In what could have been the plot of a '50s sci-fi B movie, a giant meteor landed in Peru and local people and their animals started to fall sick. Eyewitnesses described a "fiery ball" which broke up as it entered the Earth's atmosphere leaving one large rock that smashed into the remote Andean plain near the Bolivian border, making a crater 65 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Almost immediately, there were reports of illnesses.
One dumb villager who went to investigate ended up with a green tentacled creature stuck to his face. Speaking through an interpreter and after lifting the tentacle that covers his mouth, he said:
"I feel a little ill, with headaches and nausea".
Another woman villager told the local media that inhaling the fumes made her feel "good" at first, but after a while, she also became ill and developed a sudden craving for raw meat.
Animals have not escaped the meteor's powers. Herds of cows have taken ill and have refused to produce milk, despite gentle persuasion. Pigs have started to make funny noises and smell differently. Even chickens have developed a third foot, which enables them to run faster and avoid being caught.
The obvious suspect was Russian President Putin.
However, in an exclusive interview to the BBC's John Simpson, Putin said he had an alibi.
"I was busy poisoning a political rival here in Moscow. Here, I've got the files on my computer to prove it."
