Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and I can’t remember the last time I saw the sun in Chicago. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Trump’s lawyers wrap up their defense as questions linger about Bolton

President Donald Trump’s legal team concluded their opening arguments today as pressure builds for senators to call witnesses, namely former national security adviser John Bolton.

A handful of Republican senators appear to be siding with Democrats to subpoena Bolton, whose unpublished book manuscript accuses Trump of tying Ukraine’s military aid to investigations of his political rivals. That allegation contradicts Trump’s defense that the two were unrelated.

John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, said last night that he believed Bolton’s allegations and wants the Senate to call witnesses.

The New York Times reports that senators are expected to vote on calling witnesses on Friday. [New York Times]

2. Coronavirus deaths surpass 100 as infections skyrocket in China

Chinese officials say at least 106 people have died from the mysterious new coronavirus, which has rapidly grown overnight to more than 4,500 confirmed cases. The outbreak, which began last month in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has spread throughout China, including the first death this week in China’s capital Beijing.

While China faces a public health crisis, other countries have not seen the virus spread as rapidly from people who brought it from Wuhan. There have been no deaths reported outside of China.

Health officials are not sure if the sharp rise in China’s infections indicates the virus can spread easier than previously believed, has mutated or if monitoring efforts are becoming more effective. [AP]

3. Trump calls for creation of Palestinian state

President Trump announced his long-awaited Middle East peace plan today, and Palestinians have already rejected the proposal, saying it favors Israel at their expense.

Under Trump’s plan, Israel will control a unified Jerusalem as its capital and have sovereignty over settlements in the West Bank that have sparked outrage from Palestinians. The proposal also calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state but offers few details.

Appearing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump said his plan “could be the last opportunity” for Palestinians. [BBC]

4. Former Illinois lawmaker pleads guilty in corruption probe

Ex-state Sen. Martin Sandoval today pleaded guilty to a bribery charge and said he will cooperate with federal authorities, who have mounted a wide-ranging public corruption investigation that has rocked political circles.

In court today, Sandoval admitted he accepted bribes from a red-light camera operator in exchange for his continued support. As WBEZ’s Dave McKinney reports, “Sandoval’s guilty plea represents the first conviction to arise from a series of high-profile federal raids last year that targeted several Springfield insiders, including Sandoval and lobbyist Michael McClain, a longtime confidant to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.” [WBEZ]

5. Will Illinois lawmakers tackle high property taxes this year?

We may know the answer tomorrow, when Gov. JB Pritzker delivers his State of the State address, an event typically used by governors to showcase their agenda for the year. WBEZ will air special coverage of the governor’s address at noon.

In recent public appearances, Pritzker has focused on the state’s reliance on property taxes, as well as the ballooning pension crisis that undermines Illinois’ financial stability. Either issue could face an uphill battle in the legislature as lawmakers face upcoming elections.

Other issues Pritzker could address are early childhood education, criminal justice issues and ethics reforms. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• The U.K. will allow telecom giant Huawei to build a new 5G data network despite U.S. concerns that the Chinese company is a security risk. [NPR]

• The U.S. budget deficit will surpass $1 trillion for the first time since 2012. [AP]

• There are more questions than answers as to why a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others was allowed to fly in dangerous conditions. [USA Today]

• Here’s a look at how Facebook is stalking you and what you can do about it. [Washington Post]

Oh, and one more thing …

I loooove Antiques Roadshow, the PBS television show where folks can get their stuff evaluated by expert appraisers. I love it so much that I even have a drinking game for the show. (More on that later!)

I mention the show because an Air Force veteran brought a Rolex watch on the show and his reaction is … timeless. The vet said he bought the watch for $345 while he was enlisted in the military in the ’70s. He said he wanted to use it for scuba diving, but never ended up wearing it because the watch was so nice. Click the link to find out what happens when the appraiser tells him how much the watch it worth now. [Gizmodo]

Sooo … my drinking game with Antiques Roadshow is to guess how much the item is worth without going over. It’s basically Price is Right rules, except going over in my game isn’t a bad thing. Plus, everyone has to take an automatic shot anytime someone on the show brings a Civil War item, which is pretty much every other person.

Tell me something good …

Teen detective Nancy Drew turns 90 later this year, and I’d like to know who was your favorite childhood literary character.

Gene Tenner writes:

“Any protagonist in a Horatio Alger book was a wonderful read for me. Young, hardworking, honest and eager young boy (the names change) starts a journey and someone tries to take advantage of our hero. By doing the right thing and having morals he always wins in the end. A bit naive, but still a great read.”

Who was your favorite literary character from your childhood? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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