Today’s edition of quick hits.
* In Iraq: “The U.S. military carried out strikes on Iran-backed targets in Iraq on Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, retaliating against a series of Iranian-backed attacks against the U.S. in the region.”
* In Russia: “Russia on Wednesday accused Kyiv of shooting down a military transport plane, killing all 74 people on board including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war. … NBC News could not independently verify who was on board the flight or what caused it to crash.”
* NATO’s future: “Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary pledged on Wednesday to push legislators to vote for Sweden’s admittance into NATO, as he faced mounting pressure as the last holdout blocking its entry to the military alliance.”
* Expect litigation in Ohio: “The Ohio Senate voted Wednesday to override Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of a bill that bans transition-related medical care for transgender minors and restricts trans athletes’ participation on school sports teams. After the Senate’s 23-9 vote, the bill will become law in 90 days. The Ohio House already voted 65-28, along party lines, to override DeWine’s veto earlier this month.”
* The latest Jan. 6 arrest: “A California man has been charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses for his actions during the breach of the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the Justice Department Wednesday.” * It’s painful to see the Times struggle so badly: “The Los Angeles Times on Tuesday laid off at least 115 people, including about a quarter of its newsroom, in a stunning second round of major layoffs in less than a year that underscored broader challenges facing the news business.” * Good choice: “Kate Cox, the Texas woman at the center of a high-profile abortion case, will attend the State of Union address in March as a guest of first lady Jill Biden, the White House said Wednesday. President Joe Biden and the first lady called Cox on Sunday to hear about her experience and invited her to attend the address, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing.” 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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