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Wednesday's Mini-Report, 6.2.21

Today's edition of quick hits.

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Today's edition of quick hits:

* A burgeoning political earthquake in Israel: "It appears the magician has finally run out of tricks. The opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that they had reached an agreement to form a government and oust him from office, in all likelihood spelling the end of the veteran leader's 12-year grip on power."

* Ransomware attacks: "President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he was examining whether the U.S. would retaliate for a cyberattack linked to Russian-based hackers targeting the country's largest meat producer. 'We're looking closely at that issue,' Biden said when asked if he could retaliate against Russia."

* Vaccine campaign: "President Joe Biden is using free child care and the lure of a complimentary beer to try to persuade more Americans to get vaccinated against Covid-19, part of a push to reach his goal of 70 percent of adults having their first shot by July 4."

* Guilty plea: "A Florida man who was photographed carrying a large red 'Trump 2020' flag inside the Senate chamber during the Capitol riot pleaded guilty Wednesday to reduced charges. Paul Allard Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa was arrested Feb. 16 after the FBI said it received a tip identifying him among the hundreds seen in photos and videos inside the Capitol."

* Relief aid works: "A new analysis of Census Bureau surveys argues that the two latest rounds of aid significantly improved Americans' ability to buy food and pay household bills and reduced anxiety and depression, with the largest benefits going to the poorest households and those with children. The analysis offers the fullest look at hardship reduction under the stimulus aid."

* On the market: "Former president Donald Trump's company has again hired a broker to sell the lease to its D.C. hotel, according to two people familiar with the discussions, a second attempt to unload the property after the pandemic thwarted a previous effort."

* On the first day of Pride Month: "Florida's Republican governor signed a bill Tuesday barring transgender girls and women from playing on girls sports teams at public schools, plunging the state into the national culture war over transgender rights."

* Noted without comment: "A right-wing Florida pastor was hospitalized with Covid-19, weeks after saying vaccination efforts were part of a 'mass death campaign.' Rick Wiles wrote Tuesday on TruNews.com, where he propagates homophobic, racist and other hateful conspiracy theories, that he had Covid-related pneumonia and difficulty breathing."

See you tomorrow.