Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Second suspected sabotage in France as power cut hits Nice
A second power outage in two days his hit the French Riviera region after a fire at a substation in Nice overnight, which authorities said was caused by a malicious act. At least 45,000 homes were affected after the blaze broke out at around 02:00 local time (01:00 BST) on Sunday, a day after nearby…
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Andriy Portnov’s murder leaves unanswered questions and little sympathy
James Waterhouse BBC Ukraine correspondent Europa Press via Getty Images Andriy Portnov’s murder in a Madrid suburb has shocked Ukrainians, but it has not exactly triggered an outpouring of grief. The controversial former official had just dropped his children off at the American School when he was shot several times in the car park. The…
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Young US men joining ‘masculine’ Russian churches
BBC Father Moses McPherson’s congregation has tripled in size in 18 months, and he has a big following online “A lot of people ask me: ‘Father Moses, how can I increase my manliness to absurd levels?’” In a YouTube video, a priest is championing a form of virile, unapologetic masculinity. Skinny jeans, crossing your legs,…
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Victims in French Le Scouarnec child abuse trial shocked at public indifference
Andrew Harding BBC Paris correspondent Getty Images Protesters outside the court in Vannes have turned out to show their support for Le Scouarnec’s victims It was supposed to be a defining, catalytic moment for French society. Horrific, but unmissable. Unignorable. The seaside town of Vannes, in southern Brittany, had carefully prepared a special venue and…
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Russian strikes kill eight across Ukraine, officials say
At least eight people have been killed and more than 30 injured across Ukraine in overnight Russian drone and missile attacks, regional officials have said. Three deaths were reported in the Kyiv region, and one in the southern city of Mykolaiv. Four more deaths were reported in Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi region. It comes a day…
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Other refugees in limbo as US welcomes white South Africans
Brandon Drenon BBC News, Washington DC Getty Images Thousands of civilians have been killed by armed militias in recent years, the UN says A man slept outside in a car park overnight in Kenya with his wife and infant son in January, consumed by confusion and disbelief. The family, refugees from the Democratic Republic of…
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King’s invite to Canada sends a message to Trump
Nadine Yousif BBC News, Toronto AFP/Getty Images In his first move after his historic election win, Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the King to Canada A decade ago, a portrait of the British monarch caused a row in Canadian politics. Now, the King is being invited to deliver the Speech from the Throne. What’s changed?…
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North Korea detains three officials over warship launch accident
North Korea has detained three shipyard officials over an accident during the launch of a new warship on Wednesday, state media has reported. Parts of the 5,000-ton destroyer’s bottom were crushed during the launch ceremony, tipping the vessel off balance. An investigation into the incident, which North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un described as a…
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From Arsenal prodigy to drugs smuggler
Lewis Adams BBC News, Essex NCA Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is awaiting sentence for importing cannabis into the UK As a footballer, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas seemed destined for greatness. But a drug-smuggling conviction has left his career and reputation in tatters. How did things unravel so dramatically for a player once tipped for the top? Hailed by legendary…
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‘Someone stole my BBC bike in Amsterdam
BBC Anna Holligan’s bike meant a lot to her and other people I was planning an ordinary afternoon out – bags packed, ready to roll – when I bounded downstairs and was hit by a jolt of disbelief. The space where my cargo bike should have been was empty, and the double lock that had…
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