Georgia Prosecutors Open Criminal Investigation of Trump Phone Call  —  Fulton County prosecutors have sent letters to state officials instructing them to preserve documents related to the January call, in which former President Donald J. Trump's asked the Georgia secretary of state to “find” votes.

'There's Nothing Left': Why Thousands of Republicans Are Leaving the Party  —  Voting registration data indicates a stronger-than-usual flight from the G.O.P. since the Capitol riot, with an intensely fluid period in American politics now underway.  —  In the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol …

Proud Boy charged in insurrection blasts Trump's ‘deception’ in new court filing  —  One of the Proud Boys arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol told a court Wednesday that he was duped by President Donald Trump's “deception” and “acted out of the delusional belief” …

Graham assures Trump of acquittal after rocky start to trial  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of former President Trump's closest Senate allies, reassured Trump Tuesday evening that he will be acquitted on a charge of inciting an insurrection, even though his lawyers received bad reviews after opening arguments.

Masks should fit better, or be doubled up to protect against coronavirus variants, CDC says  —  Making the seals tighter to prevent leakage can reduce people's exposure by more than 95 percent in laboratory tests.  —  PLEASE NOTE  —  The Washington Post is providing this important information about the coronavirus for free.

A majority of the people arrested for Capitol riot had a history of financial trouble  —  Trail of bankruptcies, tax problems and bad debts raises questions for researchers trying to understand motivations for attack  —  Jenna Ryan seemed like an unlikely participant in the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Police in dorms, outdoor exercise ban: UC Berkeley extends dorm lockdown with stricter mandates  —  Police officers monitoring dormitory halls, frequent inspections of ID cards — these are among the measures being implemented in a dorm lockdown as UC Berkeley continues to grapple with a spike of COVID-19 cases on campus.

Rhode Island Kept Its Schools Open.  This Is What Happened.  —  Some teachers and students got sick.  Principals had to improvise constantly.  But it worked — mostly.  —  To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Greene Gains Popularity With Republican Voters Following Committee Fight  —  Georgia freshman is now as prominent nationwide as House GOP leaders  — 30% of GOP voters view Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene favorably, up 11 points since last week.  — Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney …

StopTheSteal: Timeline of Social Media and Extremist Activities Leading to 1/6 Insurrection  —  Introduction  —  The insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was not spontaneous.  —  The assault that unfolded as Congress convened a joint session to certify the victory of Joe Biden …

Mike Shirkey caught in hot mic moment, says he stands by points on Capitol attack ‘hoax’  —  LANSING — Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, opened the floor session of the Michigan Senate on Wednesday morning with a prayer.  He spoke of seeking unity, working together and looking to God when people “get off track.”

Biden to Launch a Pentagon Review of China Strategy  —  A new task force will examine technology, intelligence, allies and the U.S. military footprint  —  WASHINGTON—President Biden is expected Wednesday to launch a Pentagon review of the national security aspects of the administration's China strategy …

How Right-Wing Radio Stoked Anger Before the Capitol Siege  —  Shows hosted by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and other talk radio stars promoted debunked claims of a stolen election and urged listeners to “fight back.”  —  Two days before a mob of Trump supporters invaded the United States Capitol …

She Lived Through the Capitol Attack.  Now This GOP Staffer Is Calling Out Her Friends' Conspiracies.  —  Leslie Shedd used to politely change the topic when friends would float fringe right-wing conspiracy theories.  Not anymore.  —  As pro-Trump rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol …

Lie After Lie: Listen to How Trump Built His Alternate Reality  —  The 38-minute video below shows how Donald J. Trump's persistent repetition of lies and calls to action over two months created an alternate reality that he won re-election.  Mr. Trump's words, which were echoed and amplified …

State Level Republican Parties Have Gone Crazy  —  The decline of Virginia's once-dominant Republican Party is a case study in how a party's waning electoral appeal is often accompanied by a descent into madness.  Rather than view the Virginia GOP's experience as a cautionary tale, though …

Dallas Mavericks cease playing national anthem before games at Mark Cuban's direction  —  The Dallas Mavericks have ceased playing the national anthem before home games this season and do not plan to play it moving forward, a decision made by owner Mark Cuban that he confirmed to The Athletic on Monday evening.

Jia Lynn Yang Named National Editor  —  Jia Lynn, who has edited standout coverage, brings an expertise in empathetic storytelling that wraps the big ideas of the day in deeply human narratives.  Read more in this note from Dean Baquet and Joe Kahn.  —  We are thrilled to announce that Jia Lynn Yang …

Trump's political operation paid more than $3.5 million to Jan. 6 organizers  —  As former President Donald Trump faces a Senate impeachment trial on charges of inciting attacks on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, unanswered questions about the full extent of his ties to a nearby rally the same …

Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul released from prison  —  Thirty-one year old was sentenced in December on charges denounced as politically motivated  —  The prominent Saudi dissident and women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has been released from prison after 1,001 days in custody.

How the Media Cracks Down on Critics of Israel … It is widely recognized that critics of Israel, no matter how well-founded the criticism, are routinely punished by both public and private institutions for their speech.  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has documented a pattern by which …

Nationwide Insurance spent small in public, big in private around the Georgia election … In December, the insurance company Nationwide Mutual gave $5,000 in campaign contributions to Senate Republicans in the Georgia runoff through its political action committee (PAC).

Aunt Jemima Rebrands As Pearl Milling Company  —  PepsiCo, Inc., today announced the debut of Pearl Milling Company, the new name of the pancake mix and syrup varieties previously found under the Aunt Jemima brand.  —  Pearl Milling Company-branded pancake mixes, syrups, cornmeal, flour …

Twitter CFO says Trump's ban is permanent, even if he runs for office again  —  (CNN)Former President Donald Trump will not be permitted back on Twitter even if he runs again for office and wins, according to the company's chief financial officer.  —  Asked during an interview …

“We Had To Be Much More Forthright about Trump”  —  Martin Baron, the executive editor of the Washington Post, is retiring.  In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, he talks about the Trump years, the mistakes the media have made and the dangers yet to come.  —  Interview Conducted By Marc Pitzke und Roland Nelles

What Does a “Good” Republican Look Like?  —  The party is rotten, through and through.  —  1. The “Good” Republicans  —  Some conservatives have exited the Trump years convinced that the wisest course of action is to try to salvage the Republican party by working with the “Good Republicans.”