Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Six-hour installation? “The pedestrian walkway that collapsed Thursday in Miami, killing at least six people, was being built using a popular but relatively new bridge technology specifically designed to speed construction while maintaining safety.”
* U.K.: “Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson of Britain said on Friday that it was “overwhelmingly likely” that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia personally ordered the nerve agent attack against a former Russian spy this month.”
* In related news: “Aside from confirming it would expel some British diplomats, without giving the number, Russia has been coy about its potential responses.”
* The Pentagon’s former Russia chief makes the case that the Trump administration’s new Russia sanctions are “totally inconsequential.”
* E.U.: “The European Union on Friday made public a 10-page list of American products that are potential targets for retaliation if President Trump refuses to exempt the allied bloc from his new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.”
* I hope you saw last night’s TRMS coverage of this: “The Trump administration accused Russia on Thursday of engineering a series of cyberattacks that targeted American and European nuclear power plants and water and electric systems, and could have sabotaged or shut power plants off at will.”
* Iraq: “An American military helicopter crashed Thursday near the city of Qaim in western Iraq, killing some of the seven service members aboard, United States officials said.”
* Expect big ratings: “For a week, the world has waited: When would ’60 Minutes’ air its interview with porn star Stormy Daniels alleging an affair with President Trump? CBS has been silent. Now there is a planned date, March 25, according to two people familiar with the timing.” * Routine corruption: “The oil industry’s top lobby group is holding a two-day board meeting at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., before its executive committee goes to the White House to voice concerns about President Donald Trump’s proposed steel tariffs, sources familiar with the meetings told POLITICO.” * Facebook “has removed the pages of the anti-Islamic group Britain First and its leaders. The social media company said the group had repeatedly violated its community standards.” * And yes, believe it or not, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is comfortable trying to lecture Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on what torture is. Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
