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The InaugurationLive coverage begins at 8 a.m. ET

Trump grants clemency to 143 people in late-night pardon, commutation blast

In his last full day in office, President Trump pardoned former adviser Stephen K. Bannon, GOP donor Elliott Broidy and a raft of well-connected celebrities, politicians and nonviolent drug offenders, but he did not preemptively pardon himself or his family members.

By Rosalind S. Helderman, Josh Dawsey and Beth Reinhard1 hour ago

Self-styled militia members made plans to storm Capitol before attack, charges say

Unsealed court documents allege some who attacked the Capitol communicated as they breached opposite sides of the building and talked about hunting for lawmakers to make “citizen’s arrests.”

By Spencer S. Hsu, Tom Jackman and Devlin Barrett

Pa. woman charged in theft of laptop from Speaker Pelosi’s office

Biden to sign a blizzard of executive orders starting today that will reverse Trump’s policies

Joe Biden plans to sign measures requiring masks on all federal grounds and asking agencies to extend eviction moratoriums.

By Seung Min Kim1 hour ago

Biden to overturn Trump’s climate legacy on dozens of fronts

Biden opens inaugural proceedings by memorializing 400,000 Americans lost to covid

By Matt Viser and Annie Linskey

Hawley moves to block swift confirmation for Biden’s homeland security pick

Republican senators pressed Alejandro Mayorkas on his border enforcement plans and past scrutiny of his actions during the Obama administration.

By Nick Miroff and Maria Sacchetti

Uncertainty reigns in Senate as Schumer pushes fast agenda and McConnell calls out Trump

Less than a day before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, it remains unclear when his nominees will be confirmed, when President Trump’s impeachment trial will begin, or how the Senate will manage a 50-50 divide.

By Mike DeBonis and Paul Kane

A Marine stands guard outside the West Wing doors on Tuesday, signifying that President Trump is in the Oval Office. (Jabin Botsford/The Post)

Trump’s final day: A diminished and aggrieved president stays out of public view before exit

The same pathologies that abetted President Trump’s political rise, animated his followers and became hallmarks of his turbulent single term have now, in the twilight of his presidency, left him politically damaged.

By Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey

Hours before leaving office, Trump undoes one of the only measures he took to ‘drain the swamp’

By Josh Dawsey

Vice President Pence handles tasks declined by Trump in final days

By Ashley Parker

INAUGURATION GUIDE

Celebrities avoided Trump and D.C. for years. Here are the stars returning for Biden’s inauguration.

By Emily Yahr

Opinions

Biden will deliver a ‘message of unity.’ It’s not what the country needs to hear.

Opinion by Dana Milbank

America is fragile this Inauguration Day. Our power rests in the ability to pick ourselves up.

Opinion by Michele L. Norris

Celebrate, despite everything

Opinion by the Editorial Board

Trump leaves a scorched landscape. But Biden brings hope at last.

Opinion by Eugene Robinson

Joe Biden is my president

Opinion by Marc A. Thiessen

There’s no wrong way to swear in a president. History shows us that.

Opinion by David Von Drehle

Coronavirus

U.S. surpasses 400,000 deaths as Biden invites the country to mourn together

The U.S. reached that devastating milestone Tuesday, the eve of the first anniversary of the first confirmed U.S. case.

By Reis Thebault and Lateshia Beachum

China turbocharges bid to discredit Western vaccines, spread virus conspiracy theories

By Gerry Shih1 hour ago

FAA approves airport coronavirus screenings, paving way for first program to launch in Iowa

By Ian Duncan

(Video: JM Rieger/The Post)

The FixAnalysis

Trump’s administration fell far short of its own vaccine promises

The Trump administration promised to deliver 40 million coronavirus vaccine doses in December. It hasn’t even delivered 32 million doses.

By JM Rieger

Justice Dept. will not pursue charges against Sen. Burr, who came under scrutiny for stock sales at outset of pandemic

By Matt Zapotosky and Felicia Sonmez

Voice of America overseer spent $2 million investigating employees, complaint alleges

By Paul Farhi

Top Fox News managers depart amid Murdoch’s concerns over controversial Arizona election night projection

By Sarah Ellison

Guide to the PandemicFull Coverage

Vaccinations

Your questions about the coronavirus vaccines, answered

Eight facts to combat common covid-19 misinformation

By Marisa Iati

The covid-19 symptoms to watch out for

U.S. deaths reported per day

Your Life At Home

You probably didn’t expect to move back in with your parents. Here’s how to make the best of it.

