Today's edition of quick hits:
* Malala Yousafzai, the 14-year-old Pakistani girl shot and nearly killed by the Taliban for advocating civil rights, remains in critical condition.
* It's worth noting that the assassination attempt on Yousafzai's life has been strongly denounced by many Pakistani political leaders and international figures, though "religious parties and mosque leaders were largely silent, highlighting the grip that right-wing clerics hold on this increasingly conservative, majority-Muslim country."
* An escalation: "Turkey sharply escalated its confrontation with Syria on Wednesday, forcing a Syrian passenger plane to land in Ankara on suspicion of carrying military cargo, ordering Turkish civilian airplanes to stay out of Syrian airspace and warning of increasingly forceful responses if Syrian artillery gunners keep lobbing shells across the border."
* As Gen. John Allen transitions to his role as the next supreme allied commander in Europe, President Obama has nominated Gen. Joseph Dunford to lead U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
* The Supreme Court "seemed deeply divided" on the future of affirmative action during oral arguments this morning. Aren't the justices deeply divided on just about everything?
* Good call: "South Carolina's law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls was blocked by federal judges in Washington for the Nov. 6 election, the fourth time this year a court has rejected similar legislation."
* Voter intimidation: "New Mexico Attorney General Gary King has launched an investigation into a video that allegedly shows Republican officials giving volunteer poll watchers false information about state election law, his office announced Tuesday."
* In an odd twist, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is attacking Democrats over foreign aid, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is coming to their defense.
* There's apparently some kind of trumped up controversy over foreign donations making the rounds.
* And did Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) accidentally give out a phone-sex hotline when he meant to share the number for a meningitis hotline? Yes, but he's not the first to make this mistake.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
