Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

“Melania” appeared on the banks of the River Sava in July 2020, four months before her human inspiration left the White House. Now, four months after the erstwhile Melanija Knavs resumed residence at Washington’s most famous address, her larger-than-life-size avatar has apparently made an undignified exit from her Slovenian hometown, Sevnica. All that remains of…

A budget bill, long touted by Donald Trump as the “big, beautiful bill” hit a roadblock on Friday when lawmakers from the president’s own party voted against it in congress. Five Republicans joined all Democrats in delivering a stunning setback to President Trump’s domestic agenda, demanding deeper budget cuts. Trump, who has muscled through close…

Sweden’s foreign minister has spoken of grief among her colleagues after it emerged that a diplomat who was questioned this week on suspicion of spying has been found dead. The man, described as a high-ranking diplomat, was arrested by Sweden’s Säpo intelligence service on Sunday and released on Wednesday. He had denied wrongdoing, although prosecutors…

“Give me some,” 6-year-old Ismail said while waiting for food in Gaza As crowds gathered at a food distribution point in northern Gaza, six-year-old Ismail Abu Odeh fought his way to the front. “Give me some,” he called out. His bowl was filled with lentils, but as he made his way back, it was knocked…

More than three years into Europe’s deadliest war since 1945, there was a small step forward for democracy on Friday. Delegations from Ukraine and Russia came face to face for talks for the first time since March 2022 – one month after Moscow invaded its neighbour. The setting was an Ottoman- era palace on the…

A New Jersey man who stabbed and partially blinded novelist Sir Salman Rushdie on a New York lecture stage was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday. Hadi Matar, 27, was convicted of attempted murder and assault earlier this year. Sir Salman was on stage speaking before an audience in August 2022, when he…

Adam Easton BBC Warsaw correspondent WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP There are two front-runners among the 13 candidates: Rafal Trzaskowski (R) and Karol Nawrocki When Poles vote for a new president on Sunday, they are expected to set up a second round run-off between Warsaw’s liberal mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and national-conservative historian Karol Nawrocki. If opinion polls are…

Gabon’s former President, Ali Bongo, who was deposed in a 2023 coup, has left the country and is now in Angola, the authorities there have announced. The Angolan presidency added in a statement posted on social media that Bongo’s family had been released from detention and were with him in Luanda. Bongo’s wife and son,…

Nomia Iqbal and Cai Pigliucci BBC News Reporting fromBuffalo, New York The BBC’s Nomia Iqbal asks Charl Kleinhaus about his refugee status in the US and about being called a “coward” Last week, 46-year-old Charl Kleinhaus was living on his family farm in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. With its scenic beauty, wildlife and deep canyons,…

Reuters US President Donald Trump has given members of South Africa’s Afrikaner community refugee status, alleging that a genocide was taking place in the country. Nearly 60 of them have arrived in the US after being granted asylum. The South African government allowed the US embassy to consider their applications inside the country, and let…