Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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South Korea prime minister Han Duck-soo faces impeachment motion
South Korea’s opposition lawmakers have filed a motion to impeach the country’s prime minister and acting leader Han Duck-soo, less than two weeks after parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. This comes after Han refused to appoint constitutional court judges nominated by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). “Han has revealed himself to…
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My boat was metres from the shore when the waves hit
BBC Just as we pulled out from the harbour, our boat lurched and suddenly the jetty next to where we had boarded collapsed into the sea Boxing Day, 2004. When the earthquake struck at 06:30 (01:00 GMT), I was on a ferry, headed towards Havelock – an island in the Indian archipelago of Andaman and…
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Whisper it – alcohol-free wine has arrived in France
BBC Frédéric Brochet is one of the wine makers now working on alcohol-free bottles In the vineyards of Bordeaux, the unspeakable has become the drinkable. Wine without alcohol has arrived. The heresy of yesterday is now – thanks to science and economic crisis – the opportunity of today. Wine estates which would have torched their…
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Syria says 14 security personnel killed in ‘ambush’ by Assad loyalists
Syria’s new rebel-led authorities say 14 interior ministry personnel have been killed and 10 injured in an “ambush” by forces loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad in the west of the country. They say the fighting took place near the Mediterranean port of Tartous on Tuesday. Reports say the security forces were ambushed as they…
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South Africa’s succulent plants under threat from poachers in the Karoo
Thuthuka Zondi / BBC A biodiversity hotspot in a remote part of South Africa has become the hub of an illegal trade in protected plant species, with organised crime groups capitalising on overseas demand. “They’ve not just stolen our land or our plants, they’ve stolen our heritage as well,” a livestock farmer angrily tells the…
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Bird flu kills 20 big cats at Washington animal sanctuary
Twenty big cats – including a Bengal tiger and four cougars – have died of bird flu over the past several weeks at an animal sanctuary in the state of Washington. “This tragedy has deeply affected our team, and we are all grieving the loss of these incredible animals,” the Wild Felid Advocacy Center of…
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Hundreds flee Maputo jail amid poll protests
More than 1,500 prisoners have escaped from a prison in Mozambique, taking advantage of ongoing political unrest triggered by disputed election results, police say. Thirty-three people were killed and 15 injured in clashes with guards, police chief Bernardino Rafael told a press conference. About 150 more fugitives have since been recaptured, he added. Protests erupted…
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Pope in Christmas Day message calls for talks to end Ukraine-Russia war
Pope Francis has called for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In his traditional Christmas Day address, the Pope said “boldness [was] needed to open the door” to dialogue “in order to achieve a just and lasting peace” between the two sides. His appeal…
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Bald eagle officially declared US national bird after 250 years
The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the US, after President Joe Biden signed a law on Christmas Eve bestowing the honour upon the white-headed and yellow-beaked bird of prey. The bird has been a national emblem in the US for years, appearing on the Great Seal of the US – used…
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Boy, 7, injured by falling drone during holiday show
The incident happened after several small drones, which were part of a holiday show, collided and fell into the crowd on Saturday 21 December, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. In a statement, Sky Elements Drones said that it’s working with the FAA and the city of Orlando, Florida, officials to “determine the cause and…
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