The 7 from The Washington Post

Inauguration Sale Get your first year for US99¢ every 4 weeks →

PUBLISHED BY

Jamie Ross ">

By Jamie Ross

Listen to this briefing

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Jan. 21, and we could all do with adopting this 100-year-old’s tips for finding meaning in all stages of life. Now let’s catch up on what was a whirlwind day.

Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. president yesterday.

What happened? In his address, Trump claimed an electoral and divine mandate to pursue emergency powers. But he relied on several falsehoods. We fact-checked him here.
What else? Many famous faces were in attendance, as this visual guide shows. The list of memorable looks was topped by Melania’s hat. And the day ended with three balls.

Read this story

Trump pardoned almost all of nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 riot defendants.

The details: All but 14 people convicted for offenses related to the 2021 Capitol attack were pardoned. The rest (some of the most notorious rioters) had sentences cut short.
Trump’s other actions: He moved to end birthright citizenship, strip protections from federal workers and halt the TikTok ban. Find a full list of his Day 1 executive orders here.
Zooming out: Trump moved quickly to enact big changes. But this is only the start.

Read this story

President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned his siblings and their spouses.

Why? He said they could be targeted by Trump for political reasons. The pardons, and others ordered by Biden yesterday, broke new ground in the use of presidential powers.
What else to know: Biden stuck to tradition in his final hours in office, including writing a letter to Trump. Meanwhile, Democrats had to grit their teeth through the inauguration.

Read this story

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza is holding for a second day.

In Gaza: Crowds of Palestinians began long journeys back to bombed-out neighborhoods yesterday. Aid groups are rushing to carry out deliveries to the devastated territory.
In Israel: Relatives of hostages held in Gaza urged Trump to ensure their loved ones are freed. Fifty-seven remain captive after three women were released — here are their stories.

Read this story

A high-impact winter storm will hit parts of the South today.

Snowfall (in inches) through tomorrow afternoon. Data source: NOAA. (Ben Noll/The Washington Post)

What to expect: Heavy snow from Texas to the Carolinas into tomorrow. The severity of the snowfall could be historic — see which cities will get hit hardest here.
Out West: The Los Angeles region, still reeling from this month’s firestorm, faces an extreme fire risk today because of a powerful Santa Ana windstorm.

Read this story

The health impacts of weight loss drugs were investigated in a new study.

The expected findings: Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy were linked to a lower risk of liver, cardiovascular and kidney issues, but also to side effects like headaches and reflux.
Some surprises: The research also suggests that the drugs could help patients with substance abuse issues, and reduce suicidal thoughts. Dig deeper into the findings here.

Read this story