Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Huge stick insect discovered in Australia
A researcher at an Australian university has discovered a new “supersized” species of stick insect in a remote rainforest in Queensland, Australia. Professor Angus Emmott identified the new Acrophylla alta species in the canopies of the mountainous wet tropics region in the northeast of the country. The insects are roughly 40cm long. This specimen weighs…
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‘I witnessed war crimes,’ former worker at GHF aid site tells BBC
A retired US special forces officer has revealed to the BBC why he resigned from his work with US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution centres. “I witnessed the Israeli Defense Forces shooting at the crowds of Palestinians,” Anthony Aguilar told the BBC. He added that in his entire career he has never…
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Celsius energy drink cans filled with vodka in production mishap
US authorities are warning consumers of Celsius energy drinks to check their cans after some were accidently filled with vodka. The US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) issued the warning for the Astro Vibe Blue Razz edition of the drink. The mix-up came about after a packaging supplier mistakenly shipped empty Celsius cans to the…
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Dozens of Palestinians killed seeking aid, Gaza civil defence ministry says
Israeli gunfire killed at least 30 Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency. A Gaza civil defence spokesperson told the AFP news agency that Israeli fire wounded around 300 more people. Israel said details of the incident “are still being examined”. The Israeli Defense Forces…
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Russian strikes on Kyiv kill six and injure more than 50, Ukrainian officials say
Watch: Explosions seen in Kyiv during Russian attack At least six people were killed and more than 50 others injured after a barrage of Russian drones and missiles struck Kyiv overnight, Ukrainian officials said. One of the dead includes a six-year-old boy, while three other fatalities were confirmed at the site of an apartment block…
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Passengers use emergency slides to flee plane fire at Denver airport
An American Airlines flight was evacuated at Denver International Airport on 26 July after it suffered “a mechanical issue” connected to a tyre during takeoff, the airline said. Social media footage shows the moment passengers used emergency slides to escape, with flames seen below the plane. One person was taken to hospital following the incident,…
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Israel’s aid measures a gesture to allies horrified by Gaza starvation
Jeremy Bowen International editor AFP Israel has responded to sustained and growing international condemnation that it is responsible for starvation in Gaza by announcing a series of measures the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said would “improve the humanitarian response”. It is allowing airdrops of aid, carrying out the first one itself during the night and…
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Two hours of terror in a New York skyscraper
Madeline Halpert BBC News, New York Getty Images Witnesses could hear and see the gunfire from outside the New York skyscraper after the shooting began For hundreds of employees at 345 Park Avenue, an iconic 44-story skyscraper in the heart of Midtown Manhattan – a neighbourhood packed with offices of major corporations – Monday evening…
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Why plane turbulence is really becoming more frequent and severe
BBC Listen to this article being read Andrew Davies was on his way to New Zealand to work on a Doctor Who exhibition, for which he was project manager. The first leg of his flight from London to Singapore was fairly smooth. Then suddenly the plane hit severe turbulence. “Being on a rollercoaster is the…
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Russian soldiers scammed and robbed of war cash on return from Ukraine
Sergei Goryashko & Investigations Team BBC News Russian BBC Russia’s President Vladimir Putin promised Russian soldiers a hero’s welcome when they return from Ukraine, but the BBC has found cases of servicemen robbed and scammed for their salaries and pay-offs by government officials. Since the invasion began in February 2022, President Putin has trebled the…
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