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Today’s edition of quick hits.
* At the White House: “President Joe Biden issued an executive order Thursday targeting Israeli settlers in the West Bank following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old American citizen last month.”
* A potentially dramatic move: “[A] senior administration official said that policy staff had been tasked to look into the idea of the U.S. recognizing a Palestinian state before it reaches a final deal with Israel to end the war in Gaza.”
* EU backs Ukraine: “The leaders of the 27 European Union countries sealed a deal Thursday to provide Ukraine with a new 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) support package for its war-ravaged economy despite weeks of threats from Hungary to veto the move. European Council President Charles Michel announced the agreement that was reached in the first hour of a summit he was chairing in Brussels.”
* Austin’s mea culpa: “Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin apologized Thursday for not properly handling and communicating his cancer diagnosis and treatment to President Joe Biden, Pentagon staff and the general public. ‘I want to be crystal clear. We did not handle this right. And I did not handle this right,’ Austin said at a news conference at the Pentagon after returning this week since his hospital stay at the beginning of January.”
* On the Hill: “Colorado Republican Ken Buck said Thursday morning that he’s a “solid” no on impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, raising questions about whether the House GOP has the votes to do so.”
* Florida’s latest step backward: “Florida transgender residents are no longer allowed to change the gender on their driver’s license or ID card under the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ new policy.”
* In Indiana: “A video taken by a high school student shows an Indiana lawmaker flash a gun to students who were visiting the statehouse to talk to legislators about gun control.”
* This shouldn’t be difficult: “Congress has missed the deadline it set for itself to install a plaque honoring police for their courage on Jan. 6, 2021, and lawmakers are staying silent on the cause of the delay. The plaque, listing the names of all law enforcement officers who responded as a violent mob attacked the Capitol, was supposed to be finished and placed on the western side of the building by March 2023. Nearly one year later, the plaque has yet to be unveiled.”
See you tomorrow.