Whitney Houston has died. The singer was found dead in her room yesterday. She was 48 years-old.

The Arab League steps up. Following a meeting in Cairo today, the league has asked the United Nations to form a peacekeeping force to halt the violence in Syria.

Mittens won last night’s Maine caucuses. He did just slightly better than rival Ron Paul.

As Romney rivals continue to question his commitment to conservative values, Rick Santorum, proving he has been committed, has hired Michele Bachmann’s former campaign spokeswomen, Hogan Gidley, as his national press secretary.

Take that Tea Party. Tomorrow, President Obama will unveil his new budget, which is expected to call for spending on community colleges and training for technical workers. Deficit spending anyone?

Speaking of deficits. In Greece, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos still really wants his fellow citizens to sign off on a debt relief deal that includes a harsh austerity package. Greek unions want him to take his package and, well you know.

In science news, say goodbye to cod fisherman. The New England cod fishery is expected not to collapse after all, but cod fisherman will still suffer.

In Portland last night, the Blazers lost to the Dallas Mavericks in double over time. Good game, guys.

In other Northwest news…

Trust your dealer? The Oregon Board of Pharmacy has reported safety concerns at 350 chain pharmacies across the state.

And…

Immaculate Contraception? Not on our watch, say the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. On Friday, the group rejected President Obama’s compromise that would have allowed employees of Catholic organizations to receive birth control through third-party health insurance providers and not, as was originally suggested, from the coffers of their generous Catholic employers. Not good enough, say the bishops.

This reminds me of a song.