Bob's Blog: Some scraps of good news - for now

(CBS News) -- This is the first Friday in a while with any good news to report.

After street battles Wednesday between police and protestors in Ferguson, Mo., tensions are finally simmering down. Gov. Jay Nixon stepped in Thursday and ordered the Missouri State Highway Patrol to take over the situation on the ground, which he said looked "like a warzone"

The effects of this change in command were immediately clear: The tank-like vehicles were off the streets and so were the heavily armed officers in military gear. Many questions remain, but there is peace on the streets for the moment. Let's hope that lasts into the weekend.

In Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki finally bowed to international pressure and agreed to step down. A lot has to happen now, as the Iraqi government continues losing ground to ISIS extremists in the north, but Maliki's departure is the first step in the right direction.

And also in the Middle East, a tenuous cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is holding and negotiations are underway in Cairo to forge a long-term deal that will bring stability and quiet.

These issues are far from resolved, but at least there appears to be some tangible progress. And on "Face The Nation" this Sunday, we'll talk about all these stories and much more.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will be on the show to talk about the latest in Ferguson.

We'll also have a conversation with new NAACP president Cornell William Brooks and Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson. This year, after all, is the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson signing the first major civil rights bill. We'll talk about what the shooting in Missouri - and the militarized response from police - says about today's society.

We'll also hear from Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, about the crisis in Iraq and whether U.S. airstrikes can turn the tide in the fight against ISIS militants.

Finally, we'll turn to our panel of journalists for analysis on these big stories and more, including the latest standoff between Russia and Ukraine that has been brewing all week. We'll get insight from Gerald Seib of The Wall Street Journal, Ruth Marcus of The Washington Post, Michael Gerson of The Washington Post and Peter Baker of The New York Times.

I hope you'll tune in this Sunday. Check your local listings.