Our pick of the strange stories from around the world.
Dogged devotion to his office
In a landslide victory, a nine-year-old great Pyrenees has been elected mayor of Cormorant, in the US state of Minnesota, for the third year winning. "Everybody voted for Duke, except for one vote for his girlfriend, Lassie," owner David Rick said. Duke has been mayor since 2014, when he beat local businessman Richard Sherbrook as a "write-in" candidate.
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Cows get 'glow-in-the-dark' safety horns
Officials in central India are sticking glow-in-the-dark strips on the horns of cows to make them easier to see at night after a spate of accidents involving stray animals and unwary motorists. More than 300 cows and bulls have had reflective bands placed on them by traffic police in Madhya Pradesh in the past week. Officials are planning to buy permanent radium paint, as the stick-on bands are effective for only three weeks.
Nigerian charged for naming his dog Buhari
A Nigerian man has been charged with provocation and breaching the peace after naming his dog after President Muhammadu Buhari. "The man bought a dog, named it Buhari, wrote Buhari on both sides of the dog and paraded it" in front of people from the north, said a police spokesman in the southern Ogun state, where the man lives. Tensions are running high between residents of northern Nigeria, who are mostly Muslim, and people from the predominantly Christian south.
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Political cartoons for October 26Cartoons Sunday’s editorial cartoons include Young Republicans group chat, Louvre robbery, and more
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Why Britain is struggling to stop the ransomware cyberattacksThe Explainer New business models have greatly lowered barriers to entry for criminal hackers
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Greene’s rebellion: a Maga hardliner turns against TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
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The disputed claims about Christian genocide in NigeriaThe Explainer West African nation has denied claims from US senator and broadcaster
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Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
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Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
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Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
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China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
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How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
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Nigeria's 'baby factories': a hidden crisisUnder The Radar A secretive network sees women lured, locked up and forced to give birth for profit
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One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
