MONDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Pakistan: “A suicide car bombing targeting Pakistani troops killed 41 people Monday, the fourth grisly militant attack in just over a week, as the Taliban pledged to mobilize fighters across the country for more strikes.”
* More Pakistan: “Pakistani commandos freed dozens of hostages held by militants at the army’s own headquarters Sunday, ending a bloody, 22-hour drama that embarrassed the nation’s military as it plans a new offensive against al-Qaida and the Taliban. At least 19 people died in the standoff, including three captives and eight of the militants, who wore army fatigues in the audacious assault. The rescue operation began before dawn Sunday, ultimately freeing 42 hostages, the military said. One attacker, described as the militants’ ringleader, was captured.”
* Iraq: “A spate of car bombings killed 19 people Sunday in Iraq’s western Anbar province, once a hotbed of insurgency that later become a showcase for restoring peace.”
* North Korea wants attention in advance of multi-party talks: “North Korea fired five short-range missiles into the sea Monday and declared a navigation ban in waters off its eastern and western coasts, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.”
* I think AHIP’s tactics backfired.
* AARP isn’t impressed with the insurers trade group, either.
* John Harwood said his blind quote/paraphrase yesterday was not in reference to the “LGBT community or the marchers.” Adam Serwer added, “[T]he folks who have spent all day explaining how this one anonymous statement proved the ‘truth’ of the president’s contempt for the LGBT community were just plain wrong.”
* Gay rights advances in California.
* The first women to win a Nobel prize in economics: “Americans Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson won the Nobel Prize for economics for work on how community institutions can prevent conflict, the Nobel Committee announced Monday.”
* Trying to fight against inflation right now seems like a spectacularly bad idea.
* The DNC ad featuring Bob Dole gets pulled at the request of the former Senate Majority Leader. (thanks to reader K.B. for the tip)
* Why did Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) fire Melody Teague?
* Fox News is mad at the White House. Imagine that.
* White House counsel Greg Craig has rumored to be on his way out, but as of Friday, he said, “I have no plans to leave whatsoever. The rumors that I’m about to leave are false. The reports that I’m about to leave are wrong. I have no plans to leave.”
* The fascinating story of Hardin, Montana, and the ways in which private prison developers prey on desperate towns.
* California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George believes his state’s reliance on the referendum process has “rendered our state government dysfunctional.” He’s right.
* Do you suppose right-wing blogger Erick Erickson has ever even heard of Godwin’s Law? I seriously doubt it.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
