Roger O'Keeffe

Former ICE instructor testifies that agency slashed training for new officers A former instructor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement told congressional Democrats the agency has cut “vital classes” from mandatory training for recruits.

The agency eliminated 240 hours of “vital classes” from a mandatory 580-hour training program, including instruction about the legal boundaries for the use of force, how to safely handle firearms, and the proper way to detain and arrest immigrants. wapo.st/4aS06mU

'Misconduct in public office'....now do the Tories who facilitated PPE scandals?

Aha! I missed that.

Ethnic cleansing is "the attempt to create ethnically homogeneous geographic areas through the deportation or forcible displacement of persons belonging to particular ethnic groups," says Britannica. "Ethnic cleansing sometimes involves the removal of all physical vestiges of the targeted group."

Bathtub?

I never before thought about why Mandelson wanted the NI Sec role.
Clintons
George Mitchell

Things are coming into focus. A good journo in NI will be examining Epstein in Hillsborough and who else was there, especially for the big bathtub change.

‘Abolish ICE’, ‘Caleb Chilliams’ Among Winners of Annual Snowplow Naming Contest The other winners of the fourth annual contest were Stephen Coldbert, Pope Frío XIV, The Blizzard of Oz, Svencoolie and Caleb Chilliams, Chicago officials announced.

BREAKING: A push to name one of Chicago’s snowplows “Abolish ICE,” clearly linking the humorous pun to efforts to oppose President Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort, won the city’s annual snowplow naming contest, officials announced. @wttw.bsky.social

Iceland looks to fast-track vote on joining EU A referendum on resuming membership talks had been expected in 2027, but could come as early as this August.

🚨🚨Biggest #EU news of today: #Iceland looks to fast-track vote on joining EU as referendum on EU accession could come as early as August, departing from original plan for 2027 ref. 🧵
www.politico.eu/article/icel...

Certainly with considerable sophistication.

The often nail-biting counting of votes over two or three days has repeatedly shown that every vote counts, right down to eighth or tenth preference.

And it provides far more real drama than people flailing their arms in front of a silly "swingometer".

It's so easy that we "thick Irish" have been using it for over 100 years.

If it were really in the bag, would he even bother to turn up?

I think we found out why Donald Trump is so obsessed with Greenland.

I suppose that makes Drumpf an intangible asset - nobody can touch him.

His only "misstep" was to say it out loud.

Apart from the sex-offender endorsement, how much - if any - of his own money has he invested in it?

WHO THE HELL IS THIS DIP-shit!!?

Each time these unjustified ICE detentions happen to a European, their governments don't help them - they downplay it . Because they don't want to offend the Trump regime

"When will other nations start holding the Admin accountable for mistreating their citizens?" asks 🇺🇸Senator Van Hollen.

It is a fundamental principle of Irish Traditional Music that there are at least two names for every tune - and at least two tunes for every name.

Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Rupert Murdoch have done more harm to America than all the other immigrants combined.

The whole electorate only ever vote for their constituency MP.

Not for the PM. Ever.

The idea that a Prime Minister EVER has democratic legitimacy is laughable in our inherently undemocratic FPTP system.

Pope Leo Will Spend July 4 Visiting Migrant Crossing Island Pope Leo has spoken out against the treatment of migrants in the United States several times over the last year.

JD Vance personally invited Pope Leo to the U.S. 250th celebration on the 4th of July. Today the Vatican announced Leo will be spending the day with migrants instead.

Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there. It's on the way!!! President DJT

Healthcare in Greenland is publicly funded, free at the point of use, and despite geographical challenges considered very good.

Healthcare costs in the USA are extortionate and responsible for 60% of all US bankruptcies.

So maybe Denmark should be sending hospital ships the other way.

CNN's Kristen Holmes reports that Trump blew up during a meeting after learning of the SCOTUS ruling on tariffs.

"He started ranting about the decision, not only calling it a disgrace, but started attacking the courts and at one point saying these effing courts, but using the actual language there"

He's probably told someone to find a way to have the latter trio impeached.

Presumably the question is rhetorical.

New York Times headline reads: Live Updates: Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Sweeping Tariffs The ruling is a major setback for President Trump, and he is said to have called it a “disgrace.” The White House has said it will use different authorities to reimpose many fees on imports quickly.

will the prices that went up because of tariffs now go right back down? or are we now living with higher prices on some goods because of this unconstitutional decision?

Reportedly, a Cantor Fitzgerald entity (run by Lutnick’s sons) explored purchasing rights to potential tariff refunds from companies at a discount — a form of litigation finance tied to ongoing legal challenges over Trump-era tariffs.

Senators have raised conflict-of-interest questions.

I have often wondered if it was Thatcherism that ripped the heart out of the community life that sustained Welsh rugby in the amateur era.

I remember a time when Wales seemed unbeatable, and Lansdowne Road would resound to choral singing for much of the match.

I have suspected more than once, looking at photos of that incident taken from different angles, that the half-kneeling ICE agent is trying to prevent a murder by deflecting his colleague's arm when he realises the shooter has lost his self-control.

Today’s Thought….