The man third in the line of presidential succession has appeared in five Batman movies. Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, is President pro tempore of the Senate, making him the third in the presidential line of succession. He appeared The Dark Knight, alongside the late Heath Ledger, as well as Batman Forever, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman & Robin and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. On his acting cameos, he said: “If you live in the real world all the time, it can be kind of boring.”
A conspiracy theory has emerged in China that Covid-19 originated in America. The social media hashtag “American’s Ft. Detrick” was used at least 1.4 billion times last week after a Foreign Ministry spokesperson called for a World Health Organization investigation of a biological weapons lab in the US. An expert said the purpose of the hashtag is “to shift the blame from mishandling by the Chinese government in the pandemic’s early days to conspiracy by the US”.
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Haggis sent to space for first time
A packet of haggis has been launched to the edge of space for the first time. Scottish butcher Simon Howie worked with space education and research firm Stratonauts to launch the 454g haggis in honour of Burns Night. He said he wanted to start the year by “lifting the spirits of the general public” and enjoyed the chance “to take Scotland’s national dish to new heights”.
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Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocratFeature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
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Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
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Government shuts down amid partisan deadlockFeature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
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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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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
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What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
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Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
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Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
