MONDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* As of this afternoon, there were nine confirmed fatalities and dozens of injuries in the violence off the coast of Gaza, where the Israeli military targeted an aid flotilla.
* As expected, the diplomatic crisis for Israel is fairly intense: “Several European nations and Turkey summoned Israeli envoys for an explanation of the actions. At the request of Turkey, The United Nations Security Council met in emergency session on Monday over the attack, which occurred in international waters north of Gaza and killed at least nine people.”
* Israel’s relationship with Turkey, a NATO member and key ally for Israel in the Muslim world, is poised to deteriorate to new lows.
* Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has postponed his trip to Washington, which was scheduled for tomorrow.
* The next effort to address the gusher of leaking oil in the Gulf carries a serious potential downside: it could make matters worse.
* BP CEO Tony Hayward went ridiculously off message, saying he’d like to resolve the crisis because it’s the only way he’ll get his life back. And BP wonders why so many are so incensed.
* Inching away from the brink on the Korean peninsula: “North Korea expressed a desire to keep a joint industrial complex in operation, South Korean officials said on Monday, while the South indicated that it might reconsider its decision to revive psychological warfare against the North. The two movements showed that the two Koreas were carefully weighing the option of easing their confrontation, analysts said.”
* A severe storm forced President Obama to cancel his prepared Memorial Day remarks in Illinois this afternoon, fearful that the lightening may be dangerous for the audience. When it became apparent the storm would not clear anytime soon, the president met with families on buses where attendees had taken shelter.
* Germany’s president, a largely ceremonial post, was forced to resign after making controversial remarks about using the military to protect the country’s economic interests.
* Phoenix was home over the weekend to some large demonstrations both for and against Arizona’s new anti-immigrant law.
* Ohio has seen its biggest jump in job growth in 22 years.
* The World Science Festival will get underway in New York this week. Looks like a great event.
* Great piece from the estimable Jessica Valenti on the “fake feminism” of a certain former half-term governor.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
