Today's edition of quick hits:
* As the United States closes its embassy in Syria, msnbc had this report earlier today:
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* Also note the extent to which Western and Arab countries were outraged by the Russia/China veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.
* In Egypt, the military-led government intends to "put 19 Americans and two dozen others on trial in a politically charged criminal investigation into the foreign financing of nonprofit groups."
* The White House, meanwhile, has tightened sanctions against Iran, "freezing all property of the Central Bank of Iran, other Iranian financial institutions and the Iranian government in this country."
* Good news out of Chicago: Sen. Mark Kirk's (R-Ill.) condition has been upgraded to "good," and he was even able to watch the Super Bowl last night.
* Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) appears to have a fairly serious ethics controversy on his hands.
* Paul Krugman: "People of all persuasions lie; but the right has a whole institutional structure of lying that has no counterpart on the left."
* The chart the Obama campaign is using sure does look familiar.
* Iranian hates "The Simpsons"?
* Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) is the latest policymaker to believe a satirical piece from The Onion is a real news story.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.