Today's edition of quick hits:
* In Syria, a tenuous, uncertain cease-fire begins, and for now, conditions are far calmer than they were.
* The next step with Tehran: "The six world powers gathering here for nuclear talks beginning Friday are themselves sharply divided over how best to curb Iran's ambitions while defusing the possibility of a disastrous new military confrontation in the volatile Middle East."
* Zimmerman appears in court: "Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman made his first court appearance Thursday on a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, as a court document provided new details on the prosecution's case."
* For many homeowners in need of relief, the Hardest Hit Fund has been a bitter disappointment.
* Is the Euromess back? Yes. Did it ever really go away? Not really.
* The right may find this inconvenient, but the federal budget deficit appears to be shrinking.
* The UC Davis pepper-spray controversy was the result of "critically flawed" decisions.
* A case worth watching: "Planned Parenthood branches in Texas have filed a federal lawsuit in an effort to block their exclusion from the state's Women's Health Program."
* Why did the White House punt on an ENDA-like executive order? Inquiring minds want to know.
* And it didn't take long at all for Fox News to track down and fire its "mole," who turned out to be a man by the name of Joe Muto. Fox News is reportedly seeking civil and criminal penalties.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.