Today’s edition of quick hits.
* I’ll have plenty more on this in the morning: “New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who has clashed with President Donald Trump, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Virginia, three sources familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News.”
* In the Middle East: “President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire deal — but there are significant lingering questions about what the 20-point plan will mean for the future of the Gaza Strip.”
* It is a bit odd when someone finds it necessary to get an annual physical in April, and then another in October: “President Donald Trump will sit for a ‘routine yearly check up’ at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday, the White House announced on Wednesday, ahead of a possible trip to the Middle East.”
* The return of H5N1: “Bird flu is spreading again, now that wild water fowl — geese, ducks and cranes — have begun their seasonal migrations. As the birds travel, they mingle at lakes and ponds and share viruses. In poultry, bird flu cases are spiking earlier than expected.”
* If the evidence exists, why keep it under wraps? “The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that alleged drug-smuggling boats targeted by the U.S. military in a series of fatal strikes were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.”
* All is not well at the IRS: “The IRS said it was furloughing nearly half of its workforce and shuttering most operations Wednesday, but will continue work to implement President Donald Trump’s signature tax cuts. Work on preparing for next year’s tax-filing season will also continue, but numerous operations will be halted, including taxpayer services like call site operations.”
* Alex Jones’ latest legal gambit: “Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to hit pause on an almost $1.5 billion defamation judgment that was imposed over his false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.”
* At the Pentagon: “Facing a deadline next week on whether to sign a statement acknowledging new restrictions on how they do their jobs or risk being thrown out of the Pentagon, journalists who cover the U.S. military appear headed toward a showdown with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.”
* Bray will still teach, but he’ll do so remotely: “An expert on anti-fascist groups who teaches at Rutgers University says he is fleeing with his family to Spain after getting death threats amid a campaign by the campus chapter of Turning Point USA and other conservative groups to get him fired. Mark Bray, an assistant professor of history, said Thursday that he decided to make the move out of concern for his family’s safety after being falsely labeled as a member of antifa, a term used to describe far-left activist groups that oppose fascism.”
See you tomorrow.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
