THURSDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* The White House’s most significant achievement yet in addressing global warming: “The Obama administration finalized the first national rules curbing greenhouse gas emissions Thursday, mandating that the U.S. car and light-truck fleet reach an average fuel efficiency of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.”
* New filings for unemployment dropped last week, “matching the lowest level since August 2008.” The totals are still too high, though they’re improving.
* GM had its best month in years in March, and the whole industry seemed to get a real boost.
* The Obama administration’s new efforts to counter drug trafficking are off to a good start: “Opium seizures in Afghanistan soared 924 percent last year because of better cooperation between Afghan and international forces, the top U.S. drug enforcement official said Thursday.”
* Rhode Island experiences its worst flooding in 200 years.
* D.C. will host a nuclear security summit later this month. There were some fears that Chinese President Hu Jintao wouldn’t attend, but to officials’ relief, he said this morning he’ll be there.
* One of the Hutaree members arrested over the weekend had 46 guns and 13,000 rounds of ammunition in his Indiana home.
* The New York Times editorial board seems fairly impressed with the administration’s plan on coastal drilling: “President Obama … announced a decision to expand oil and gas exploration in selected areas of America’s coastal waters that will satisfy neither extreme but is, on the whole, a careful and useful addition to the steps he has already taken to reduce the nation’s energy dependence.”
* More questionable spending from the RNC?
* Larry Sabato backs off his claim about liberals and war heroes. Good move.
* Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) may need to brush up on his geology basics.
* The College Guide blog has nothing but April Fools-related posts today.
* National Review’s symposium on black unemployment will feature six white panelists — and no one else.
* If the Tea Party crowd is going to wave right-wing signs for the cameras, they should probably proof-read them first.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
