A mafia fugitive has been caught after appearing on YouTube cooking videos in which he hid his face but accidentally showed his distinctive tattoos. Marc Feren Claude Biart had been on the run since 2014, after Italian prosecutors ordered his arrest for cocaine trafficking. He was leading a quiet life in the Dominican Republic until he appeared on a YouTube channel in which he showed off his Italian cooking.
Humans could spit venom
Humans could evolve to spit potentially deadly venom as a self-defence mechanism, according to a new study. Scientists have found the genetic foundation required for oral venom is present in both reptiles and mammals. Under the right environmental conditions, humans could therefore develop the ability to spit it at enemies. Study author, Agneesh Barua, joked that the news “definitely gives a whole new meaning to a toxic person”.
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McCartney letter set for auction
A letter from Paul McCartney settling a “debt” for a missing holiday blanket is going up for auction. The singer made off with the bedding after staying at a farmhouse in Wales with fellow Beatle George Harrison. Several decades later, after he was chased up by the venue’s owner, he responded with a cheque for £30. His accompanying letter has a starting price of £3,000.
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Quiz of The Week: 14 – 20 FebruaryQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
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The Week Unwrapped: Do the Freemasons have too much sway in the police force?Podcast Plus, what does the growing popularity of prediction markets mean for the future? And why are UK film and TV workers struggling?
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Properties of the week: pretty thatched cottagesThe Week Recommends Featuring homes in West Sussex, Dorset and Suffolk
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Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
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Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
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Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
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China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
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Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
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Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
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Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
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US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
