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

AMERICAN ICONDeadly weapon, divided nation

(Jon Gerberg/The Post)

Why do Americans own AR-15s? We asked gun owners for their top reasons.

The Washington Post and Ipsos asked nearly 400 AR-15 owners why they own the rifle, what they use it for and how often they fire it. Here’s what the poll found.

By Emily Guskin, Aadit Tambe and Jon Gerberg

Nashville shooting exploited by right to escalate anti-trans rhetoric

Transgender people are rarely the perpetrators of mass shootings, which are overwhelmingly carried out by cisgender men, say criminal justice experts.

By Fenit Nirappil

MORE COVERAGE

9 soldiers killed as two U.S. Army helicopters crash in Kentucky during training mission

By Adela Suliman, Kelsey Ables and Dan Lamothe1 hour ago

Opening Day, baseball’s happiest holiday, arrives with sweeping new rules

Opening Day will mark the regular season debut of MLB’s new rules and revamped schedule.

By Chelsea Janes

MORE COVERAGE

Listen: Can the pitch clock save baseball?

On the Record: Test your knowledge with our quotable news quiz

Carolyn Hax: Future sibling-in-law sets extreme dress code for wedding

Cook: Malabi, a Middle Eastern rose water pudding, is a simple, silken joy

Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia by security service

By Robyn Dixon

Minnesota train carrying ethanol derailed, caught fire; evacuations ordered

By Ellen Francis and Luz Lazo6 minutes ago

Americans are returning to cities after remote-work exodus, data shows

By Tara Bahrampour

(AP)

Disney quietly dodged DeSantis’s oversight board, appointees realize

By Bryan Pietsch and Aaron Gregg32 minutes ago

Post Politics Now

(AFP/Getty Images)

A tiny company with few rules is making fake images mainstream

Midjourney, the year-old firm behind recent fake visuals of Donald Trump and the pope, illustrates the lack of oversight accompanying spectacular strides in AI.

By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Drew Harwell

MORE COVERAGE

(iStock)

How to know whether you have allergies or a virus

The symptoms of allergies and respiratory illnesses, including colds, flu and covid-19, are often similar. Here’s how to tell them apart.

By Lindsey Bever and Allyson Chiu

Latest Headlines

‘Phantom cat shaver’ targeting pets in Britain — and no one knows why

12 minutes ago

D.C. housing employees accused of conflicts and voucher fraud

35 minutes ago

King Charles III applauds German and British unity in defending Ukraine

1 hour ago

How democratic are the countries at Biden’s democracy summit?

1 hour ago

Analysis

The U.S.’s sixth state privacy law is too ‘weak,’ advocates say

1 hour ago

Manchin, facing reelection, ratchets up criticism of Biden on energy, fiscal policy

1 hour ago

Why French workers are fighting to retire at 62

Analysis

Kevin Durant and LeBron James return to supercharge West playoff chase

Happening Now

Washington Post LiveVideo

Matthew Desmond on ‘Poverty, by America’

LIVE: READER Q&A

Struggling with paper clutter? Hoarders’ Matt Paxton is here to help.

By Jura Koncius3 minutes from now

Upcoming live Events

Reader Q&A

Politics

(AP)

Well+BeingNews and advice to live well every day

The group of drugs was initially developed for Type 2 diabetes. (The Post)

(Harry Stevens/The Post)

Lifestyle

(Wake County Animal Center)

(Timothy D. Easley/AP)

(Al Drago/Bloomberg News)

(Jonathan Newton/The Post)

(Credits: Astrid Riecken, TWP; Nick Oxford, TWP; Dan Koeck, TWP; Xiaolong Zhu, New York University; Nicole Mann, NASA; Al Drago, Bloomberg, Getty; AP, NASA; Melina Mara, TWP; Matt Roth, TWP. /TWP)