Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
-
Trump envoy Witkoff visits controversial Gaza aid distribution site
US government US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has for the first time visited a controversial Israel- and US-backed aid distribution site in Gaza. Witkoff said the purpose of the trip to a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site was to give Trump “a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft…
-
Zelensky demands sanctions after Russia strikes kill 33 in Kyiv
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for stronger international sanctions on Russia after a deadly attack on Kyiv killed at least 31 people. Zelensky said five children – the youngest aged two – were among the dead and 159 people had been wounded in the assault on Thursday. “No matter how much the Kremlin denies…
-
‘UFO’ spotted in Australian skies identified as Chinese rocket
Social media feeds across Australia were alight with footage of what people thought were UFOs flying over Queensland and northern New South Wales on 30 July. But experts say what people actually saw was a Chinese rocket as it passed over Australia. Professor Jonti Horner was able to match the sightings from his home state…
-
Flooding prompts state of emergency across parts of NY and NJ
Severe storms and flooding hitting areas of the East Coast have prompted a state of emergency across New York and New Jersey. Video shows rainwater seeping into subway systems and overwhelming roads. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is urging all resident to “stay vigilant, stay informed, and use caution.” Airports in New York, New Jersey…
-
Two girls shot in Gaza
The BBC World Service has pieced together the stories of Layan al-Majdalawi, two, and Mira Tanboura, six, both killed in Gaza in separate incidents in November 2023, in areas where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was operating. In response to our findings, the IDF said the details of Layan and Mira’s cases had been recorded…
-
Radioactive wasp nest discovered at old US nuclear weapons site
A radioactive wasp nest with radiation levels ten times of what is allowed under regulations was found at a facility that once produced parts for US nuclear weapons, federal officials said. “The wasp nest was sprayed to kill wasps, then bagged as radiological waste,” says a US Department of Energy report released last week. No…
-
Iran drives out 1.5 million Afghans, with some branded spies for Israel
BBC News Afghan & BBC Global Disinformation Unit BBC Some Afghans in Iran have been accused of espionage in the wake of the 12-day conflict with Israel. Ali Ahmad’s eyes fill with tears as he lifts his shirt to show deep bruises across his back. While he was detained, Iranian officers struck him and accused…
-
Trump’s global tariffs ‘victory’ may come at a high price
BBC In April Donald Trump stunned the world by announcing sweeping new import tariffs – only to put most on hold amid the resulting global financial panic. Four months later, the US president is touting what he claims are a series of victories, having unveiled a handful of deals with trading partners and unilaterally imposed…
-
White House announces new $200m ballroom
Bernd Debusmann Jr BBC News, White House White House A rendering of the new, 650-person ballroom has been described as “much needed” by the White House The White House has announced plans to build a $200m (£151m) new ballroom, fulfilling an often-repeated desire of US President Donald Trump. The new ballroom will be built alongside…
-
The shock, chaos and negotiations behind Thailand’s trade deal
Jonathan Head South East Asia correspondent in Bangkok Getty Images Export-driven economies like Thailand have been scrambling for a trade deal to avoid President Trump’s steep tariffs When US President Donald Trump made his dramatic tariff announcement on 2 April, nowhere was the shock greater than in South East Asia, a region whose entire world…
Got any book recommendations?