Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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M23 rebels enter second major city Bukavu
M23 rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have entered Bukavu, the eastern region’s second-largest city. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance which includes M23 rebels, told Reuters news agency the rebels had entered the South Kivu provincial capital on Friday evening and would continue their advance on Saturday. The…
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Transgender references removed from Stonewall monument website
The Trump administration has erased references to transgender people from New York’s Stonewall National Monument website. On the National Park Service website, the acronym LGBTQ+ has been shortened to LGB, standing for lesbian, gay and bisexual. Other government websites have also been changed after President Donald Trump signed an order recognising two sexes only –…
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What each side wants from a peace deal
EPA Ukraine’s future is the focus of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), just days after a shock phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in which they agreed to begin negotiations to end the Ukraine war. Describing the call earlier this week as “great”, Trump said there was a “good…
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Peruvian police in capybara gear make Valentine’s drug bust
Police bodycam footage shows the moment officers used a capybara costume to carry out a drug raid in Peru’s capital Lima. The Escuadron Verde (Green Squad) police group is a specialised unit of the Peruvian National Police who often disguise their agents in fancy dress during festivities such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas. The…
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JD Vance attacks Europe over free speech and migration
US Vice-President JD Vance has launched a scalding attack on European democracies, saying the greatest threat facing the continent was not from Russia and China, but “from within”. It had been expected that Vance would use his speech at the Munich Security Conference to address possible talks to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, he…
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Gaza plans put Egypt-US relations to tough test
In the bustling heart of Cairo, coffee shops teem with Gazans who managed to flee at the start of Israel’s devastating war on Hamas. Although they have found safety, they remain worried about loved ones back home. In the past few days here, Egyptian intelligence officials have been meeting Hamas leaders to shore up the…
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Ancient Egyptian mummies smell “spicy” and “sweet”, study finds
AP Even after 5,000 years in a sarcophagus, mummified bodies from ancient Egypt still smell quite nice, scientists have discovered. Researchers who examined nine mummies found that though there was some difference in the intensity of their odours, all could be described as “woody”, “spicy” and “sweet”. They say recreating the composition of the smells…
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Jihadist motivation in Munich attack, prosecutors say
Paul Kirby Europe digital editor VIFOGRA/PAUL/EPA-EFE The attacker admitted using his Mini Cooper to drive into the crowd in Munich An Afghan man arrested on suspicion of driving into a crowd of people in Munich, injuring 36, has admitted carrying out the attack and appears to have had a religious motivation, say prosecutors. Munich public…
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US infant mortality rises in states with abortion bans, study finds
Getty Images The overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022 has polarised communities in the United States Infant mortality rates have increased in US states which have enacted abortion bans following the landmark ruling overturning the nationwide right for women to access the procedure, a new study has found. According to researchers, there were an…
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Hamas releases name of three hostages to be freed on Saturday
Hamas has released the names of three hostages due to be freed on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, after days of fears over the future of the ceasefire. They are Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, Argentine-Israeli Yair Horn, and US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen. Israel has said it will resume bombing if the three are not…
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