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Thursday's Mini-Report, 1.26.17

Today's edition of quick hits.
Today's edition of quick hits:* This won't work: "President Trump will call for a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports in the hopes of raising billions of dollars to help construct a controversial wall along the southern border of the United States -- a move likely to ratchet up the tension between the two nations."* Off to a great start: "President Donald J. Trump's decision to build a wall along the southern border escalated into a diplomatic standoff on Thursday, with Mexico's president publicly canceling a scheduled meeting at the White House and Mr. Trump firing back, accusing Mexico of burdening the United States with illegal immigrants, criminals and a trade deficit."* State Department: "The Trump administration began cleaning house Thursday in the State Department by ousting four top officials."* Staff shake-up: "The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol has resigned after only six months on the job, one day after President Trump announced plans to ratchet up immigration enforcement and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said Thursday."* Quietly meeting with war criminals during their civil wars generally causes problems for a member of Congress: "Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said on CNN today that she met with President Bashar Assad during a recent trip to Syria, an admission that is certain to land her in political hot water in Washington."* Michigan: "Flint's water system no longer has levels of lead exceeding the federal limit, a key finding that Michigan state environmental officials said Tuesday is good news for a city whose 100,000 residents have been grappling with the man-made water crisis."* Navy: "President Donald Trump has tapped businessman Philip Bilden to take over as secretary of the Navy, touting his military intelligence experience and cybersecurity expertise as perfect for the post. Bilden has spent most of his career as a Hong Kong-based venture capitalist."* Elections have all kinds of consequences: "The world is ticking another 30 seconds closer to the apocalypse -- in part because of Donald Trump. At least that's the dire warning from the group of scientists who oversee the metaphorical Doomsday Clock, the hands of which were moved Thursday to two minutes and 30 seconds before midnight -- the time that represents when a catastrophic nuclear event can annihilate the earth. It's the closest the clock has been to midnight since the Cold War of the 1950s."* The new president remains unfamiliar with American political traditions: "Trump saluted as he walked off his Marine helicopter and chatted with an Air Force officer who escorted him to the steps of the plane. He climbed the steps slowly but did not turn around and wave as presidents often do."Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.