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1. President Trump

In his State of the Union address, President Trump warned Democrats to drop new congressional investigations against him. Well, Democrats called his bluff . House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff announced a sweeping new look into Trump's finances . Schiff said the probe would go "beyond Russia" into whether the President's financial interests are driving his actions and whether any foreign interests have leverage over Trump, his family, his businesses or associates. It's all sure to tick off the President, who once told The New York Times any investigation into his finances was crossing a red line . He also called Schiff a political hack who's engaging in presidential harassment.

2. Virginia politics

Virginia Democrats didn't think things could get any worse. Yesterday, they did. Mark Herring, the state's Democratic attorney general, admitted he appeared in blackface at a college party in 1980. Then Vanessa Tyson, the woman who accused Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexually assaulting her, put out a long and compelling statement describing the alleged 2004 attack. Fairfax once again denied her claims. The day's events were a double dose of chaos for state Dems still reeling from Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam's admission that he wore blackface in the '80s and from fallout over a racist photo on Northam's medical school yearbook page. Northam says he won't resign.

Virginia Democrats, who had spent years trying to turn the state more solidly blue, fear the GOP will use this trio of scandals to chip away at Democratic gains . There's also the possibility that if Northam, Fairfax and Herring were all to resign, the state would be led by a Republican. Kirk Cox, the GOP speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, would be next in line to take over.

JUST WATCHED All three top Virginia officials are embroiled in scandal — what now? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH All three top Virginia officials are embroiled in scandal — what now? 03:46

3. Venezuela

The Venezuelan government is blocking a bridge connecting the country to Colombia, Colombian officials and a CNN photojournalist say. The blockage stops the delivery of humanitarian aid , called for by Venezuela's opposition, from being delivered via that route. Venezuela's opposition leader and self-declared president Juan Guaido last week named the Colombian border town of Cucuta as one of three collection points for the delivery of international aid. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says, "We are not beggars," and has rejected the international aid for his crisis-stricken country.

4. Climate change

The Earth just keeps getting hotter and hotter. 2018 was the fourth-hottest year on record , NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. And that follows a disturbing pattern. The past five years have been the five hottest years, and 18 of the hottest 19 years have come since 2001. The average global temperature has risen about 2 degrees Fahrenheit (a little more than 1 degree Celsius) since the 1880s. That's about two-thirds of the way to the warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius set in the Paris climate agreement. Scientists believe if the planet gets hotter than that, it greatly increases the risk of extreme droughts, wildfires, floods and food shortages for hundreds of millions of people.

JUST WATCHED Undeniable climate change facts (2018) Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Undeniable climate change facts (2018) 01:48

5. James Brown

The doctor who signed James Brown's death certificate does not believe he died of natural causes. A friend says he has a vial of blood that could be evidence of murder . The location of Brown's body remains mysterious. And a woman says a black duffel bag might contain evidence related to Brown's death. The Godfather of Soul has been dead for 12 years, but the questions have not been put to rest. Read the stunning conclusion to Thomas Lake's three-part investigative series, "Lost in the Woods with James Brown's Ghost."

JUST WATCHED Questions surround James Brown's death Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Questions surround James Brown's death 02:23

BREAKFAST BROWSE

'Let the little children come to me'

Security was tight. But that wasn't going to stop a little girl from giving the Pope a letter before that historic Mass in the UAE.

Gone but not forgotten

Kristoff St. John's final episode on "The Young and the Restless" aired yesterday. And the soap will honor the late actor with a tribute tomorrow

JUST WATCHED 'The Young & the Restless' star dead at 52 Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 'The Young & the Restless' star dead at 52 00:55

'Simpsons' forever

Fox renewed "The Simpsons" for two more seasons , which means we now have to seriously consider the possibility that the show will outlive us all.

Sacred sign

The most blessed beach in Florida might be in Fort Lauderdale, where a giant cross washed up on shore.

The robots are coming

In Hangzhou, China, artificial intelligence controls traffic . That normally would alarm us, but if it helps clear the roads, we're all for it.

JUST WATCHED Urban digitization eases traffic in Hangzhou Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Urban digitization eases traffic in Hangzhou 02:46

TODAY'S NUMBER

97

JUST WATCHED Words of wisdom from a 'geriatric starlet' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Words of wisdom from a 'geriatric starlet' 02:50

TODAY'S QUOTE

"These emails do not reflect the culture we've worked so hard to build at the Chicago Cubs."

Tom Ricketts, Cubs team chairman apologizing for racist statements against Muslims found in old emails written by his father, Joe Ricketts

AND FINALLY

Musical mashup