Friday's Mini-Report, 10.21.16

Today's edition of quick hits:* Bridgegate: "The former aide to Chris Christie who prosecutors say sent the "time for some traffic problems" email that started the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal said Friday that she knew only of a planned traffic study, not an alleged political retribution plot, and described the Republican governor as a bully who once threw a water bottle at her in a fit of rage."* They really shouldn't do stuff like this: "In scenes that haven't been common since the end of the Cold War, Russian warships sailed through the English Channel early Friday in a theatrical display of Russian military might."* Filipino voters did not choose wisely: "Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that his country is separating from the U.S. in a speech before a Beijing economic forum on Thursday, after handing China a major diplomatic victory, agreeing to resume dialogue on their South China Sea territorial dispute following months of acrimony."* On a related note: "Duterte did not detail how he planned to sever ties with the U.S. But the ramifications could be far-reaching, impacting everything from trade to military support to a deep cultural connection with the West."* Fourth Circuit: "A federal court of appeals on Friday reinstated a case brought by four Iraqis who allege they were tortured by employees of CACI while they were held at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq War."* Trouble online today? "Major websites were inaccessible to some East Coast users in the United States Friday morning and to people across the country in the early afternoon after a company that serves as an internet switchboard said it was under attack."* The truth is largely the opposite of what voters are hearing from Trump: "More than seven years after the recession ended, black workers' earnings are accelerating sharply. Median usual weekly earnings for full-time black workers rose 9.8% in the third quarter from a year earlier, the fastest rate of growth on records back to 2000, according to data the Labor Department released Thursday."* Kansas: "A top Kansas state lawmaker called a quote from Adolf Hitler 'profound' and told her Facebook followers to listen to his words closely. Republican House Speaker Pro Tem Rep. Peggy Mast praised the Nazi mass murderer in a post on her Facebook page Thursday."* Bill Murray probably isn't qualified to be a White House press secretary, but seeing him behind the podium in the briefing room was pretty fun.Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.