THURSDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Shahzad’s in custody, but the case continues: “Federal authorities raided a half-dozen locations in Long Island, New Jersey and the Boston area early Thursday morning and took three people into custody as part of the investigation into the failed Times Square car bombing, which Obama administration officials have said was aided and directed by the Pakistani Taliban.”
* If at first BP doesn’t succeed: “Setting aside their ‘top hat’ strategy for now, BP officials said Thursday they would instead try threading a small tube into a jagged pipe gushing crude from the Gulf seafloor.”
* Predictable GOP opposition: “Senate Democrats seeking to punish BP for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill were turned back Thursday when they sought quick passage of legislation that significantly raises oil companies’ liability cap on economic damages from offshore disasters.” It was Sen. Lisa Murkowki (R-Alaska) doing the oil industry’s bidding.
* In related news, Transocean desperately hopes to limit its liability for the disaster.
* Bangkok: “The Thai authorities’ latest attempt to bring an end to eight weeks of anti-government rallies turned bloody on Thursday night with one of the protest leaders shot and severely wounded in unclear circumstances and number of clashes between demonstrators and security forces.”
* Better, but not good enough: “The number of Americans filing claims for jobless benefits dropped for a fourth straight week, a sign that employers are retaining more workers as the economy expands.”
* Wall Street scrutiny broadens: “The New York attorney general has started an investigation of eight banks to determine whether they provided misleading information to rating agencies in order to inflate the grades of certain mortgage securities, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation.”
* In related news, some key amendments were added to the Wall Street reform package today.
* Brad Johnson goes over the details of the new American Power Act, and compares it to recently considered related measures.
* The White House sends the new START to the Senate for consideration.
* After excessive delays, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Goodwin Liu judicial nomination on a party-line vote, 12 to 7.
* John Cole puts together a compelling list of what we’ve learned this week about “What It Takes To Be a Justice.”
* Taking a fresh look at student loan debt.
* Some of the nation’s leading milbloggers, including a few very conservative sites, support DADT repeal.
* Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) takes the wind from far-right sails, agrees that Elena Kagan supports the military.
* I’m not the only one who embraces the notion of “conversation enders.”
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
