Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Police say 13 inmates and one prison guard have been killed and another 14 people injured in clashes between rival gangs in a jail in Ecuador. People living near the prison in the southwestern city of Machala reported hearing explosions and shots in the early hours of Monday local time. Police chief William Calle said…

Caroline Hawleydiplomatic correspondent and Freya Chappell Reuters A British couple released by the Taliban in Afghanistan last week say they were detained in 10 different prisons and at one point thought they would be executed. Peter, 80, and wife Barbie Reynolds, 76, said it was never explained to them why they were being held, nor…

The Duchess of York has been removed as patron of a children’s charity, in the wake of an email emerging in which she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her “supreme friend”. Julia’s House, a children’s hospice charity serving families in Dorset and Wiltshire, has removed Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, from her…

Egypt’s president has pardoned prominent British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who has been imprisoned for six years, state media and his lawyer say. Abdel Fattah is one of six people whose sentences President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi commuted following a request from the National Council for Human Rights, according to Al-Qahera News. His lawyer confirmed the…

Tens of thousands of Brazilians joined protests in cities across the country on Sunday to protest against a bill which could result in ex-President Jair Bolsonaro being granted amnesty. Bolsonaro was found guilty of plotting a coup earlier this month and has been sentenced to 27 years in prison. He will remain under house arrest…

President Emmanuel Macron will formally recognise a Palestinian state in New York on Monday, backed by several other European countries, describing France’s move as a “necessity”. Coming hard on the heels of a decision by the UK, Canada and Australia, Macron said his move would be the “beginning of a political process and a peace…

Osmond ChiaBusiness reporter Via Global Times The fireworks display was designed by a Chinese pyrotechnic artist Chinese officials are investigating outdoor clothing brand Arc’teryx after it apologised for a fireworks display in the Himalayan region of Tibet, which drew backlash for its potential impact on the fragile ecosystem. Videos from the 19 September event show…

Botswana has declared a public holiday to celebrate the country’s victory in the men’s 4×400 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, the first African nation to win the event. President Duma Boko hailed the gold medal as a “historic African win”, in an online address praising the team for their performance. He announced…

Soutik Biswas and Nikhil InamdarBBC News Getty Images Trump has stunned the tech world by announcing an up to 50-fold hike in the cost of skilled worker permits Panic, confusion and then a hasty White House climbdown – it was a weekend of whiplash for hundreds of thousands of Indians on H-1B visas. On Friday,…

James Landalediplomatic correspondent and Ottilie Mitchell Watch: BBC speaks to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper about Britain’s recognition of Palestinian statehood Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says she has warned Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation for the UK’s recognition of Palestinian statehood. Cooper was speaking to the BBC before attending a…