Today's edition of quick hits:
* My Brother's Keeper: "President Barack Obama on Thursday launched an initiative close to his heart, designed to bring local governments, businesses and philanthropies together to help bolster the lives of young men of color." Trymaine Lee has more.
* Syria: "More than 150 Syrian rebel fighters were killed Wednesday in an ambush by pro-government forces outside Damascus, according to official and opposition accounts. The casualty toll appeared to be one of the largest in a single operation reported during much of the almost 3-year-old war."
* More on this on tonight's show: "The leader of a New Jersey legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closings said newly uncensored emails released today are 'disturbing' and that the two officials at the center of the controversy acted like children."
* Actual serving sizes matter: "The Food and Drug Administration for the first time in two decades will propose major changes to nutrition labels on food packages, putting calorie counts in large type and adjusting portion sizes to reflect how much Americans actually eat."
* Kentucky: "Kentucky must now recognize same sex marriages performed in states where it is legal. U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn today made final a ruling issued earlier this month in which he found that Kentucky's marriage amendment and statutes violate of the right to equal protection under the law."
* Middle East: "President Obama, after avoiding a hands-on role in Middle East peacemaking since the setbacks of his first term, plans to plunge back into the effort, his advisers said this week, starting with an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel."
* Mississippi's right-to-discriminate bill appears to be stumbling: "A House committee on Thursday had a brief discussion on the Senate's Mississippi 'Religious Freedom Restoration Act' and is considering changes in an attempt to allay fears the legislation would allow discrimination against gay people and others."
* On a related note: "Though many cheered when Arizona governor Jan Brewer vetoed SB 1062, the bill that would have made it legal for people to refuse to serve LGBT people on religious grounds, there were also some conservative pundits who were not so happy."
* Health scare: "Attorney General Eric Holder was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon and is 'resting comfortably' at home after a morning health scare, the Justice Department said. Holder was taken to the hospital after falling ill during a morning meeting with senior staff at the Justice Department."
* The irony is rich: "Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) said there were efforts within a Tennessee Volkswagen plant to intimidate workers to join the United Auto Workers Union. Those efforts, Corker said, happened during a vote by the workers on whether to join the union or not."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.