He escaped the cacophony by strapping on snowshoes and slipping into the Great North Woods

Road to Recovery

Dollar General will pay workers to get the coronavirus vaccine

The pandemic crashed the party for caterers, who are struggling even more than restaurants to pivot

Morning MixStories from all over

A Florida lawmaker wants a highway named after Trump. Some Democrats vow ‘not even a bench’ will bear his name.

By Antonia Noori Farzan

Kroger unknowingly funneled donations to a militia group. After the Capitol riots, it’s cutting them out.

By Teo Armus

A man sent his girlfriend’s brother a selfie while storming the Capitol, officials say. The brother is a federal agent.

By Jaclyn Peiser1 hour ago

Don’t Miss

The CritiquePerspective

Pocket squares and pearls convey a stylish team’s message

By Robin Givhan

Most people know her as Jill Biden. But to some she is Dr. B, the compassionate and challenging educator who went the extra mile.

By Lauren Lumpkin

Doug Emhoff gets to define a role as America’s first male spouse of a vice president

By Manuel Roig-Franzia

How cartoonists are satirizing Trump’s White House farewell

By Michael Cavna

Trending

Alice Li/The Washington Post

Downtown D.C. is a fortress as inauguration nears

The heart of the nation’s capital is a maze of fences, concrete barriers and security checkpoints ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

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Politics

President Trump boards Air Force One after visiting the U.S.-Mexico border wall Jan. 12. (Reuters)

Analysis

With his final words, Trump reminds America which Americans he cares about

By Philip Bump

Lloyd Austin, Biden’s nominee to lead Pentagon, vows to take on extremism in the military

If confirmed, Austin will face a host of other challenges, including a rising China and defense alliances strained by hostility from Trump.

By Missy Ryan and Paul Sonne

Analysis

Trump’s ‘patriotic education’ report excuses Founding Fathers for owning slaves, likens progressives to Mussolini

By Valerie Strauss

Retropolis: Trump commission’s ‘1776 Report’ outrages historians

Georgia certifies Ossoff and Warnock victories, paving way for Democratic control of Senate

By Amy Gardner and Erica Werner

Senate impeachment whip count: Where Democrats and Republicans stand

By Ashlyn Still and JM Rieger

Who Joe Biden has picked to fill his Cabinet

By Washington Post Staff

World

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma appears on a video recording of a livestream addressing teachers at an annual event he hosts to recognize rural educators on Wednesday. (Bloomberg)

Alibaba’s Jack Ma reemerges from three-month absence after clash with Beijing

By Eva Dou and Lyric Li

Today’s WorldViewAnalysis

The Biden doctrine is still taking shape

For all the talk of reversing Donald Trump’s legacy, there may be signs of foreign policy continuity.

By Ishaan Tharoor

The world is watching as the Trump era winds to a close and Biden prepares to assume office

After the most fraught U.S. presidential transition in living memory, world leaders and top officials, along with ordinary people across the globe, are watching closely as Joe Biden’s inauguration approaches.

By Adam Taylor

Author who claimed to be independent expert in foreign affairs was secretly an agent for Iran, U.S. officials allege

By Shayna Jacobs

U.S.-bound caravan thwarted in Guatemala as pressure against migrants continues

By Kevin Sieff

Biden’s plan to cancel Keystone pipeline signals a rocky start with Canada

By Amanda Coletta

National

(Jose Luis Magana/AP)

He gave an interview right after storming the U.S. Capitol. It led the FBI straight to him.

By Marisa Iati and Paulina Firozi

College Board is scrapping SAT’s optional essay and subject tests

Officials say they want to ease demands on students. A revision of the SAT is also planned.

By Nick Anderson

Capital Weather Gang

What a ‘wrecked’ polar vortex means for winter-starved Americans

It’s been an easy winter on the East Coast, but that’s not guaranteed to continue.

By Matthew Cappucci

Federal circuit court scraps Trump administration’s power plant rule

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a Trump administration rule on carbon dioxide emissions, effectively restoring President Obama's Clean Power Plan.

