The Washington Post - Breaking news and latest headlines, U.S. news, world news, and video

Is the pandemic over? Here’s what activities Americans are (and are not) resuming.

President Biden said the pandemic is over — and when it comes to casinos, concerts and cosmetic procedures, Americans seem to agree. For theater, therapy and funerals, not so much.

By Marc Fisher and Taylor Telford

Severe Weather

Ian’s projected path

Ian forecast to strengthen to major hurricane on its way to Florida

Forecasts are mixed as to whether Ian, now a tropical storm, will charge at the Florida Peninsula or traipse north toward the Panhandle.

By Matthew Cappucci

MORE COVERAGE

Billions were allocated to prevent disaster in Puerto Rico. Fiona, a Category 1 storm, still caused havoc.

By Arelis R. Hernández

Fiona wallops Canada, leaving more than 500,000 without power

By Selena Ross, Sydney Page, Scott Dance and Laura Reiley39 minutes ago

(The Post)

NASA is trying to redirect an asteroid by crashing a probe into it. We’re about to find out if it works.

On Monday, a spacecraft that NASA launched last year should smash head-on into an asteroid, ideally changing the space rock's orbit. It’s a test in case Earthlings really need to move an incoming asteroid someday.

By Bonnie Berkowitz and Artur Galocha

OPINIONS

Is China a juggernaut? Or an ailing giant? Both.

Opinion by Sebastian Mallaby

Why Mastriano’s candidacy presents a special danger

Opinion by George F. Will

The two Howard University women on Trump’s trail

Opinion by Colbert I. King

To say U.S. abortion rollbacks are in line with Europe is a lie

Opinion by Leah Hoctor

Migration’s ‘root cause’ is Latin American socialist dictatorship

Opinion by Charles Lane

Putin tears at the fabric of nuclear restraint. Words are dangerous, too.

Opinion by the Editorial Board

Maryland should act to further reduce these risky chemicals

Opinion by Emily Scarr

Cartoon

Putin unplugged

Opinion by Michael de Adder

Only From The Post

Exclusive

How vigilante ‘predator catchers’ are infiltrating the criminal justice system

By Jessica Contrera

Exclusive

Trump’s ‘big lie’ fueled a new generation of social media influencers

By Elizabeth Dwoskin and Jeremy B. Merrill

Air conditioning is more important than ever. America isn’t prepared.

By Dino Grandoni and Anna Phillips

The frenzied hunt for the rarest bourbon and one alleged scheme to profit from it

By Justin Jouvenal

Trump lawyers argue to limit White House aides’ testimony to Jan. 6 grand jury

By Jacqueline Alemany, Spencer S. Hsu, Devlin Barrett and Josh Dawsey

Multiple NFL owners say they believe Snyder could be pushed to sell Commanders

By Mark Maske, Nicki Jhabvala and Liz Clarke

Elijah McClain died after medics injected him with too much ketamine, an amended autopsy says

By Derek Hawkins32 minutes ago

‘Fat Leonard’s home detention: Servants cooking more than he could eat, packages arriving ‘all day long’

On home confinement in San Diego, Leonard Francis hired servants and undermined the security requirements aimed at keeping the mastermind of a $35 million Navy bribery scandal from fleeing, according to interviews and records obtained by The Washington Post.

By Jonathan O'Connell

BOOK WORLDNews, reviews and big ideas for all things fiction and nonfiction

(Tristan Spinski for The Post)

Elizabeth Strout returns to a familiar character — and her hometown — in new novel

In "Lucy by the Sea," her character Lucy Barton returns, this time riding out the pandemic’s early wave with her ex-husband in Maine.

By Karen Heller

MORE COVERAGE

Elton John ‘flabbergasted’ and teary after Biden surprises him with medal

By Adela Suliman

Louise Fletcher, ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ actress, dies at 88

By Adela Suliman

LATEST HEADLINES

Elijah McClain died of ketamine shot from medics, amended autopsy says

32 minutes ago

Bradley Beal was there for John Wall when he needed it most

58 minutes ago

With Kalashnikov rifles, Russia drives the staged vote in Ukraine

1 hour ago

Will Chicago voters back a candidate for Ill. governor who bashes the city?

