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Tuesday's Mini-Report

<p>Today's edition of quick hits:* Unrest in Athens as German Chancellor Angela Merkel traveled to Greece, offering "sympathy but no

Today's edition of quick hits:

* Unrest in Athens as German Chancellor Angela Merkel traveled to Greece, offering "sympathy but no promise of further aid on her first visit since the euro crisis erupted three years ago."

* The heartbreaking story of Malala Yousafzai: "A 14-year-old Pakistani activist who won international acclaim for speaking out for girls denied education under the Taliban was shot and seriously wounded Tuesday on her way home from school, authorities said."

* Under-reported story of the day: "The Supreme Court closed a 6-year-old chapter Tuesday in the Electronic Frontier Foundation's bid to hold the nation's telecoms liable for allegedly providing the National Security Agency with backdoors to eavesdrop, without warrants, on Americans' electronic communications in violation of federal law."

* Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition couldn't pass a budget, leading him to order new parliamentary elections in early 2013, roughly eight months ahead of schedule.

* It's a good thing we rescued the auto industry: "General Motors plans to hire up to 10,000 computer professionals in the next three-to-five years as it tries to lead the auto industry with cutting-edge technology."

* Iran: "President Obama on Tuesday signed an executive order tightening sanctions on Iran over its nuclear-enrichment program. The order implements a new Iran sanctions law enacted in August. The White House said the administration's actions 'have created unprecedented pressure on Iran's economy.'"

* Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is publicly urging Democrats "to abandon a tax reform model that calls for ending tax expenditures, many of which benefit middle income earners, in order to finance a large tax rate cut for wealthier people.... Instead, he proposes targeting tax loopholes and deductions that benefit top earners and raising their top income tax rate."

* Following his bizarre antics and unhinged conspiracy theories last week, Jack Welch will no longer be a contributor to Fortune magazine.

* And I love this quote E.J. Dionne Jr. heard from a friend: "When you give conservatives bad news in your polls, they want to kill you," he said. "When you give liberals bad news in your polls, they want to kill themselves."

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.