Mik_G_Taiwan

Large banner featuring Trump's face is displayed on Justice Department headquarters A large banner featuring Donald Trump’s face has been hung on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters in a physical display of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law en...

apnews.com/article/dona...

Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and US presidential hopeful dies at 84, family says U.S. civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, an eloquent Baptist minister raised in the segregated South who became a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr and twice ran for the Democratic presidential ...

😭
Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and US presidential hopeful dies at 84 - www.reuters.com/world/us/jes...

Source

#Taiwan

Trivia Night at Daybreak
Assemble a team with your friends or join one on the night!
The winning team will get free drinks!

Guess it's that time of the year to wheel this out... 😏

A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem’s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS Secretary faces fire for confrontational immigration crackdown and self-promotional style; White House to wind down Minnesota operations.

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Appeals court backs Trump’s mass detention policy The ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals contradicts thousands of lower-court rulings.

www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

I guess democracy died in darkness

America is learning from the Chinese model of inflating box office numbers for patriotic films by organising mandatory viewings for government/SOE employees.

DHS’s account of two Venezuelans shot by border patrol falls apart in court: ‘A smear campaign’ Immigration officials said agent shot two ‘vicious gang members’ in Portland, but records obtained by the Guardian reveal US prosecutor contradicted claims

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

DHS’s account of two Venezuelans shot by border patrol falls apart in court: ‘A smear campaign’ Immigration officials said agent shot two ‘vicious gang members’ in Portland, but records obtained by the Guardian reveal US prosecutor contradicted claims

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

This is like they arrested Mr Peanutbutter for smiling.

Don Lemon arrested by federal officials in connection with church protest Former CNN host Don Lemon was arrested by federal officials and charged in connection with a church protest in Minneapolis that he had covered.

Don Lemon arrested by federal officials in connection with church protest

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

It’s really difficult & disorienting but the feds hit LA extremely hard today. There were kidnappings all over & reported cluster raids in Chinatown, East LA, Ktown. This list shows to 1130 AM but they haven’t stopped all day

Just because the media attention stopped doesn’t mean the abductions have

I've found living 12 time zones away to enforce a bit of a bubble. My bingo card for "Things Americans Will Do" is mostly empty, except for the one about going fascist. I called that one.

Trump aides declared 16 DHS shootings since July justified before probes completed The Trump administration’s rush to defend the officers and accuse the victims of attacking them has sparked widespread outrage and demands for accountability.

'Agents’ body-camera footage later showed that Exum had rammed Martinez’s vehicle and then pointed his gun at her, threatened her and shot her five times. A federal judge dismissed the charges in November. Exum has not been charged.
wapo.st/45scxnC

Greg Bovino Loses His Job The Border Patrol chief has been ousted from his role as “commander at large,” and will return to El Centro.

Bought that Ken Doll sized Himmler jacket too soon, huh?

www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

A video of Alex Pretti reading out the final salute of an unnamed veteran he cared for until the end of his life in the ICU, posted to Facebook by his son.

Statement from Michael and Susan Pretti Parents of Alex Jeffrey Pretti “We are heartbroken but also very angry. Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the ‘hero’ term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He had his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.

Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.

"Please get the truth out about our son."

When a Coat Becomes a Symbol of Conflict

There's a GI Joe doll somewhere missing its coat. I didn't know they made an Obergruppenführer Smurf edition.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/s...

How The Philippine Star covered this story vs how SCMP did.

Relax. "Impact on his family" is metaphorical. It's not like his wife and daughter will be standing directly under him. That would be crazy.

(ed. Fuck I really hope he doesn't fall now.)

Grim stuff …

Turns out AI models are just compressed libraries of copyrighted media.

www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...

I am calling for the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent that shot and killed Renee Good.

I am also calling on Congress to support my bill with @jasmineforus.bsky.social to force ICE agents to wear body cameras, not wear masks, have visible identification & ensure ICE has independent oversight.

Border Patrol's use of deadly force criticized in report An independent review of U.S. Border Patrol shootings criticizes the agency for 'lack of diligence' in its investigations and suggests that agents' tactics sometimes create a pretext to open fire.

From a 2014 report that border patrol tried to cover up:

"Border Patrol agents have deliberately stepped in the path of cars apparently to justify shooting at the drivers"

How ICE Lost Its Guardrails The Minneapolis shooting will get less official scrutiny because of cuts by the Trump administration.

www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

I'm very scared about what this means for Taiwan.

Opinion | Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise

Contrast the WaPo and NYT editorial board reactions to Trump's latest coup

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/o...

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...