to NewsNation that the campaign is $20 million in the hole after Nov. 5, even though the campaign took in at least $1 billion and reported $118 million in the bank as of Oct. 16.
Another big-ticket item was $15 million spent on event production that went toward celebrity performances, like the election eve rally with Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
Harris also reportedly paid $1 million to Harpo Productions, which is owned by Oprah Winfrey, who did a town hall with Harris back in September and appeared at that election eve rally in Philadelphia.
“It takes remarkable incompetence to spend $1 billion in 90 days, lose market share, allow Donald Trump’s election and end up in debt,” a Democratic source told NewsNation.
In some ways, the Harris campaign is still fundraising despite the loss, sending emails asking for donations.
But those donations are partially being redirected toward a vote recount effort.
When you click donate, that link takes you to Act Blue, and the fine print suggests the vice president’s campaign may be launching a recount effort.
The fine print reads that the first $41,300/$15,000 from a person/multicandidate committee PAC will be donated to the Democratic National Committee, but the next $3,300/$5,000 would be donated to a recount account.
President-elect Donald Trump won with 312 Electoral College votes, including votes from all seven battleground states.
One Republican strategist put it this way: “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” giving the example of John Kerry having been criticized for still having $14 million in the bank after his 2004 campaign.
The strategist, though, called Harris’ debt egregious and suggested her team was panic spending.
Trump also weighed in on the issue, suggesting on Truth Social that Republicans might help cover the Democrat’s debts.
It will deport illegals who are living off welfare, not people who immigrated lawfully.
Tellmeastory: Trump's mass deportation policy will be 100 times more extensive and brutal than anything Barack Obama did, and according to reports will cost the USA an estimated 1 TRILLION DOLLARS over a 10 year period, to deport all 15 MILLION immigrants targeted, who will be ALL black and brown people like you, MUMU.
This exercise will destroy the US economy, deplete its workforce, and lead to higher taxes as the people are forced to pay for these forced evictions of 15 million people. That population of 15 million has been paying taxes as well, so their deportation will deplete govt finances. Then the unrest that will be triggered as families are torn apart live-streamed on social media to the world's horror.
You can see how hypocritical and diabolical these liberals/demoncrats are. Obama deported more illegal aliens than any other president in American history and they never protested him. Trump should deport them alongside the illegal immigrants they are shilling for.
Foreign Affairs › Putin Has Not Been Seen For 2 Weeks, Amid Growing Concern For His Health by DiamondsAreFore(op): 8:45pm On Nov 24, 2024
