Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

There’s a “real sense of tension” in Kathmandu, the BBC’s Samira Hussain says, after protests against corruption spiralled into arson and violence. Nepal’s army deployed patrols on the streets, as the Himalayan nation reeled from its worst unrest in decades. The prime minister quit and politicians’ homes were vandalised, and government buildings and parliament were…

Secondary schools in two neighbouring towns in the Netherlands were told to shut on Friday because of a spate of violence involving two groups of young people. All five schools in Beverwijk and Heemskerk have been closed in a bid to restore calm after images circulated of teenagers being attacked, along with AI-generated videos showing…

The Dutch public broadcaster, Avrotros, has confirmed the Netherlands will also boycott next year’s Eurovision song contest if Israel is involved. It follows Irish broadcaster RTÉ saying it will not take part if Israel does “given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza”. Eurovision will take place next in May 2026 in Vienna…

Rushdi AbualoufGaza correspondent and Dearbail Jordan Reuters Israeli air strikes hit Beach camp in western Gaza City on Sunday Israeli forces have stepped up their assault on Gaza City with a wave of heavy air strikes, marking a sharp escalation from previous military operations. Unlike earlier phases of the war, the current offensive has relied…

Nepal’s major political parties have demanded the country’s President Ram Chandra Poudel reinstates the parliament he dissolved following deadly anti-corruption protests. In a statement, eight parties – including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Maoist Centre – said the president acted unconstitutionally. Poudel dissolved the House of Representatives on Friday upon the recommendation of newly-appointed interim…

Christal Hayes and Regan MorrisUtah Utah governor details how Charlie Kirk murder suspect apprehended A 22-year-old from Utah has been arrested over the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead while on stage at a university event earlier this week. Tyler Robinson was taken into custody late on Thursday, after a 33-hour…

Bethany BellAustria correspondent in Salzburg BBC Sister Rita (L), Sister Regina (C) and Sister Bernadette were sent to a care home against their will in 2023 Three Austrian nuns in their 80s have run away from the retirement home where they were placed and gone back to their former convent. Sister Bernadette, 88, Sister Regina,…

Freya Chappell and Maia Davies Watch: Faye Hall recalls being detained with Mr and Mrs Reynolds An American woman detained by the Taliban alongside a British couple has told the BBC they are “literally dying” in prison and that “time is running out”. Faye Hall was arrested with Peter, 80, and Barbie Reynolds, 76 on…

Nikos Michaloliakos, the leader of the Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, has been released from prison less than halfway into his sentence. The far-right politician and Holocaust denier was allowed by a judicial council to serve the remainder of his 13-year sentence in the confines of his home on health grounds on Friday, state media…

Colombia’s highest court has ruled that Meta violated a porn star’s right to freedom of expression when it deleted her Instagram account. The South American nation’s Constitutional Court said on Friday that the tech firm had removed Esperanza Gómez’s account “without a clear and transparent justification” and without offering similar treatment to other, similar accounts.…