Hey there, it’s Thursday! And the weather has made this a fantastic week to work on Navy Pier, where the prestigious institution known as WBEZ is located right next to a fun house. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. The Senate’s witness swap in the impeachment trial appears to be over

The Washington Post this week reported that several Senate Democrats were privately discussing a witness trade, essentially offering the testimony of Hunter Biden if Republicans allowed the testimony of former national security adviser John Bolton or a key administration official.

Now the Post is reported that Democrats appear to have “shut down talk” of the deal. [Washington Post]

The House impeachment managers today resumed their opening arguments before the Senate, which you can listen to on WBEZ at 91.5 FM or online.

Democrats today are focusing on the first article of impeachment, that President Donald Trump abused his power in attempting to pressure Ukraine into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. [NPR]

Meanwhile, senators have only two drink options while the trial is in session, and they have former Sen. Everett Dirksen of Illinois to thank for that. [WBEZ]

2. China quarantines city of 11 million people in an unprecedented move to contain coronavirus

China’s lockdown in the city of Wuhan comes as cases of a deadly strain of coronavirus are multiplying. Wuhan is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed at least 17 people and sickened more than 570 since it broke out last month.

Authorities have sealed off highways, airports, train stations and other public transportation services in an effort to prevent people from leaving and entering Wuhan. [NPR]

Here’s a look at how the new strain of coronavirus compares to other viruses, like the common cold. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, medical experts are questioning the effectiveness of China’s quarantine as the virus has infected travelers in Washington state, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan. [New York Times]

3. Trump administration issues new rules restricting “birth tourism”

The administration’s latest effort in curbing immigration targets pregnant women who travel to the U.S. to give birth so their children can have U.S. citizenship.

Under the new rules, which take effect tomorrow, consular officers aboard can deny visas to pregnant women if their primary reason for coming to the U.S. is to give birth. How officers will determine whether a woman is pregnant and what her intentions are remains an open question, especially since officers do not have the right to ask women if they are pregnant during visa interviews.

Conservatives have long railed against what they call “anchor babies,” though it’s unclear if it contributes to a significant amount of immigration. Critics say the Trump administration’s new policy could put pregnant women at risk. [AP]

4. Four South Side hospitals are seeking to merge into a new health care system

Hospital leaders say the $1.1 billion plan is an effort to better serve South Side neighborhoods that face greater health challenges than other parts of the city.

The plan includes Advocate Trinity Hospital in Calumet Heights, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Bronzeville, South Shore Hospital in South Chicago and St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood, reports the Chicago Tribune. Hospital officials told the newspaper the plan includes building at least one new hospital and could include closing down one of the existing hospitals.

The plan comes a year after an analysis from the NYU School of Medicine found the average life expectancy of Englewood residents is about 60 years, while residents of Streeterville, which is 9 miles away, live an average of about 90 years. That’s the largest gap between nearby neighborhoods in the country, the school found. [Chicago Tribune]

5. The Obama portraits are coming to Chicago

The official portraits of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will be displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago next year as part of a five-city tour, the National Portrait Gallery announced today.

Chicago will be the first stop on the tour beginning in June of 2021. The Art Institute plans on hanging the portraits in a gallery beyond the museum’s “Grand Staircase” and near Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” reports the Chicago Tribune.

The tour of the portraits also includes stops in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• A U.N. court ordered Myanmar to prevent the genocide of the country’s remaining Rohingya Muslims. [NPR]

• The Chicago Board of Education renewed contracts for 33 private charter schools after asking tough questions about how they are evaluated. [WBEZ]

• More than 40 Chicago-area immigrant groups kicked off their outreach efforts this week for the upcoming census. [WBEZ]

• Tell me something I don’t already know. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

A group of scientists has moved the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight, which means it is waaay past my bedtime.

Before someone writes me an angry email about not taking a metaphorical clock seriously, the Doomsday Clock is a symbol of how close humanity is to the apocalypse and considers several factors, like nuclear weapons and climate change.

The clock now stands 100 seconds to midnight, which is the marker for the end of the world. Today’s move means the Doomsday Clock is the closest it’s been to midnight since it was created during the Cold War. (Pops a klonopin.) [CNN]

Tell me something good …

What’s your favorite sitcom?

Kathy writes:

“Mine is still the original I Love Lucy. As a child I attended the morning split session of my Catholic elementary school. Our parish was building a new school for the baby boomers, but it was not ready. So we went in half day shifts.

I got home just in time to see I Love Lucy while my mom made me a delicious not lunch. I laughed at all their pranks and loved Lucy’s stomping on grapes to make wine, her crazy stories that she told Desi Arnaz as she tried to be able to sing in his band, etc.”

And Alex writes:

“Current favorite sitcom: Workin’ Moms on Netflix. Super short but hilariously relateable episodes about moms going back to work after having kids and the daily chaos that they face. Even my husband laughed out loud with me.”

What’s your favorite sitcom? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

Have a nice night! I’ll see you tomorrow. And if you like what you just read, you can subscribe to the newsletter here and have it delivered to your inbox.