It now arrives like morning birdsong. Almost every day, the latest astonishing news from Washington greets us on this side of the Atlantic as we rise from bed.
Overnight, US president Donald Trump fired acting attorney general Sally Yates, who was a Barack Obama appointee but remained on at the new president's request until his choice, Jeff Sessions, is confirmed by the Senate.
Yates told Justice Department staff not to defend Trump’s ban on refugees from Syria and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries in court because she did not think it was legal.
As always, Simon Carswell has the latest from Washington.
Trump's travel ban led to significant public disquiet in the Irish body politic, with Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday announcing a review of the US immigration pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports.
While expressing concern, numerous Ministers noted the benefits of the pre-clearance system, and a note from Government Buildings last night flagged there will be no substantial change.
In an op-ed for the Irish Independent, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan says as much, claiming "now is not the time" to question the arrangements.
The only remaining question is whether any Ministers challenge Kenny at today’s Cabinet meeting over the trip to Washington in March.
Minister for Transport Shane Ross yesterday left his options open on this front, and his Independent Alliance colleague Finian McGrath was not contactable last night.
Katherine Zappone and Denis Naughten, while querying the pre-clearance arrangements, are firmly of the view Kenny must keep up the annual event.
Even if anyone voices concerns, Kenny will almost certainly still go. Those in Government Buildings say that if the Taoiseach were to pass up the invite, it would likely mean the death knell for the annual Shamrock Summit.
Incidentally, one of the letter writers to today's Irish Times urging the Taoiseach to "cancel his visit to the White House" is Ruth Buchanan of Enniskerry, Co Wicklow - who just happens to be the wife of one Shane Ross.
