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Today's edition of quick hits:
* President Joe Biden is optimistic: "Biden on Friday touted a report showing the economy picked up 559,000 jobs in May and that unemployment hit its lowest level since the pandemic began.... 'No other major economy is gaining jobs as quickly as ours, and none of this success is an accident,' Biden said, as he ticked off provisions in the coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in March that he said are aiding the recovery."
* Afghanistan: "A bipartisan group of lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to immediately evacuate the thousands of Afghans who worked closely with the U.S. government over the past 20 years and will likely be punished by the Taliban once the last American troops leave the country this summer."
* The ransomware threat: "The Biden administration is moving to treat ransomware attacks as a national security threat, using intelligence agencies to spy on foreign criminals and contemplating offensive cyber operations against hackers inside Russia, U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the matter said."
* Hong Kong: "Hundreds of people gathered near a Hong Kong park Friday despite a ban on an annual candlelight vigil to remember China's deadly crackdown in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, and the arrest earlier in the day of an organizer of previous vigils. Hong Kong police banned the vigil for a second straight year, citing coronavirus social distancing restrictions, although there have been no local cases in the semi-autonomous Chinese city for about six weeks."
* Noted without comment: "A Trump supporter accused of storming the US Capitol and heckling police officers for 'protecting pedophiles' previously served jail time after being convicted in the statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl, according to court records reviewed by CNN and lawyers involved in the cases."
* I have nothing constructive to say about this: "Are there alien spacecraft flying above us? A highly anticipated government report sheds little light on the mystery, finding no evidence of extraterrestrial activity but not ruling it out either, according to two U.S. officials."
* I respect Biden's willingness to engage with those who've disagreed with him: "President Biden recently called former treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers, a Democrat who has been openly critical of his economic agenda, to acknowledge Summers's concerns and ask him to explain his objections, according to three people with knowledge of the private exchange."
* How did this happen in the first place? "The NFL on Wednesday pledged to halt the use of 'race-norming' — which assumed Black players started out with lower cognitive function — in the $1 billion settlement of brain-injury claims and review past scores for any potential race bias."
Have a safe weekend.