Today’s edition of quick hits.
* A Reagan-appointed judge: “The US Agency for Global Media is barred from forcing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to shutter its operations, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. ‘The leadership of USAGM cannot, with one sentence of reasoning offering virtually no explanation,’ force the nonprofit to shut down ‘even if the President has told them to do so,’ Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the US District Court for the District of Columbia said in a Tuesday order granting Radio Free Europe’s request for a temporary restraining order.”
* Difficult diplomacy: “The White House said Tuesday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea and to implement a ban on attacks on energy facilities by the two neighbors, an apparent breakthrough after American negotiators held separate talks with both countries. If implemented, the agreements could mark a major step toward a wider deal to end the three-year-long war, which began when Russia launched a largescale invasion of its smaller neighbor.”
* At the CDC: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pulling back $11.4 billion in funds allocated in response to the pandemic to state and community health departments, nongovernment organizations and international recipients, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Tuesday.”
* In related news: “President Donald Trump has selected Susan Monarez as his new nominee to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Monarez, a scientist whose previous work looked at using artificial intelligence to improve health, has already been serving as acting director.”
* The latest from The Conference Board: “A measure of consumers’ short-term expectations has fallen to its lowest level in 12 years, ticking a figure that has historically signaled recessions ahead.” * Another step backward: “The Trump administration is shuttering HHS’ long Covid office as part of its reorganization, according to an internal email seen by POLITICO. The email was sent Monday by Ian Simon, the head of the Office of Long Covid Research and Practice. It said the closing is part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ reorganization.” * Up until nine weeks ago, advice like this was wholly unnecessary: “The U.N. has advised all of its employees who work at its New York headquarters, as well as their family members, to carry U.N. identification cards and a copy of their passport page that contains their visa, because they are at risk of being stopped by immigration officials, according to a copy of an email seen by The New York Times.” See you tomorrow.
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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