Today's edition of quick hits:
* Conditions in Syria have deteriorated since Friday, including the Syrian government massacring civilians. The United States and a string of other nations expelled Syrian diplomats from their respective capitals today.
* In Afghanistan, the U.S.-led NATO force killed al Qaeda's second highest leader, Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Mushtaq and Nasim.
* When it comes to designating terrorists for kill or capture, the New York Times reports that President Obama personally approves "every new name on an expanding 'kill list.'" With little to no oversight, "it is the president who has reserved to himself the final moral calculation."
* Tehran gets Flamed: "The computers of high-ranking Iranian officials appear to have been penetrated by a data mining virus called Flame, in what may be the most destructive cyber attack on Iran since the notorious Stuxnet virus, an Iranian cyber defense organization confirmed on Tuesday."
* Right about now, hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Americans are "receiving their final unemployment checks sooner than they expected." That's bad for them, their families, and the larger economy.
* Terence Flynn, a Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board accused of leaking inside information to GOP allies, has resigned (thanks to reader R.P. for the tip).
* Six years ago, who was right about John Roberts' approach to high court jurisprudence, Barack Obama or Roberts himself? James Fallows knows the answer.
* And Medal of Freedom winners were honored at a White House ceremony today.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.