Colin Wrafter
@wraftercolin.bsky.social
Retired Irish diplomat. Interests include foreign policy, Northern Ireland, human rights, development, philosophy, history.
Everyday Philosophy: The Paradox of Tolerance - The New World magazine www.thenewworld.co.uk/nigel-warbur...
Everyday philosophy: You’re decent and tolerant – but how tolerant should you be towards fascists?
Karl Popper identified the problem of how tolerant we should be towards intolerant people. Where do you draw the line?
thenewworld.co.uk
Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts
Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts
Software group benefits from global systems and accounting practices ‘that enable tax to be shirked’, says union boss The software group Palantir paid just £2m in corporation tax in the UK in 2024, despite holding public sector contracts worth hundreds of millions, thanks to tax breaks that are likely to reduce its contributions to governments around the world for years to come. The US-headquartered company, which has harnessed AI to secure lucrative work for the NHS and the Ministry of Defence, is growing exponentially. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What if Freud was right (at least some of the time)? A review, by @stossel.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
What if Freud Was Right?
A neuroscientist dares to argue that old-fashioned psychoanalysis holds the key to curing mental illness.
theatlantic.com
BREAKING Trump administration cancels Brazilian ambassador's visa Announcement comes week after Brazil denied visas to two State Department officials Trump planned to send to undermine confidence in the country's elections
Trump administration cancels Brazilian ambassador’s visa in tit-for-tat
A senior State Department official told reporters in a background briefing that it was a “reciprocal” action because Brazil has not approved President Donald Trump’s nominee as ambassador to Brasilia.
washingtonpost.com
Lawyers could face sanctions including costs if AI leads to fake citations in court cases
Lawyers could face sanctions including costs if AI leads to fake citations in court cases
High Court president issues practice direction to warn professionals and litigants on artificial intelligence
irishtimes.com
RTÉ News: US revokes Brazil ambassador's visa in Washington
If Burnham is serious about a written constitution, I highly recommend this book, which reaffirms the case, and actually outlines a first draft, to help people conceptualise what it might look like. (Disclosure, I was honoured to be asked write the foreword for the book). muse.jhu.edu/book/139060
Project MUSE - The English Constitution
muse.jhu.edu
Alex Hall Hall@alexhh.bsky.social · 3d agoI’m more and more impressed and hopeful, as Burnham systematically addresses some of the big issues other leaders have shied away from - social care; youth education and employment; devolution; now this. Long, long overdue. Can he deliver? Next, Brexit, please www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
The Suffolk County Department of Health in New York said that it’s seen three probable cases of tularemia, a rare but serious infection that’s also known as rabbit fever. It can occur after a bite from a tick or a fly that has previously bitten a sick mammal, typically a rabbit.
Cases of rare tick-borne ‘rabbit fever’ suspected in New York | CNN
The Suffolk County Department of Health in New York said that it’s seen three probable cases of tularemia, also known as rabbit fever.
cnn.com
NEW: Todd Blanche doesn't believe in the rule of law, and John Cornyn and Thom Tillis don't care. Blanche's Sunday night moves should not save his nomination. The reaction from the pair of soon-departing Republican senators is not oversight and not principled. Tonight, at Law Dork:
Todd Blanche doesn't believe in the rule of law, and John Cornyn and Thom Tillis don't care
Blanche's Sunday night moves should not save his nomination. The reaction from the pair of soon-departing Republican senators is not oversight and not principled.
lawdork.com
Should I sell my Aviva shares to company that sent letter offering to buy them?
Should I sell my Aviva shares to company that sent letter offering to buy them?
US group Litani is contacting Irish shareholders but offering a price well below the current market value
irishtimes.com
The far right is using the border chaos in Ceuta to manufacture a continent-wide crisis narrative. Actors immediately deploy divisive language to make voters angry as fast as possible, regardless of the facts. It is a familiar, dangerous playbook designed to stoke fear and undermine democracy.
The Far Right Is Distorting Ceuta
We’ve seen this before.
theatlantic.com
DC🕊🌍🔥🌱@dcminx.bsky.social · 4d ago🧵 What is REALLY happening at the Ceuta border in Spain? It is not just a migration crisis—it is a textbook example of hybrid warfare, where human movement is weaponized for geopolitical leverage to destabilise Europe. Here is a breakdown of the players 👇
They're probably hoping you won't hear about this. But tomorrow in TX, Tarrant County officials meet to vote on a GOP plan to cut almost HALF of Election Day voting locations, plus 8 early voting locations, some of them on campuses. Not hard to guess why. fortworthreport.org/2026/07/30/t...
Tarrant County considers cutting 140 Election Day polling sites for November
County commissioners vote Aug. 4 on proposed reductions to the number of early voting and day-of sites for the midterms.
fortworthreport.org
Relevant today: our expert survey on the state of the rule of law in the United States brightlinewatch.org/erosion-of-t...
Erosion of the rule of law in Trump’s second term | Bright Line Watch
brightlinewatch.org
Helen Kennedy@helenkennedy.com · 2d agolol "The president is “furious” with Pirro, one of the sources said, telling CNN that he fumed about her all weekend... "The president did not know beforehand that she was going to do that.” www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/p...
If enacted, would overturn 250 years of American commitment to freedom of navigation.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 2d agoTrump on Strait of Hormuz tolls: "If anybody is gonna charge, we'll charge. We have total control." (Trump moments ago said he's negotiating with Iran to reopen the strait ... )
Firefighters are dealing with a large fire in the Dublin mountains south of the city suburbs. jrnl.ie/7120524t
Firefighters respond to large wildfire at Glencullen in Dublin Mountains
The blaze at Glencullen has reignited and units from Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) are at the scene.
jrnl.ie
The Irish Times view on the Christian Brothers’ legal strategy: morally bereft
The Irish Times view on the Christian Brothers’ legal strategy: morally bereft
The contrast between public contrition and legal manoeuvering is stark
irishtimes.com
The sitting president of the United States got his accounts closed for money laundering and its barely news 🤯
Lawmakers in New Zealand have passed a bill to make English one of the country's official languages. The move was widely ridiculed in the Pacific Rim nation, where English is already widely used, including in courts and parliament. https://cnn.it/4w47S5C
Checkout the new issue of Modern Intellectual History. Pieces by Anton Jäger, Jennifer Pitts and Michael F. Suarez, S.J., Ahmed Dailami, Ilnyun Kim, Théophile Deslauriers and others: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Latest issue | Modern Intellectual History | Cambridge Core
Modern Intellectual History
cambridge.org
Is Ireland’s unprotected ocean the weak link in European defence?
The USA is at the same time a nuclear armed superpower, and one of the most ridiculous states in the history of the world.
of course Fox News not caring to find out - or choosing misinformation about - where Ceuta is before airing about Spain
Deploying troops or armed federal agents to election sites is illegal under federal law. And voters have the right to vote free from fear and intimidation. Here is what you can do to protect your vote if federal agents show up at your polling place. bit.ly/4wpSGAH
Vote Safely in 2026
Sending troops or ICE officers to the polls is illegal. Here’s how you can protect your vote and your community’s voice, even if federal agents unlawfully show up.
bit.ly
👌! More than 300 former Irish Christian Brothers to be named in newspaper ad as part of child abuse case Move follows ‘morally bankrupt’ legal strategy adopted by congregation against damages claims for child abuse Brothers have assets of €44million in Ireland www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
More than 300 former Christian Brothers to be named in newspaper ad as part of abuse case
Move follows ‘morally bankrupt’ legal strategy adopted by congregation against damages claims for past child abuse
irishtimes.com
