Today's edition of quick hits:
* As Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's medical condition was upgraded to today from "serious" to "fair," NBC News' Pete Williams and Andrea Mitchell offer a helpful update on where things stand in Boston.
* In related news: "A preliminary examination of the cellphones and computers used by the Tsarnaev brothers has found no indication of an accomplice in the Boston Marathon bombing, according to a U.S. counter-terrorism source briefed on the FBI investigation."
* Iraq: "Clashes erupted early on Tuesday between Sunni demonstrators and security forces in a northern Sunni town in Iraq, killing at least 14 people and wounding dozens in an escalation likely to enrage anti-government protesters who have been rallying for months. "
* Syria: "Israel's senior military intelligence analyst said Tuesday there was evidence the Syrian government had repeatedly used chemical weapons in the last month, and he criticized the international community for failing to respond, intensifying pressure on the Obama administration to intervene."
* The arc of history bends towards justice around the world: "With a definitive vote by the lower house of Parliament, France on Tuesday became the world's 14th nation, and the third in just two weeks, to approve marriage rights for same-sex couples. The legislation is expected to be approved by the Constitutional Council and signed into law by President François Hollande in time to allow the country's first same-sex weddings this summer."
* Another ricin incident? "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Tuesday that there has been another ricin incident at Bolling Air Force Base in Southeast Washington, D.C. 'We've had another incident today I'm told at Bolling Air Force Base. Same substance,' said Reid."
* For now, the measure has broad support: "Legislation that would empower states to tax online purchases cleared a key hurdle in the Senate on Monday after winning an enthusiastic endorsement from President Obama."
* Really? "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters Tuesday that Democrats may have a path forward on reviving gun legislation expanding background checks, but he suggested it's still a work-in-progress."
* A broken Senate: "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is putting a procedural hold on President Obama's pick to run the Energy Department (DOE), an aide told The Hill on Tuesday. Graham is blocking Ernest Moniz until he receives answers about how the Energy Secretary nominee will handle a nuclear waste disposal program in South Carolina."
* Maybe Congress can focus on jobs: "Goldman Sachs economists predicted on Friday that the federal budget deficit will shrink over the next few years by more than previously projected."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.