Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Getty Images One of the former staffers was an aide to Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te (pictured) A Taiwan court has convicted a former presidential aide of spying for China and three others who were also employed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). One of the men worked in the office of then Foreign Minister…

Ali Abbas Ahmadi and Max Matza Watch: “I’m not afraid”, says James Comey after indictment A federal grand jury in the US state of Virginia has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two charges related to his testimony to Congress. Mr Comey, who has long drawn US President Donald Trump’s criticism, is accused of…

The former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair has been involved in discussions about running a transitional authority in Gaza if there is a ceasefire, the BBC understands. Sir Tony, who took the UK into the Iraq War in 2003, has been in high-level planning talks with all parties to end the war and on…

Ting ChiangBBC News Chinese, Taipei, Benny LuBBC News Chinese, Hong Kong and Grace TsoiBBC World Service, Hong Kong Watch: Flood destroys bridge and makes river overflow as Super Typhoon Ragasa hits Taiwan When the floodwater came rushing down from the mountain, Awa and her husband tried to get to their car – but it was…

Soutik BiswasIndia correspondent AFP via Getty Images The MiG‑21 was the backbone of the Indian Air Force, once making up two-thirds of its fighter fleet The first time he throttled the MiG‑21 to full power, soaring 20km above the Earth at twice the speed of sound, the young fighter pilot felt utterly weightless, as if…

Danielle KayeBusiness reporter Karen Brady Karen Brady, the chief executive at Ryther, a behavioural health nonprofit, said her sector has been grappling with a workforce shortage – and hiring employees through the H-1B programme has helped address the crisis. When US President Donald Trump signed an executive order last Friday to add a $100,000 (£74,000)…

Donald Trump has demanded an investigation into what he called a “triple sabotage” during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. In a post on social media, the US president referred to an escalator abruptly stopping as he and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on, a teleprompter malfunctioning during his speech, and…

The BBC and three international news agencies have released a short film calling on Israel to allow foreign journalists into Gaza. The film, launched by the corporation with Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Associated Press (AP) and Reuters, is narrated by veteran BBC journalist David Dimbleby. He said: “International journalists must now be allowed into Gaza…

Peter Gillibrand and Tom RichardsonBBC Newsbeat Sega Sonic’s back with a new racing game – but who’s he jostling for pole position with? “Sega does what Nintendon’t”. The slogan, from the 1990s, is one of the most famous in video game history. It was a time when the bitter rivalry between the two Japanese game…

There has been an increase in calls to ban Israel from sporting competition since the UN’s report. And it comes amid reports that Uefa could vote on whether to suspend Israel next week. Uefa has said that no meeting is currently planned. Israel are third in their World Cup qualifying group – organised by Uefa…