Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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French Open 2025: What makes a good clay-court player?
The LTA said in 2024 there were about 1,300 clay-courts in Great Britain. That is around 5% of the 23,000 total number of courts. In contrast, about 60% of courts in Spain – one of the leading nations on the surface – are clay. The National Tennis Centre has four clay courts, external and the…
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West Nile virus detected in UK mosquitoes for first time
Fragments of West Nile virus have been detected in UK mosquitoes for the first time, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. A research programme by the UKHSA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) found the genetic material in mosquitoes collected in Britain in 2023. West Nile virus is a vector borne disease…
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Six Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russian missile strike during training exercise
A Russian missile strike on a training exercise in Ukraine’s Sumy border region has killed six servicemen and wounded more than 10 others, says Ukraine’s National Guard. Russia’s defence ministry had earlier released a video purporting to show an Iskander missile attack on a training camp, and state news agency Tass said up to 70…
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Columbia University president booed with ‘Free Mahmoud’ chants
Columbia University President Claire Shipman was booed during a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, with chants of “Free Mahmoud” heard drowning her out. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate was detained by US immigration officials in March over his role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus. He is a permanent legal US resident and has not been…
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Fires cause record loss of tropical forests in climate threat
Mark Poynting and Esme Stallard BBC Climate & Science Getty Images The world’s tropical forests, which provide a crucial buffer against climate change, disappeared faster than ever recorded last year, new satellite analysis suggests. Researchers estimate that 67,000 sq km (26,000 sq mi) of these pristine, old-growth forests were lost in 2024 – an area…
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Moment man appears to try and scale cruise ship in Sydney
A man was arrested by police after allegedly trying to scale a cruise ship docked in Sydney Harbour on the weekend. Footage shows the man climbing up the mooring line of Carnival Adventure cruise in Circular Quay. The 29-year-old was charged with three offences relating to unauthorised entry, according to New South Wales police. Source…
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Former DR Congo PM sentenced to hard labour on corruption charge
A former prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been sentenced to a decade’s forced labour for corruption. Augustin Matata Ponyo was found guilty of embezzling about $245m (£182m) of public funds by the Congolese Constitutional Court on Tuesday, alongside Deogratias Mutombo, the former governor of the DR Congo’s central bank. Matata’s lawyer…
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UN says no aid yet distributed in Gaza as international pressure on Israel mounts
The UN says no aid has yet been distributed in Gaza despite aid lorries starting to cross the border after an 11-week blockade. Israeli officials said 93 trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday, carrying aid including flour, baby food, medical equipment, and pharmaceutical drugs. But the UN said, despite trucks reaching the Palestinian side of the…
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Fatal storms flood the south of France
Heavy rainfall and storms have been battering southern France since Monday. The rains have caused widespread damage across the region, flooding streets and causing power and water outages. At least three people have died in the flooding with several hundred emergency rescuers being deployed to the region. Source link
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UK and other allies losing patience with Israel over Gaza war
After more than a year and a half of the war in Gaza, Britain appears to have finally lost patience with Israel. Speaking to MPs, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy sounded genuinely angry. Sir Keir said the level of suffering in Gaza, especially among innocent children, was “intolerable”. Israel’s decision…
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