Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Progress: “North Korea announced on Wednesday that it would suspend nuclear weapons tests and uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors to monitor activities at its main nuclear complex, a step that raised the possibility of ending a diplomatic impasse that has allowed the country’s nuclear program to continue with no international oversight for years.”
* Ground offensive into Homs: “Despite mounting diplomatic pressure for a cease-fire, the Syrian military continued its bombardment of opposition strongholds on Wednesday.”
* Egypt: “At least seven Americans employed by pro-democracy groups in Egypt who have been under criminal investigation will be allowed to leave the country.”
* The meeting only lasted an hour: “House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) left a White House meeting Wednesday with President Obama and other congressional leaders ‘hopeful’ and ‘encouraged’” about pending energy and jobs bills.
* James Murdoch steps down as executive chairman of News International.
* Factory orders in the Midwest pick up steam.
* At an Ohio factory today, Mitt Romney said, “I gotta press the button. That will be my heavy lift in terms of manufacturing.”
* Does Romney oppose the Blunt Amendment? It sounds like it, but the campaign is denying it. More on this in the morning. * NDAA: “The White House issued a presidential policy directive Tuesday evening that allows the president to largely disregard a provision in the most recent National Defense Authorization Act, which mandates military custody for non-American terrorism suspects captured on American soil.” * And on a related note, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) questioned why torture-memo author Steven Bradbury been called to testify. Good for him. Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
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