The Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News and Analysis

Trump’s last-minute tantrum throws pandemic relief effort into chaos

His standoff with Congress throws into doubt how quickly help, including $600 direct payments, will reach millions of Americans.

By Seung Min Kim, Josh Dawsey and Mike DeBonis

The FixAnalysis

Trump has thrown coronavirus relief into doubt. Here’s what could happen next.

The president could sign the legislation or veto it and prompt a government shutdown — or something in between.

By Amber Phillips1 hour ago

Democrats pressure McConnell to give in to Trump’s demand for $2,000 stimulus checks: ‘Let’s do it!’

By Jaclyn Peiser

LIVE UPDATESAccess to these updates is free

People enjoy coffee under the winter sun at a cafe’s tables now spread onto the piazza in Rome. (Federica Valabrega for The Post)

Perspective

On my street in Rome, the coronavirus upended two worlds

On one side, there were people with no money to eat. On the other, a chef with almost nobody to serve.

By Chico Harlan

As U.K. travel gridlock eases, officials grapple with yet another virus mutation — this one from S. Africa

By Paul Schemm and Siobhán O'Grady

In a Georgia city devastated by covid-19, vaccine brings hope but not healing

By Whitney Leaming and Lee Powell

Vaccine opponents outline online campaigns designed to sow distrust in coronavirus shots

A report from an anti-misinformation group quoted leaked audio from an October conference of the movement’s leaders, many of whom have huge social media followings.

By Elizabeth Dwoskin

Transfer of Power

Trump vetoes defense bill, teeing up holiday override votes in Congress

The $741 billion legislation passed both chambers of Congress with veto-proof majorities.

By Karoun Demirjian

Officials find few possible cases of voter fraud in key states

Despite President Trump's intense hunt for fraud, only a handful of criminal cases have been filed — some against Republican voters who sought to boost the president, officials said.

By Rosalind S. Helderman, Jon Swaine and Michelle Ye Hee Lee

LIVE UPDATES

Trump grants pardons or commutations to 20 people, with more expected before he leaves office

By Rosalind S. Helderman, Matt Zapotosky and Josh Dawsey

Blackwater contractors pardoned in deaths of 14 Iraqi civilians

Opinions

Pat Toomey was making Congress relevant again

Opinion by George F. Will

Celebrate Barr’s last day by remembering two other Trump officials who sold out their country

Opinion by Paul Butler

Trump’s latest pardons and commutations are nauseating. But these are the worst.

Opinion by the Editorial Board

A conversation with Joe Biden: Realism meets unbridled optimism

Opinion by Jennifer Rubin

Trump paved the way for vigilantism

Opinion by Kathleen Parker

Oops! Trump stomps all over David Perdue’s dishonest TV messaging

Opinion by Greg Sargent

Guide to the PandemicFull Coverage

Your questions about the coronavirus vaccines, answered

The covid-19 symptoms to watch out for

U.S. cases reported per day

Road to Recovery

A new pastor who couldn’t meet members of her church found a way to celebrate Christmas with them

Her dream is to earn a college wrestling scholarship. The pandemic has put it on hold.

Your Life at Home

My son is sick of being online all day for school. How do I get him to do counseling — online?

Here are the movies that wowed Washington Post critics in 2020

Gift stuck in the mail? Etiquette experts offer advice for smoothing over a holiday mishap.

How to help during the coronavirus pandemic

In Iraq, Trump’s Blackwater pardons meet with cynicism, fatigue

The 2007 unprovoked killing of Iraqi civilians by Blackwater security contractors is remembered in Iraq as one of the most emblematic chapters of America's ruinous invasion.

By Mustafa Salim and Louisa Loveluck

Google hired Timnit Gebru to be an outspoken critic of unethical AI. Then she was fired for it.

By Nitasha Tiku

Capital Weather Gang

Blizzard brews over Upper Midwest as Minneapolis braces for blinding snow

By Matthew Cappucci

A moulin swallows an entire river on the Greenland ice sheet. (Jason Gulley)

Scientists descended into Greenland’s perilous ice caverns — and came back with a worrying message

By Chris Mooney

Critical weather stations on Greenland ice sheet find new funding

Washington fines Dwayne Haskins $40,000, revokes captaincy for partying without a mask

The quarterback apologized for partying with a large group while not wearing a mask after Sunday's loss to Seattle, which is in violation of the NFL's coronavirus protocols.

