NEWS: House Democrats launched an expansive inquiry into possible obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and corruption by President Donald Trump, his administration and personal business operations. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent out a flurry of letters requesting troves of documents to various executive branch agencies, as well as entities tied to the president such as the Trump Foundation. (New York Times)
SPORTS: With a 29-2 winning streak this season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs seemed poised to rise to the top in the post season NCAA tournament. But, ever cautious, Will Maupin notes that they still have to wade through the unpredictable scheduling of March Madness.
IN OTHER NEWS...
Medical milestone
A second person diagnosed with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) appears to be cured and is in long-term remission after a stem-cell transplant, marking a historic milestone in the longstanding fight against the disease. The development comes roughly a decade after Timothy Ray Brown, commonly known as the "Berlin patient," was cured with a similar method. (Washington Post)
Inadequate care
Sick or injured undocumented migrants who cross into the U.S. along the Southern border and are detained in U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities aren't getting provided with basic medical care, resulting in deaths and the neglect of serious injuries. Some critics chalk it up to the federal agency's lack of staff or procedures to effectively administer quality care at these facilities. (New York Times)
The cost of (trade) war
Negotiations between Chinese and American officials are wrapping up to end President Donald Trump's trade war. However, the concessions that China is likely to grant in exchange for Trump easing tariffs appear to be vague and minimal, making stakeholders wonder if the trade war was justified given the damage inflicted to the U.S. economy. (New York Times)
Tom Brenner/The New York Times
President Donald Trump at a bilateral dinner meeting with President Xi Jinping of China during the Group of 20 summit at the Hyatt Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dec. 1, 2018. Trump and Xi agreed to pause the trade war between the world’s two largest economies for 90 days, but no concrete commitments were made.
Voting sooner
A bill that would move Washington's presidential primary election to March, lining it up with "Super Tuesday," when 10 other states across the nation also hold their primary elections, has passed the state Legislature and heads to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk. However, both major political parties continue to operate the caucus process in the state as a way to allocate delegates during primaries, making the statewide election largely symbolic. (Spokesman-Review)
Chilly winter
This past February has been logged as one of the snowiest in recent history, while March is projected to continue the trend with a frigid cold streak. Bundle up, kids. (Spokesman-Review)
