MONDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* The Ivory Coast crisis comes to an end, as Laurent Gbagbo was pulled from his burning residence by the country’s military and French personnel. “Images of Gbagbo being led into a room in a white undershirt were broadcast on television as proof of his capture even as he refused to sign a statement formally ceding power after losing November’s election.”
* Pakistan to CIA: you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here: “Pakistan has demanded that the United States steeply reduce the number of Central Intelligence Agency operatives and Special Operations forces working in Pakistan, and that it put on hold C.I.A. drone strikes aimed at militants in northwest Pakistan, a sign of the near collapse of cooperation between the two testy allies.”
* Moammar Gaddafi has reportedly accepted a cease-fire plan proposed by the African Union, but Libyan rebels aren’t on board.
* The right call from the 9th Circuit: “A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the most contested provisions of Arizona’s immigration law will remain blocked from taking effect, handing the Obama administration a victory in its efforts to overturn the legislation.”
* Dear White House officials, please start communicating with congressional members of your own party.
* If you missed it over the weekend, John Cole has a gem of a piece on Paul Ryan’s House GOP budget plan.
* Security threat: “The U.S. government has prevented more than 350 people suspected of ties to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups from boarding U.S.-bound commercial flights since the end of 2009, The Associated Press has learned.”
* On a related note, as Yemen’s government falters, it’s likely to become al Qaeda’s “main home.”
* Rush Limbaugh doesn’t like the budget deal that Republicans seem to have won.
* Michael Waldman, President Clinton’s former chief speechwriter, has some good advice for President Obama and his team when it comes to fighting to protect Medicare.
* When a professor is caught selling grades, it’s pretty tough to spin it as offering students “incentives.”
* Mariah Blake asks an important question that U.S. officials and the nuclear industry should answer: “Why is the U.S. intent on imitating one of Fukushima’s scariest flaws?”
* My only problem with the “Saturday Night Live” sketch about “Fox & Friends” was that it was a little too similar to the real thing, which freaked me out. Indeed, the sketch-comic actors may have been reading actual transcripts for a script.
* On a related note, Walgreens has officially explained that it does not offer pap smears or breast exams. I’m sure Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade will want to air a correction.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
