謠言中心：普京去哪兒了？
Vladimir Putin has appeared on television for the first time in a week amid health fears and suggestions that he is being subject to a coup, while rumors persist that his 31-year-old 'girlfriend' is about to give birth.
日前，俄羅斯總統普京在消失一週後首度現身電視螢幕，此間有謠言稱其深陷政變漩渦，健康狀況堪憂。還有人聲稱他31歲的女友即將臨產。
Putin, 62, had cancelled several planned meetings during the week leading to speculation over his health and even claims that he was fighting to retain his position.
62歲的普京本週取消了幾場會議安排，從而引發媒體臆測。有人稱普京“身體抱恙”，還有人稱他正忙著“捍衛總統寶座”。
Channel NTV showed footage of Putin meeting with supreme court president Vyacheslav Lebedev, which it claims was shot on Friday.
俄羅斯國家電視臺播放了一段據稱攝於週五的視訊片段，其中普京正與最高法院院長維亞切斯拉夫•列別傑夫進行會晤。
According to Putin's staff, he was discussing judicial reform and the likely increase in the number of bankruptcies as as result ofRussia's economic collapse.
普京的部下聲稱他們討論的內容有關統籌司法改革，以及經濟崩潰下可能增加的破產現象。
Putin is due to meet with the president of KyrgyzstaninSt Petersburgon Monday according to the Kremlin.
克里姆林宮稱普京週一將與吉爾吉斯斯坦總統在聖彼得堡進行會晤。
The Russian president was last seen in public on March 5.
普京上一次在公共場合露面是在3月5日。
For the past week, the Russian government has been reluctantly answering questions about Putin's health and suggestions that his unofficial girlfriend Alina Kabayeva had checked into a Swiss maternity clinic.
在過去的一週裡，俄羅斯政府疲於應對各方謠言，其中包括“普京身體不適”以及“普京非官方女友阿麗娜•卡巴耶娃在瑞士一家婦產醫院登記入住”等傳聞。
Rumours about 31-year-old Alina Kabayeva surfaced with reports in Switzerland, Italy and Russia suggesting the gymnast had either given birth or was about to do so.
在瑞士、義大利和俄羅斯，關於31歲的阿麗娜•卡巴耶娃已生產或即將臨盆的謠言屢見報端。
It comes amid increased speculation over what has happened to Putin with the Russian leader not having been seen for a week.
同時，關於“俄羅斯領導人普京‘失蹤’一週”的各種臆測鋪天蓋地席捲而來
The claims focused on an elite clinic in Lugano, in the Italian region of the neutral country, with some accounts saying she had a new daughter.
媒體紛紛聚焦於義大利盧加諾市的一家高階診所，有人稱阿麗娜在那裡為普京生下了一位女兒。
Putin's spokesman - who has never confirmed a relationship between the 62 year old strongman and the Olympic gold-medal winner - insisted: 'Information about the birth of Vladimir Putin's child does not correspond to reality.'
普京的發言人從未承認過62歲的鐵腕領袖普京和奧林匹克運動會金牌得主阿麗娜的關係，他堅稱“普京新添一女”的謠言絕非事實。
The Russian embassy in Kievrefused to comment on a report on the speculation in newspaper Blick.
俄羅斯駐基輔大使館拒絕就Blick報紙上的報道發表評論。
Russian Tatler yesterday repeated gossip that Kabayeva has two children already by Putin but adds there is no official confirmation.
俄羅斯Tatler雜誌稱卡巴耶娃早已為普京生下兩個孩子，同時表示，這一說法並未經官方確認。
Kabayeva has been largely out of sight since quitting as an MP in Putin's United Russia party last September, when she took over as head of a major media conglomerate.
自去年九月卡巴耶娃辭去普京麾下統一俄羅斯黨議員一職、接任大型傳媒企業負責人之後，她便淡出公眾視野。
Meanwhile, the Kremlin today issued a new picture showing Putin meeting the chairman of the Supreme Court Vyacheslav Lebedev at his out-of-Moscow residence Novo-Ogaryovo.
