Today’s edition of quick hits.
* In Gaza: “The bodies of three more hostages who were killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks were recovered from the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said Friday, as the CIA chief headed to Europe in a bid to revive cease-fire talks and as the top United Nations court ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah.”
* The effects of Russia destabilizing the region: “Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to eastern Europe next week as concerns mount about Russia’s advances in Ukraine, potential Russian interference in neighboring Moldova and pro-Moscow legislation being promoted in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, the State Department said Friday.”
* In related news: “The United States is expected to announce an additional $275 million in military aid for Ukraine on Friday as Kyiv struggles to hold off advances by Russian troops in the Kharkiv region, two U.S. officials say.”
* Now that he’s been convicted, the rioter known as “Sedition Panda” will be sentenced in September: “A Jan. 6 rioter dubbed ‘Sedition Panda’ for the costume head he wore when he stormed the Capitol has been convicted on each of the eight charges he faced, including assaulting a police officer. Jesse James Rumson was convicted Friday of assaulting Prince George’s County Cpl. Scott Ainsworth, a lifelong Republican who testified about the Jan. 6 riot during Rumson’s trial last week.”
* Plenty of disclosure this time: “Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will undergo a medical procedure at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday evening and will transfer power temporarily to his deputy, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. Austin is continuing to deal with bladder issues that arose in December following his treatment for prostate cancer, Ryder said.” * I imagine we’ll see other moves like these in the coming months and years: “A new measure signed into law Thursday temporarily allows Arizona abortion providers to perform the procedure in neighboring California. California Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted the bill, which takes effect immediately, in response to a recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling that said a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable in the state.” * More than a year later: “Norfolk Southern Corp. on Thursday agreed to spend about $1 billion on cleanups, monitoring and compensation to victims to settle lawsuits by the Justice Department and affected residents over the railroad operator’s February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. That includes the proposed resolution of a class action suit, in which Norfolk Southern promises to pay $600 million for compensation for injuries resulting from exposure to harmful chemicals.” Have a safe holiday weekend.
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."
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