By Steven Mufson

High winds buffet California, raising wildfire danger and cutting power in some areas

Damaging Santa Ana winds are ramping up across California, with gusts above hurricane force (74 mph) expected. Wildfire risks are "critical" in parts of the state.

By Andrew Freedman

D.C., Md. & Va.

Frustration grows as region struggles to meet vaccine demand

Complaints over distribution is sparking friction among local leaders and forcing some jurisdictions in the Washington region to pause appointments.

By Ovetta Wiggins, Rebecca Tan and Rachel Chason

Hogan to call for more education funds, $1 billion in economic aid

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) will release a fiscal 2022 budget that he says would include $750 payments to the state’s poorest residents.

By Ovetta Wiggins

(AP)

Kamala Harris’s D.C.: Bridging Black and White, rich and poor, newly arrived and deeply rooted

Harris has lived in the city as a student, a senator and soon as a history-making vice president who is eager to be part of the community.

By Sydney Trent

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says she’ll welcome visitors soon — but not now

By Julie Zauzmer

Va. state senator who praised rioters removed from committee

By Gregory S. Schneider and Laura Vozzella

Capital Weather Gang

D.C.-area forecast: Blustery chill for Biden’s inauguration; warmer tomorrow but cold again this weekend

By Dan Stillman1 hour ago

Known coronavirus deaths and cases per 100 thousand

FAQ: What to know about restrictions and safety

Going Out Guide

How Alexa Paulay-Simmons of ‘Deaf U’ would spend a perfect day in D.C.

She appeared on the Netflix docuseries about students at Gallaudet University.

By Angela Haupt

We lost Johnny’s Half Shell to the pandemic. After 20 years, it deserves a farewell toast.

Remembering Johnny’s Half Shell for Ann Cashion’s food, John Fulchino’s service — and a singular experience.

By Tom Sietsema

Take in Inauguration Day from home with these food and drink specials and virtual events

Local bars and restaurants have cooked up commemorative dishes to help make your sofa feel more festive.

By Fritz Hahn

Real Estate

2021 will be another good year for home sellers — not so much, though, for buyers

Luxury apartment building to rise in Rosslyn-Ballston corridor

D.C. condo building is in the thick of mixed-use development

Business & Technology

(Alex Brandon/AP)

Exiled from social media mainstream, Trump and his followers will find life different at the extreme corners of the Web

By Craig Timberg and Drew Harwell

Janet Yellen faces critical choice for global economy rocked by pandemic

More than 180 countries across the globe have pushed for the International Monetary Fund to approve emergency financial backing for nations reeling from the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus.

By Jeff Stein and David J. Lynch

Before shortened NASA SLS rocket engine test, officials predicted only a 50 percent chance of complete success

During a private briefing Tuesday morning, industry officials said their expectations for successfully completing all the test objectives had been only “50/50.”

By Christian Davenport

My Pillow CEO says Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, Wayfair are dropping his products over false election-fraud claims

Mike Lindell, a major Republican donor, has repeatedly pushed false claims that widespread voter fraud cost President Trump the 2020 election.

By Taylor Telford

Market Watch

Last Updated: 01/19/2021

Dow 30,930.52

Today 0.38%

S&P 3,798.91

Today 0.81%

NASDAQ 13,197.18

Today 1.53%

Health & Science

Another variant linked to several large Calif. outbreaks

By Fenit Nirappil

Fleas have been mysterious insects. But scientists just found their living ‘sisters.’

By Lela Nargi

Covid-19 destroyed a young man’s lungs. Can his foster mom let him go?

By Steve Thompson

The Health 202Analysis

It’s still unclear who will lead HHS after Biden is sworn in

By Paige Winfield Cunningham

Sports

Tiger Woods sidelined by fifth back surgery

Woods said he underwent a procedure to remove “a pressurized disc fragment” that was pinching his nerve and causing him “discomfort” at the PNC Championship.

By Des Bieler

NFL diversity group calls lack of new Black head coaches ‘mind-boggling’

By Mark Maske

Don Sutton1945–2021

Hall of Fame pitcher and longtime broadcaster dies

By Dave Sheinin

(Eamon Queeney for The Post)

A football coach’s season at war with the virus — and his own school

He's groomed NFL stars and designed record-breaking offenses. But Tony Franklin has never been able to shut up and coach. And this time, he says, he's done for good.

By Kent Babb

Analysis