Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and I’m counting down the days until my nephews are begging to be taken to the Super Mario theme park that’s opening in California next year. They especially love the evil Bowser and his flying ship. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Trump’s false voter fraud claims emerge in Illinois’ Republican primaries

The deadline for candidates to submit their paperwork for the June primaries was yesterday.

The filings show the races to secure the GOP’s nominations for governor and attorney general are shaping up to be competitive. The gubernatorial primary election alone includes a whopping eight candidates.

But the paperwork also reflects the GOP’s internal wrangling over the influence of former President Donald Trump — especially when it comes to his false claims of voting fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Case in point: A slate of candidates — dubbing themselves “We Are The People Illinois!” — that embraces Trump’s discredited claims. One of those candidates is former Chicago police officer Michelle Turney, who is running for secretary of state and vowing to sell “all voting machines.” [WBEZ]

2. Pfizer and BioNTech will seek emergency authorization for a second COVID-19 booster shot

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, are expected to submit an application to federal regulators today, seeking emergency authorization for a second booster shot for Americans aged 65 and over, reports The Washington Post.

The application will reportedly include data from Israel, one of the few countries that has authorized a second booster for older people.

“The decision from the FDA could come relatively quickly, especially if officials conclude the data is straightforward and does not have to be reviewed by a panel of outside vaccine experts,” the Post reports. [WaPo]

The news comes as surges in Europe and China could mean the United States will soon face a similar situation.

But some health experts say that while caseloads are likely to go up, many Americans are protected against severe illness thanks to vaccines and natural immunity from previous infections. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, the White House says it will wind down a program that pays to test, treat and vaccinate people who don’t have health insurance. Congress recently declined to boost funding for the program. [NPR]

3. Biden will travel to Europe next week to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

The White House today announced that President Joe Biden will travel to Brussels on March 24 to meet with NATO and European leaders.

The trip follows Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit last week to Poland and Romania to discuss the growing refugee crisis as millions of people flee war-torn Ukraine. [AP]

The news comes as the prime ministers of three European Union nations — Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia — are traveling by train to Kyiv today to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Meanwhile, Ukraine maintains control of the capital of Kyiv as Russian forces are about 10 miles away from the city’s center. Kyiv’s mayor has enacted a curfew from Tuesday night through Thursday morning.

As the fighting nears its third week, Zelenskyy tomorrow will give a virtual address to the U.S. Congress. [NPR]

4. A far-right leader reportedly had a detailed plan to storm government buildings on Jan. 6

Federal prosecutors found a document in the possession of Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the far-right Proud Boys, that lays out a plan to stake out and storm government buildings around the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, reports The New York Times, citing people familiar with the document.

That plan, titled “1776 Returns,” does not specifically mention an attack on the Capitol.

But it adds “substantial new details about the scope and complexity of the plan it set out for directing an effort to occupy six House and Senate office buildings and the Supreme Court last Jan. 6,” the Times reports. [NYT]

Meanwhile, Ginni Thomas, the controversial wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, said she attended a Jan. 6 rally to protest the election of President Joe Biden. [NPR]

5. Marvel unveils the first trailer for Ms. Marvel, the MCU’s first Muslim superhero

Marvel Studios today released the first trailer for Ms. Marvel, an upcoming TV show on Disney+ that introduces the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The series follows Kamala Khan, a Pakistani American teen living in New Jersey who idolizes Captain Marvel. I won’t spoil anything, but the comic book is really charming and reminiscent of Peter Parker’s early days as Spider-Man.

And judging from the trailer, the TV series looks like it does a good job of channeling the comic’s vibe.

The only downside is the series is slated to drop on June 8, which feels like forever. [A.V. Club]

Here’s what else is happening

• The Chicago police officers who fatally shot 13-year-old Adam Toledo and Anthony Alvarez last year will not face criminal charges, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced today. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Illinois faces a crisis of older undocumented workers who do not have access to many government safety nets. [Injustice Watch]
• Chicago police detectives are being trained on investigating drug deaths as potential homicides. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Scientists at the University of Chicago have created a skin graft to treat drug and alcohol addictions. [Chicago Tribune]

Oh, and one more thing …

Poodles are making a comeback, appearing on the American Kennel Club’s top five most popular dog breeds for the first time in nearly a quarter-century, reports The Associated Press.

Labrador retrievers, however, still retain their No. 1 for an unprecedented 31 straight years.

After Labs come French bulldogs, golden retrievers, German shepherds, poodles, bulldogs, beagles, Rottweilers, German shorthaired pointers and dachshunds. [AP]

Tell me something good …

Have you read anything good lately? I’m looking for a good book to escape into after reading the news all day.

Jessica Oakes writes:

“My favorite book I finished recently was Kyle Lucia Wu’s Win Me Something, a very relatable story about a 20-something young woman working as a nanny while unsure of where she wants her life to go from there.”

And Kate Schriner writes:

“Yes to Circe, and also I just finished Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, which would be a good follow-up given its tie to mythology. An entertaining break and an interesting view on how we’re all connected and our individual actions can impact the ages.”

Feel free to email or tweet me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.