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Friday's Mini-Report, 4.18.14

Today's edition of quick hits.
Today's edition of quick hits:
 
* Ukraine: "The leader of a group of pro-Russian separatists said Friday that he would ignore an international agreement to de-escalate the political crisis in eastern Ukraine, saying his group would remain in the government buildings in the regional capital of Donetsk that it commandeered last weekend."
 
* Keystone: "The State Department will delay its decision on whether to allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline until it has a clearer idea how legal challenges to the pipeline's route through Nebraska will be settled, sources briefed on the matter said Friday. The final decision may now be pushed back until after the congressional midterm elections in November."
 
* Immigration: "Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) office on Friday moved to tamp down speculation that GOP leaders are preparing to act on immigration reform. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Boehner last month told donors at a Las Vegas fundraiser that he was 'hellbent on getting this done this year,' referring to immigration legislation." This morning, Boehner's office made clear, "Nothing has changed" (i.e., nothing will happen).
 
* Iran: "President Obama on Friday signed legislation aimed at stopping Hamid Aboutalebi, Iran's would-be U.N. ambassador, from entering the United States. The bill, offered by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and passed unanimously in both chambers of Congress, blocks admittance to the U.S. by representatives to the United Nations determined to have 'engaged in terrorist activity' against the U.S. or its allies."
 
* Nepal: "An avalanche swept down a climbing route on Mount Everest early Friday, killing at least 12 Nepalese guides and leaving four missing in the deadliest disaster on the world's highest peak. Several more were injured."
 
* Income inequality matters: "The wealthier you are, the longer you'll live. And if you're a low-income woman, you're less likely than an earlier generation to make it to your 55th birthday. That's the conclusion of a harrowing study by economist Barry Bosworth of the Brookings Institution, analyzing data from the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Study which measured life expectancy at 55 across income ranges and gender, comparing a cohort born in 1920 with one born in 1940."
 
* Will the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact successfully circumvent a flawed Electoral College model? Nate Silver makes the case that the odds are against it.
 
* As someone who makes regrettable typos all the time, all I can say is, uh oh: "The spell-check function in Gov. Brian Sandoval's office apparently has a racy sense of humor. A staff member who authored a gubernatorial proclamation declaring this week state employee appreciation week, misspelled the word 'cultural' in describing the work state employees do to protect 'cultural resources.' The result: the proclamation honored a not-safe-for-work part of the female anatomy."
 
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.