By Nicki Jhabvala35 minutes ago

Post ReportsPodcast

‘Presidential’: The story of Joe Biden

Add to:Apple Podcasts,Google Podcasts,Stitcher

Holidays 2020

7 Christmas dinner mains for a festive, scaled-down holiday

By Aaron Hutcherson

Enjoy these tales of awkwardness and mortification from Zoom holiday office party season

By Maura Judkis

How to visit Santa using the magic of Zoom, streaming video or even AI

By Connie Chang

Warm-from-the-oven sticky pecan rolls will make Christmas, or any special morning, memorable

By Becky Krystal

Don’t Miss

In 2020’s only good news, Gritty announces his pending return

By Matt Bonesteel

By The WayA Post Travel Destination

Christmas pudding and DIY glogg: 8 beloved hotel holiday recipes to make at home

By Natalie B. Compton

Fauci’s Christmas Eve: An 80th birthday amid the fight against the pandemic

By Joel Achenbach

It’s been a bleak year, so our gift to you is George Clooney’s thoughts on movies, murder hornets and mince pie

By Ann Hornaday

Trending

Allie Caren/The Washington Post

Holiday movies you should watch in 2020, the year everything went wrong

Movies like "Happiest Season," "The Family Stone" and more revolve around holiday gatherings going terribly wrong. Here's what we can learn from them.

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Washington Post Apps

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Politics

Lev Parnas argues timing of his arrest was orchestrated to protect Trump

An attorney for the former associate of Rudolph W. Giuliani has asked a federal judge to order the Justice Department to turn over government communications about his client.

By Shayna Jacobs

Trump administration keeps existing smog limits, rejecting calls to toughen them

The Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency to set air pollution standards every five years to a level that protects public health. Public-health advocates had pressed for lower levels of ozone, arguing the hazardous gas disproportionately affects the most vulnerable Americans.

By Juliet Eilperin and Dino Grandoni14 minutes ago

Maria Bartiromo hosting “Mornings with Maria” on Fox Business in 2015. (Fox News)

What happened to Maria Bartiromo?

How the Fox News host went from respected finance reporter to Trump apologist.

By Sarah Ellison

Transfer of Power

Election results are under attack. Here are the facts.

By Ann Gerhart

Biden’s picks for his Cabinet and administration

By Washington Post staff

The Biden Agenda

World

Assassins silence another ‘voice of Afghan democracy’ in Kabul killing

The head of the election monitoring group Free and Fair Elections Forum of Afghanistan, Yusof Rashid was the latest figure murdered.

By Pamela Constable and Sharif Hassan

Israeli sailors stand in formation on the Saar-6 corvette as it passes a submarine during a Dec. 1 welcoming ceremony for the warship, off the coast of Haifa, Israel. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

Israel deploys submarine to Persian Gulf in message of deterrence to Iran

The Israeli warship headed to the waters bordering Iran amid escalating tensions after the killing of Iran’s top nuclear scientist.

By Shira Rubin

Taiwan snaps world’s longest covid-free streak after pilot infects local resident

By Gerry Shih

Turkish court sentences exiled journalist to 27 years in prison for a news report

By Kareem Fahim

National

U.S., Pfizer reach deal expanding American vaccine supply

Pfizer will now sell the country 200 million doses of the vaccine — enough to immunize 100 million people with a two-dose regimen. The government will pay $1.95 billion for the additional doses and has agreed to help Pfizer obtain the ingredients needed to make the vaccine.

By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Amy Goldstein

It was a rough year. But this letter carrier rallied and made Christmas stockings for all 250 dogs on his route.

After his son died, mailman Scott Arnold wasn't sure he had the energy to make the stockings for his customers and their dogs.

By Cathy Free

A health worker with Alaska Airlines processes a coronavirus test at Portland International Airport in Oregon. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

A person with covid-19 went to work in Oregon. Then, 7 people died and 300 had to quarantine.

By Katie Shepherd

Powerful Christmas Eve storm to rock East Coast with high winds, thunderstorms and snow

A strong cold front will bring wild weather.

