QUICK HITS

1 Air quality: U.S. environmental regulators are leaving intact an air quality standard for power plant pollution that can worsen asthma in children, despite calls by health advocates for a tougher standard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will retain the standard for sulfur dioxide pollution established in 2010 under President Barack Obama.

2 Gifford’s replacement: Jenna Bush Hager will take over Kathie Lee Gifford’s seat at the table of the fourth hour of the “Today” show in April, NBC News announced. Hager has been with “Today” for 10 years as a correspondent and contributor. A frequent fill-in co-host, she is a “Today” viewer favorite, and her profile increased recently during network coverage of the death of her grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush.

3 Senate vote: The Senate voted this week on a bill that Republicans say would guarantee additional protections to an infant who survives an abortion or attempted abortion. The bill fell short on a procedural vote, 5344. Sixty votes were required to proceed on the measure.

4 The Cure drummer dies: Longtime drummer Andy Anderson, a former member of The Cure, died. He was 68. Anderson had announced on Facebook last week he was battling stage 4 cancer. His death was confirmed Tuesday night by his former bandmate in The Cure, Lol Tolhurst.

5 Red tide was bad: Experts say the red tide that plagued Florida’s coastline for 15 months was one of the five worst toxic algae events in the state’s recorded history. The longest was a 30-month red tide that began in 1994 and ended in 1997.