Kim Jong Un Ditches the Cane

What with his nation's recent naval triumphs and Ebola crackdown, Kim Jong Un is a busy guy. So North Korea watchers can rest easier knowing that Kim is apparently back on his own two feet. As Bloomberg reports via state media (pictures here), the strongman appeared in public this week, and this time it was without the much-discussed cane he was leaning on when he emerged last month from an unexplained six-week absence. "The photo dispels the lingering sense of uncertainty that was associated with the cane," says an expert. "He's trying to show he can walk without a problem." Kim was apparently meeting with military commanders Monday and yesterday, notes the BBC.