By Matthew Cappucci

Show of force on U.S. streets and crisis at Fort Hood tested Army secretary this year

Analysts say Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy’s tenure has been marked by relative stability in trying times.

By Alex Horton

D.C., Md. & Va.

Judge upholds Prince George’s ban on indoor dining

Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge John P. Davey held that the ban is rooted in a “legitimate government interest.”

By Rachel Chason, Rebecca Tan and Patricia Sullivan57 minutes ago

Virginia Gov. Northam orders backlogged jobless claims to be paid, offers payroll tax relief

Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered the state to immediately distribute unemployment benefits to about 70,000 Virginians, part of an order that also provides $200 million in tax relief to businesses.

By Laura Vozzella

(Marvin Joseph/The Post)

Md. political titan Mike Miller resigns from state Senate as cancer worsens

The Calvert Democrat was the longest-serving state Senate president in the country.

By Paul Schwartzman

Christmas Eve storm threatens D.C. with gusty downpours before plunging temperatures

By Jeff Halverson and Jason Samenow51 minutes ago

Museum of the Bible considers suing D.C. mayor over virus shutdown, citing religious freedom claims

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey and Peggy McGlone

Capital Weather Gang

PM Update: Scattered morning showers turn to a steadier rain Christmas Eve

By Ian Livingston1 hour ago

Known coronavirus deaths and cases

FAQ: What to know about restrictions and safety

Going Out Guide

Here are the movies that wowed Washington Post critics in 2020

These 42 narrative features — all available to stream — earned our highest praise.

By Michael O'Sullivan

5 classic D.C. Christmas traditions that you can watch from home

You can enjoy performances of "A Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker" streaming on your tablet.

By Fritz Hahn

Taqueria Xochi serves mouthwatering Mexican food from a tiny U Street storefront

Chef Teresa Padilla lures enthusiasts with singular tacos, tlayudas and cemitas.

By Tom Sietsema

Real Estate

How to update a living trust to encompass a newly purchased home

Report: Cities making a comeback for buyers

How to stop the hammering sounds in your water line

Business & Technology

(AP)

Stalling recovery raises stakes for Trump’s new demands on relief bill

By Rachel Siegel and Heather Long1 hour ago

The ISS can’t orbit forever. Will commercial space stations be ready in time?

There are several companies working to develop a commercial space station. But those options are unproven and years from hitting the market.

By Christian Davenport

Analysis

‘Trickle-down’ tax cuts make the rich richer while offering little value to overall economy, study finds

Data spanning 50 years and 18 countries shows lowering tax rates for the wealthy increases inequality.

By Christopher Ingraham

Market Watch

Last Updated: Today at 5:16 p.m. ET

Dow 30,129.83

Today 0.38%

S&P 3,690.01

Today 0.07%

NASDAQ 12,771.11

Today -0.29%

LauncherVideo Games News & Analysis

How Xbox learned to sell its consoles like smartphones

The launch of the new series of Xbox consoles is unlike any other console launch in the industry’s history.

By Gene Park

Health & Science

AI-powered bionic hand promises lifelike dexterity

By Dalvin Brown

‘A needle makes my blood run cold’: Will the phobic get the coronavirus vaccine?

By Michael S. Rosenwald

Critical weather stations on Greenland ice sheet find new funding

By Andrew Freedman

Federal lead-pipe rule overhauled for first time in decades

By Sarah Kaplan and Brady Dennis

Sports

Analysis

The 2021 NFL draft is loaded with talented quarterbacks. Evaluating them won’t be easy.

As the NFL season winds down, many teams are already looking to the future, but the pandemic has altered the scouting season.

By Adam Kilgore

Why the New England Patriots are talking about Armenia

Berj Najarian, an Armenian American and longtime Patriots employee who has been referred to as the team's "consigliere," has had his personal cause taken up by Bill Belichick and Cam Newton during Armenia's conflict with Azerbaijan.

By Cindy Boren

The NBA season opened with the Clippers playing the Lakers at an empty Staples Center. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

Analysis

It just didn’t feel like Showtime for the Lakers and the NBA on opening night

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers got their championship rings but opened their title defense with a flat loss in an empty arena, offering an early taste of what promises to be a challenging NBA season.

By Ben Golliver