An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: A rift in Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’; a historic winter storm; drug-addicted rats; and more

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By Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell

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Good morning. It's Wednesday, Jan. 22, and we're sorry to inform you that the price of your Netflix subscription is probably going up again. Now let's get to the news.

President Donald Trump defended his decision to free Jan. 6 riot defendants.

What he said: That people convicted in the 2021 Capitol attack got "excessive" sentences. But Trump's move has alarmed experts, and the Republican response has been stunning.
Yesterday: Trump officials told health agencies to pause external communications, including social media. And federal DEI workers were ordered to go on leave by this evening.
One more thing: A bishop made a direct appeal to Trump from a D.C. pulpit.

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	A "DOGE" revamp will empower Trump's billionaire adviser Elon Musk.

What to know: A new structure for the group emerged following a rift between Musk and co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy. Meanwhile, Musk's inauguration salute has stirred controversy.
In other news: Senators received new allegations against Pete Hegseth, Trump's Defense pick. And intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard is facing more questions about a 2017 Syria trip.

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Israel launched a major military operation in the West Bank.

Yesterday: At least 10 people were killed in the city of Jenin. It followed rampages by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian territory, just days after the ceasefire in Gaza began.
What else to know: Israel's top military chief said yesterday he would resign over the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. And Google rushed to sell AI tools to Israel's military during the war.

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Prince Harry settled a case against Rupert Murdoch's British tabloids.

The background: Harry alleged he was the target of illegal information-gathering. He has long railed against the British tabloid press, saying it hounded his mother, Princess Diana.
Today: A highly anticipated trial ended before it began, when the sides reached a last-minute agreement. The deal included a formal apology from Murdoch's media group.

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A winter storm brought rare snow to the Southeast yesterday.

What it looked like: Snowball fights in the French Quarter of New Orleans, people sledding and confused zoo animals in Houston, and snowy Gulf Coast beaches.
What else to know: The storm led to at least five deaths. Snow and ice led to canceled flights and closed schools, and brought road travel to a halt in some places.

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Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner made baseball's Hall of Fame.

Ichiro, shown in 2009, racked up 3,089 hits in a 19-year major league career spent mostly with the Seattle Mariners. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

The near-unanimous pick: Ichiro, the outfielder from Japan who joined the Mariners in 2001 at 27 and played 19 MLB seasons. He made all but one ballot from writers.
Other inductees: Sabathia, a starting pitcher who struck out 3,093 batters and won 251 games for the Indians, Brewers and Yankees; and Wagner, a hard-throwing closer.

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Rats have been feasting on drugs held by Houston police.

A strange tail: Officers say their evidence lockers are filled with stuff like backpacks, ATMs and bikes. They also have a lot of marijuana, and the rats can't get enough.
Can't police just get rid of it? It's not that simple — officers keep evidence in case it's useful for future investigations. But an effort is underway to remove some narcotics.

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Before you go … your diet could be disrupting your sleep: Here's what to eat instead. Plus: Your flossing technique may depend on the shape of your teeth.

One more good read: Her dad, the 10,000 records he left behind and a viral lesson in grief.

And finally … test your news knowledge with The Post's daily quiz, On the Record. Click here to play. Or try our word games, Keyword and the brand-new Wridges.

You're all caught up. See you tomorrow.