IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Wednesday's Mini-Report, 5.25.16

Today's edition of quick hits.
Today's edition of quick hits:
 
* Afghanistan: "Four days after their leader was killed in an American drone strike, the Taliban broke their silence early Wednesday to announce that a lesser-known deputy, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, would take over and continue the group's war against the Afghan government."
 
* Related reporting: "The U.S. drone strike that killed the Taliban's leader has also set up a potential leadership struggle between two of the terror group's up-and-comers -- and may signal more attacks on Western targets."
 
* So much interest in bathrooms: "Eleven states have sued the Obama administration over its sweeping directive requiring all public school districts to grant transgender students access to the bathrooms that correspond with their gender identities."
 
* It sure does seem like we knew all of this already: "Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton violated federal records rules through her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, a State Department audit has concluded."
 
* Japan: "The brutal murder of an Okinawa woman, allegedly by a U.S. military contractor, dominated a meeting between the American and Japanese leaders Wednesday night, with President Obama expressing his 'deepest regrets' to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over the 'tragedy.'"
 
* South Carolina: "S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley signed into law Wednesday a ban on abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy or later. The ban offers no exceptions for rape or incest – omissions that opponents say will harm some of the state's most vulnerable women."
 
* My preferred solution is to not go anywhere: "The head of the Transportation Security Administration, facing fierce criticism over long lines at airport security checkpoints, said Wednesday that passengers would most likely continue to experience longer than normal wait times because of an expected increase in summer travel."
 
* Housing market: "New U.S. single-family home sales recorded their biggest gain in 24 years in April, touching a more than eight-year high as purchases increased broadly, a sign of growing confidence in the economy's prospects."
 
* It may be a while before Greece is on strong footing: "One especially soul-crushing prediction comes to us from the International Monetary Fund, which is out with a report analyzing whether Europe's plans for making Athens repay its debts are sustainable over the long term. Its answer, in brief, is no."
 
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.