Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Christian US sect pushed women into giving up babies for adoption
BBC (l-r) Melanie Williams, Dr Wally Baldwin and Deb Adadjo – pictured here several decades ago Women who were once members of a secretive Christian sect in the United States have told the BBC they were coerced by the church into giving up their children for adoption. Hundreds of adoptions could have taken place between…
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Two Israeli hostages handed to Red Cross in Khan Younis
Two Israeli hostages have been handed to the Red Cross in a highly-orchestrated event in Khan Younis. Ofer Kalderon, 53, and Yarden Bibas, 34, were among the hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas during the 7 October attacks. It is the fourth release of hostages since the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas began on…
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It’s another Beyoncé vs Taylor showdown
Mark Savage Music Correspondent Getty Images Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are two of the most recognised artists in the history of the Grammy Awards The Grammys are music’s biggest night, both literally and figuratively. The ceremony, which takes place in LA on Sunday night, runs for a staggering eight hours, attracting the biggest stars in…
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Helicopter black box recovered from Washington DC plane crash site
Officials have recovered the cockpit voice recorder – also known as the black box – from the helicopter involved in the plane crash that killed 67 people at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday. Emergency responders are planning to ramp up operations over the weekend to recover the debris from the site. There were…
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Canada ‘will stand up to a bully’, says Mark Carney
Mark Carney, the frontrunner to be the next Canadian prime minister, has said his country is “going to stand up to a bully” after US President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 25% on Canada. Speaking exclusively to BBC Newsnight, 59-year-old Carney said Canada will “match dollar for dollar the US tariffs”. As well as levying…
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EU’s Kaja Kallas says Europe must spend more on defence
The European Union’s member states need to increase defence spending to keep pace with the threats facing the continent, its foreign policy chief has warned. Kaja Kallas, who served as prime minister of Estonia until July 2024, said “every euro spent on school, healthcare and welfare [was] vulnerable” if the bloc didn’t maintain strong defences.…
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Small aircraft crashes in neighbourhood
Nadine Yousif & Christal Hayes BBC News Watch: Police respond to fiery scene after small plane crashes in Philadelphia A small plane with six aboard has crashed into several buildings in north-east Philadelphia, setting homes and vehicles ablaze, and injuring people on the ground. The jet was on a medical transport mission on Friday evening…
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Venezuela frees six US men after Trump envoy meets Maduro
Venezuela has freed six US detainees after talks in Caracas between President Nicolás Maduro and a senior Trump administration official. The release of the men was announced on social media by Donald Trump and his special envoy, Richard Grenell. Grenell – who published online a photo of the six on board his plane – said…
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Mobile phones, coltan and the fighting
Getty Images There is a good chance that inside your mobile phone is a miniscule amount of a metal that started its journey buried in the earth of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where a war is currently raging. It may even be directly connected to the M23 rebel group that made global headlines this…
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Canada, Mexico and China face import taxes on Saturday, White House says
Peter Hoskins Business reporter EPA Trump had promised to levy tariffs on the three biggest US trading partners US President Donald Trump will impose tariffs on Saturday of 25% on Mexico, 25% on Canada and 10% on China, says the White House. But Trump said on Friday that Canadian oil would be hit with lower…
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