Tuesday's Mini-Report, 12.13.16

Today's edition of quick hits:* Syria: "The bloody four-year siege of Aleppo appears to be nearing the end. A cease-fire agreement has been reached that would allow civilians and remaining rebel fighters trapped in the besieged Syrian city to evacuate, NBC confirmed Tuesday."* Ohio: "Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday used his line-item veto authority to strike down the so-called 'heartbeat bill' legislation that would have created the most restrictive abortion law in the nation. At the same time, Kasich signed into law a separate piece of legislation, SB 127, that forbids abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, a move that certainly will prompt court challenges."* Only a few cabinet slots remain: "President-elect Donald Trump has offered the interior secretary position to Montana's freshman Rep. Ryan Zinke, an ex-Navy Seal commander, according to two transition officials and someone familiar with the offer."* In Michigan, it looks like new voter-ID restrictions are not going to advance, at least not in the state legislature's ongoing lame-duck session.* Oklahoma: "The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday permanently blocked a state law that would have required abortion providers to have special relationships with hospitals, in continuing fallout from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this year striking down a similar provision in Texas."* Maybe someone should let Trump know about this: "The Arctic saw the warmest temperatures ever recorded in 2016, according to an annual report released Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration."* Illinois: "Ex-Republican Congressman Aaron Schock on Monday pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he improperly used campaign and taxpayer money to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, and said after the hearing that he was confident 'justice will prevail.'"* The end of an error, I mean, era: "Twenty-one years after co-founding The Weekly Standard with executive editor Fred Barnes, editor Bill Kristol announced his retirement from that position on Monday."* It's weird when members of the Bush/Cheney administration seem so reasonable compared to today's Republicans: "Christine Todd Whitman is arguably the most prominent figure ever to lead the Environmental Protection Agency under a Republican president, and she has critical words for Donald Trump's potentially disastrous pick Scott Pruitt."* It continues to bother me that Trump, even now, just doesn't understand what the unemployment rate is.Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.