Happy Friday! And happy Valentine’s Day! I made you another news quiz for the special day. Hope you enjoy it! Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Trump says he has “legal right” to interfere in Justice Department cases

President Donald Trump today asserted he had a “legal right” as president to intervene in federal criminal cases. His comments come a day after Attorney General William Barr publicly told the president to stop tweeting about the Justice Department, saying the president’s comments have made it “impossible for me to do my job.”

The rare rebuke from Barr comes as the Justice Department faces accusations of bending to the president’s wishes in the sentencing of longtime Trump friend Roger Stone. [AP]

Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that Barr has assigned an outside special prosecutor to review the case against Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn. [New York Times]

And the Justice Department said former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe won’t face charges. [NPR]

2. More details emerge about sexual misconduct allegations at Lincoln Park High School

School administrators allegedly tried minimizing “sexual misconduct allegations, didn’t protect whistleblowers or alleged victims from bullying and retaliation, withheld key evidence from investigators and lied to families about the status of investigations,” reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

The report offers more information about the allegations that caused Chicago Public Schools to remove several school officials and suspend the boys basketball season at the school. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, CPS has removed a teacher at another North Side high school after he allegedly told a Latina student to “go back to your country” when she wouldn’t stand for the national anthem. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. U.S. and Taliban reach deal that could lead to peace

U.S. officials say they have struck an agreement that would result in a seven-day “reduction in violence,” a measure designed to boost confidence between the two sides. It remains unclear when the deal will go into effect.

If everything goes according to plan, a peace deal could be signed between the U.S. and the Taliban later this month, NPR reports, potentially putting an end to the 18-year conflict in Afghanistan. [NPR]

4. Coronavirus takes toll on medical staff

Chinese officials released figures on infections of medical staff, underscoring the dangers they face as they combat the spread of the deadly virus around the clock.

Six health workers have died, and 1,716 have been infected since the outbreak began. The news comes as local authorities are struggling to provide enough masks and other protective equipment to hospitals.

Meanwhile, some passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship will be allowed to disembark. Another cruise ship, the MS Westerdam, was allowed to dock in Cambodia after other countries turned it away despite having no sick passengers. [BBC]

5. Antarctica sees warmer temperatures than Chicago

A research base in the Antarctic Peninsula recorded temperatures near 70 degrees this week, appearing to blow past a record 65-degree reading taken just days before.

Officials are reviewing the latest finding to determine if the temperature, taken on Feb. 9, qualifies as the hottest temperature on record for Antarctica. The region is one of the fastest-warming places in the world. [Washington Post]

Meanwhile, today is the coldest Valentine’s Day in Chicago since 1943. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• A Cook County official has been indicted in the sprawling federal corruption investigation that’s roiled Illinois politics. [WBEZ]

• Embattled R&B singer R. Kelly faces an updated indictment that includes a new accuser. [AP]

• A Chicago-area teen wants kids to know it’s OK to come out at a young age. [WBEZ]

• Good thing this asteroid isn’t hitting … Navy Pier … where WBEZ is located. [Boston Herald]

Oh, and one more thing …

It’s a particularly cold Valentine’s Day today, and WBEZ’s Curious City took the temperature of the city’s dating scene a few years back in this hilarious and fascinating report.

They discovered several trends after hearing dating stories, both good and bad, from listeners. For example, winter is known as a “cuffing season” when “you have your main boo, but in the summer months you have multiple boos,” one listener explained. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

It’s Valentine’s Day! What plans do you have today?

Ari M. writes:

“My girlfriend and I unintentionally had our first date on Valentine’s day in 2018, and tomorrow we’re celebrating our two year anniversary!”

Toni Lichtenstein Bogolub writes:

“As I do every year, I will be at a wonderful science fiction convention in Wheeling. Capricorn is held every year in about mid-February.”

And Zach writes:

“Every year, my wife and I throw a party for all of our friends: single, dating, married or whatever!

“This year, we’re calling it The Valentine’s Party for the People and calling ourselves The People’s Valentine’s Movement. Our goal is take Feb. 14 back from the greedy couples by hosting a party devoid of the pressure to have a significant other, because we believe ALL others are significant!”

Thank you to everyone who shared their V-Day plans this week!

Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I’ll see you on Monday.