Good afternoon, it’s Monday! And my dog spares no expense for comfort . Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. The Trump administration’s shifting explanation for Soleimani killing

President Donald Trump recently said, without providing any evidence, that four American embassies were targeted by Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. As The New York Times notes, it’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s “fluctuating” rationale for the killing of Soleimani. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, protests erupted in Iran after top officials admitted to unintentionally shooting down an Ukrainian jetliner. The plane crashed near Tehran shortly after Iran launched a missile strike last week against two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops.

Videos from a Sunday night demonstration in Tehran appear to show gunfire and an injured woman being carried away in the aftermath of violence. Tehran’s police chief denied officers opened fire on protesters. [BBC]

2. Pritzker official resigns amid fallout from “rape in Champaign” email

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker sought and received the resignation of state Agriculture Secretary John Sullivan, who did not report a former lobbyist’s 2012 email defending a state worker facing disciplinary action who allegedly kept quiet about an unspecified “rape in Champaign.”

It represents the first measurable fallout from last week’s exclusive WBEZ report about former lobbyist Michael McClain’s explosive email that is now the subject of an investigation involving the Illinois State Police, state executive inspector general and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s office. [WBEZ]

3. Oscar nominations spark familiar complaints

The 2020 Academy Awards nominated only one person of color in a major acting category, and women were shut out of the best directing category, reviving criticism over the lack of diversity at the Oscars.

Critics pointed to a long list of notable snubs to further illustrate the lack of diversity in the nominations. Among the acclaimed performances not nominated were Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers, Awkwafina in Farewell, Eddie Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name and Lupita Nyong’o in Us. [Deadline]

4. A look at how political clout works in Chicago

When a popular bar in Pilsen got in trouble with the city, the owners reached out to then-Ald. Danny Solis for help. Solis, who was one of the most powerful members of the City Council at the time, successfully intervened on behalf of Harbee Liquors.

And then the bar hired one of Solis’ longtime aides as a bouncer, which would help launch a new career in private security with the politically connected Blue Line Security Solutions.

The aide, Francisco Lassio, kept his city job as Solis’ director of city services and later as chief of staff, where he was repeatedly involved in getting city permits for festivals that hired Blue Line to keep the peace, according to a Better Government Association/WBEZ investigation. [WBEZ]

5. Queen Elizabeth II agrees to “part-time” royal status for Prince Harry and Meghan

The queen’s decision comes after a family meeting of senior royals to discuss Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s announcement to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family” and split their time between Britain and Canada.

If I were nearing 100 years old and had a grandkid living with me for years, I’d be like, “Hell yeah, get out.” But I guess that sort of thing is controversial when you’re living on the public’s dime, er pound, in Britain. [AP]

Meanwhile, a bar in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood says it’s throwing a fundraiser to help the not-so-senior royals become financially independent, but the money raised actually goes toward helping people impacted by Australia’s wildfires. [Block Club Chicago]

Here’s what else is happening

• Sen. Cory Booker dropped out of the race for the Democritic presidential nomination. [NPR]

• U.S. Attorney Gen. William Barr said last month’s shooting at a Florida naval station was “an act of terrorism.” [CNN]

• Chicago Public Schools is struggling to hire certified school nurses, so it’s looking at nurses with less training. [WBEZ]

• When a president is impeached, tourism spikes in this town in Tennessee. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

I rewatched the movie Fargo over the weekend and forgot how the film perfectly plays off the hilarity of being “Midwest nice,” when folks are nice to people regardless of the circumstances.

This week’s Curious City looks into the phenomenon of “Midwest nice” to see if it’s just a stereotype or a real thing. [WBEZ]

And speaking of Fargo, the television series sparked by the movie has a new season coming out that was filmed in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. [Block Club Chicago]

Tell me something good …

So we’re in movie awards season, and I’d like to know what movies you enjoyed over the last year.

I could not stop watching the suspenseful, and at times hilarious, Parasite, which follows a family in South Korea that finds an unusual path out of poverty. I don’t want to give a better description of the movie because I’ll give away too much.

What’s your favorite movie from the last year? 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.