與此同時，克里姆林宮釋出了一張新照片，圖上顯示普京與最高法院院長維亞切斯拉夫•列別傑夫在其莫斯科外的居所新奧加廖沃進行會談。
The image was meant to scotch suggestions that Putin was not at work amid speculation over a coup or illness.
這張照片旨在破除普京“生病”“身處政變漩渦”而未能工作的謠言。
However, there were immediate claims the picture and TV footage was old, and that it was further evidence of his mystery absence.
然而，馬上有人指出這張照片和電視片段都不是最新拍攝的。這使普京的“失蹤”顯得更撲朔迷離。
Current rumours in Moscowinclude Putin suffering a stroke, or an unfolding palace coup, following his sudden cancellation of a scheduled trip toKazakhstan.
在普京突然取消了哈薩克的議程後，關於他“中風”“深陷政變泥沼”的謠言在莫斯科愈演愈烈。
With Moscowin febrile mood, a former senior aide to the strongman claimed another ex-KGB spy is being urgently lined up to take over from him.
就在整個莫斯科情緒沸揚之時，普京的前高階助理稱一位前克格勃情報機關的間諜正遵照命令緊急接手他的工作。
The theory suggests the Kremlin's chief of staff Sergei Ivanov - a former defence minister - will become prime minister in place of the lacklustre Dmitry Medvedev.
此間有傳言稱前國防部部長——克林姆宮總參謀長伊萬•諾夫將取代梅德韋傑夫成為新總理。
After this switch, dubbed a 'conspiracy of generals', Putin - currently the subject of swirling rumours over his health after not being seen in public for more than a week - would be swiftly ousted.
若這次“高階密謀”屬實，那麼“失蹤”一週而陷入“生病”謠言漩渦的普京會迅速被免職。
Under the Russian constitution, in the event of a president leaving office, the prime minister replaces him in an acting role pending elections.
俄羅斯憲法規定：若總統擅自離職，總理將在新總統選出之前代理總統職責。
This latest forecast of an imminent sea change in Russian politics came from Andrei Illarionov, Putin's former chief economics aide, who last year predicted Putin's land grab against Ukrainethree weeks before it happened.
普京前首席經濟顧問伊拉里歐諾夫預測俄羅斯政局將會有發生鉅變，去年普京與烏克蘭領土爭奪博弈爆發前的三週歐諾夫也曾做出正確預測。
While the Kremlin insists Putin is healthy and in full control of his government, Illarionov claimed: 'In the next few days we should expect the resignation of prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, and Sergei Ivanov being appointed in his place.'
雖然克里姆林宮一直堅稱普京“身體無恙”、“領導地位穩固”，但歐諾夫聲稱：“接下來的幾天我們會看到梅德韋傑夫總理辭職，伊萬諾夫上位成為新總理。”
After this, 'the public is likely to be informed that the national leader (Putin) needs a well deserved rest'.
之後，民眾就會接到“國家領導人（普京）需要好好休息一下”的資訊。
Observers note that in recent days, Ivanov - who retained the military rank of colonel general and whose eldest son was killed in a mysterious drowning accident in Dubailast November - has been little seen in public.
觀察人士發現，近日軍銜尚存的陸軍上將伊瓦諾夫也鮮見於公眾視野，去年11月他最小的兒子在迪拜離奇溺死。
And Medvedev, who served as president for four years to 2012, is also out of the limelight. 同時，曾擔任四年（到2012年止）總統的梅德韋傑夫也“失蹤”了。
Some Kremlin-watchers say that Western sanctions have created huge tensions inside Putin's fractious entourage in recent weeks, with cash streams closed off.
一些克里姆林宮觀察員認為這幾周來西方的制裁（現金封鎖）使得普京本已意見不統一的內閣陷入緊張氣氛。
Vocabulary
coup：政變
retain：保持
scotch：阻止
lacklustre：無生氣的
fractious：難以控制的
