Wednesday briefing: Raphael Warnock wins in Georgia; Trump Organization conviction; China protests; airplane mode; and more
2 years ago
Warnock #Warnock
(Jordan Robertson for The Washington Post) 1
Democrat Raphael Warnock won the U.S. Senate election in Georgia.
What we know: The incumbent senator was projected to defeat Republican Herschel Walker last night in a runoff triggered after neither got 50% of votes in November. More than 3.5 million people voted in the runoff.
What it means: Democrats had already locked up control of the Senate, but having 51 seats gives them more leverage. It also caps a disappointing midterm elections cycle for Republicans.
2
The Trump family business was convicted of tax fraud yesterday.
What happened? Two of the Trump Organization’s longtime executives schemed to cheat state and federal tax authorities for more than a decade, starting in 2005, according to prosecutors.
What this means: The New York-based operation could face a $1.6 million fine. Former president Donald Trump hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing.
In other Trump-related news: The Justice Department issued subpoenas tied to its Jan. 6 investigation to officials in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin.
3
China loosened its “zero covid” policy today after mass protests.
How? Frequent testing will no longer be needed for daily life, and people with less severe infections will be able to quarantine at home rather than in state facilities.
Why it matters: It’s a significant relaxation of some of the world’s strictest pandemic rules, which were protested in more than a dozen Chinese cities in recent weeks.
4
The Supreme Court will hear a crucial case about elections today.
The stakes are high: The North Carolina fight could fundamentally change the way federal elections are run, giving state legislatures complete authority over election rules.
Why that matters: Only Congress, not courts, could then step in, even if legislatures are violating voters’ rights or favoring one party over another.
The numbers: Police have shot and killed about 1,000 people every year since 2015, according to data tracked by The Post. Only about a third of those — and fewer every year — have been reported by the U.S. government.
Why this matters: It creates a misleading picture of how police are using force in the U.S. and complicates accountability efforts.
6
California’s winter is off to a promising start.
What to know: Parts of the Sierra Nevada have more than double the expected snowpack for this time of year, and another big storm could arrive this weekend.
This is good news: California has had three years of extreme drought, and mountain snow is a key source of water. However, much more rain and snow are needed.
7
Europe is switching off airplane mode for good.
The details: Airlines will be allowed to provide 5G connectivity to passengers — including for phone calls — in the European Union’s member states by June, the European Commission recently decided.
Will the U.S. be next? Probably not. Europe uses different frequencies for 5G than the U.S., where there are concerns that antennas could interfere with aircraft equipment.
And now … what we’re cooking tonight: This delicious, easy pasta. Plus, if you want more inspiration, check out our food team’s favorite cookbooks of the year.
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