Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Sri Lanka’s former president arrested
Sri Lanka’s former president Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of funds, police have said. The charge relates to trips he took abroad while serving as president. He is due to appear in a magistrates court in the capital Colombo on Friday, having already given a statement to the Criminal…
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Lil Nas X arrested and taken to hospital after wandering LA streets in underwear
Getty Images Award-winning rapper Lil Nas X has been arrested after an altercation with police in Los Angeles, authorities have confirmed. Police were called to Ventura Boulevard at 05:30 (12:30 GMT) on Thursday after reports of a man walking down the street in his underwear, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said.…
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Court acquits Thaksin Shinawatra in royal insult case
Jonathan Head BBC News, Bangkok Getty Images Thaksin Shinawatra’s lese majeste charge relates to an interview he gave to a South Korean newspaper 10 years ago A Bangkok court has acquitted controversial billionaire and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was accused of insulting the monarchy. The charge related to an interview he gave…
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Beijing calls out “bully” US for 50% tariffs on India
Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong has said that Beijing “firmly opposes” Washington’s steep tariffs on Delhi and called for greater co-operation between India and China. Xu likened the US to a “bully”, saying that it had long benefitted from free trade but was now using tariffs as a “bargaining chip” to demand “exorbitant prices”…
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Trump says museums in DC are too ‘woke’
In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump called for a review of Smithsonian Institutions museums, criticising their portrayal of US history as “horrible” and saying they focus too much on “how bad slavery was.” The White House says it anticipates completing its review process early in 2026, ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.…
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US Navy sailor convicted of spying for China
Regan Morris BBC News, in Los Angeles US Justice Department USS Essex shown in government evidence against Jinchao Wei A US Navy sailor in California has been convicted of espionage for selling secrets to a Chinese agent who recruited him through social media. Jinchao Wei, 25, was convicted of six charges, including espionage, conspiracy to…
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ICC ‘deplores’ new US sanctions on its judges and prosecutors
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has said it “deplores” new US sanctions on its judges and prosecutors. On Wednesday, the US State Department announced new sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors in the ICC for engaging in efforts to prosecute US and Israeli citizens. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the ICC of being…
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Airlines Delta and United sued for selling ‘window seats’ without windows
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have been sued by passengers who claim they were charged extra for a window seat but found themselves sitting next to a blank wall. The lawsuits, filed separately against the US carriers, seek millions of dollars in damages for more than a million customers of each airline. They said…
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Pope Leo XIV to travel to Lebanon in likely first international trip
Pope Leo XIV is preparing to travel to Lebanon later this year, in what could be his first journey abroad since being elected head of the Catholic Church in May. Archbishop Paul Sayah, deputy to Lebanon’s highest-ranking Catholic leader, told the BBC the Vatican was “studying” the trip but that the church was still waiting…
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McDonald’s Japan postpones toy promo after Pokémon complaints
Getty Images A child looks at a Pokémon promotion outside a McDonald’s store in Japan McDonald’s Japan has postponed a child’s menu toy promotion after complaints that a recent Pokémon giveaway led to piles of food being dumped, with the cards then being sold on for profit. The fast-food giant said on Thursday that its…
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