1 hour ago

Goaltender Charlie Lindgren’s winding NHL road leads him to Washington

1 hour ago

U-Va. officials say 3 events are not a ‘trend of hate crimes’ on campus

1 hour ago

Tropical Storm Ian tracker: Map and projected storm path

1 hour ago

EPA unveils new office to place environmental justice at agency’s core

Advice

Carolyn Hax: ‘Your family, your responsibility’ means his folks get nothing

Saturday, September 24

Ask Damon: Should I get my anti-vax friends’ baby vaccinated without telling them?

Friday, September 23

Miss Manners: I want my brother to stop insulting our hometown

Saturday, September 24

Ask Amy: My date said we can’t be together because her friend is in love with me

Saturday, September 24

Upcoming Live Events

Reader Q&A

Chat with David Ignatius about the war in Ukraine and foreign affairs

Monday, September 26, at 12 p.m. EDT

Washington Post Live

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta president on U.S. income and wealth inequality

Monday, September 26, at 12 p.m. EDT

Elton John ‘flabbergasted’ and teary after Biden surprises him with medal

“I will treasure this so much,” an emotional Elton John told President Biden, as he received his surprise national humanities medal at a White House concert.

Tropical Storm Ian forecast to be major hurricane in Gulf of Mexico

Is the pandemic over? Pre-covid activities Americans are (and are not) resuming.

Opinion

Why Mastriano’s candidacy presents a special danger to the nation

Opinion

Is China a juggernaut? Or an ailing giant? Both.

The Washington Post Magazine

Perspective

Will gun owners fight for stronger gun laws?

By Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow

A new anti-communism museum in D.C. tallies 100 million victims of Marx’s ideology

By Justin Wm. Moyer

Art With a Point: Artists weigh in on the state of the world

By The Washington Post Magazine

Date Lab: His purple pants caught her eye

By Tanya Ballard Brown

Don’t Miss

A new role for Syria’s heritage sites: Party venues for restless youth

By Sarah Dadouch

Exclusive

Jan. 6 Twitter witness: Failure to curb Trump spurred ‘terrifying’ choice

By Drew Harwell

Herschel Walker’s struggles show GOP’s deeper challenge in Georgia

By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.

Birthday parties are back — and some parents are relieved to scale down

By Caitlin Gibson

Black OutThe NFL’s failure to promote Black coaches

For YouRecommended Stories

Well+BeingNews and advice to live well every day

(The Washington Post/Chelsea Conrad/iStock/The Washington Post)

Normal marital hatred is real. Here’s what to do about it.

By Tara Parker-Pope

Boredom is a warning sign. Here’s what it’s telling you.

By Richard Sima

The best foods to feed your gut microbiome

By Anahad O'Connor

10 tips for co-existing with covid (and living a normal-ish life)

By Tara Parker-Pope

When swallowing pills, posture matters. Here’s what scientists do — and don’t — recommend.

By Teddy Amenabar and Aaron Steckelberg

Climate & Environment

Extreme Summer

How much hotter was this summer in your county?

Less than 1 percent of Americans had a cooler-than-normal summer.

By Naema Ahmed, John Muyskens and Anna Phillips

Bitter cabbage harvest brings South Korea’s kimchi crisis to a head

By Min Joo Kim

Here’s what Hurricane Fiona’s surf looked like, from atop a 50-foot wave

By Amudalat Ajasa

In ‘Saving Venice,’ PBS show follows efforts to save ‘Floating City’

By Erin Blakemore

EPA unveils new office to place environmental justice at agency’s core

By Brady Dennis

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY

Read the story

Advice

National parks are free Sept. 24. Visit these 10 lesser known.

By Natalie B. Compton

New River Gorge: America’s newest national park is one of West Virginia’s hidden gems

By Kate Morgan

10 days in 8.4 million acres: A trip to the least-visited national park

By Marlena Sloss

6 alternatives to America’s most popular national parks

By Natalie B. Compton

WAR in ukraine

(Sergey Pivovarov/Reuters)

Live briefing: Hundreds arrested in Russia during anti-mobilization protests

The Kremlin's staged referendums in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhizhia continued on Saturday.

By Nick Parker, Katerina Ang, Ellen Francis, Robyn Dixon and Andrea Salcedo14 minutes ago

U.S. has sent private warnings to Russia against using a nuclear weapon

Why the world is worried about Russia’s ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons

By Adam Taylor and William Neff

With rifles, Russia drives the staged vote in Ukraine

The speed at which the referendums were announced and carried out and the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of Russian reserves, all within one week, reflect the Kremlin’s tacit acknowledgment of its deteriorating position in Ukraine.

By David L. Stern and Robyn Dixon1 hour ago

World

(Twitter)