Paul Manafort a ‘hardened’ and ‘bold’ criminal, Mueller prosecutors tell judge  —  Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort “repeatedly and brazenly violated the law” and shows a “hardened adherence to committing crimes,” prosecutors told a Washington federal judge.

Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain  —  My name is Kevin, and I have a phone problem.  —  And if you're anything like me — and the statistics suggest you probably are, at least where smartphones are concerned — you have one, too.  —  I don't love referring to what we have as an “addiction.”

Four dead, 24 injured after pro-government militias open fire on Venezuela-Brazil border  —  The standoff between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaidó continued to intensify Saturday as the two sides clashed over delivery of humanitarian aid into the impoverished country.

Judge tosses North Carolina mandatory voter ID amendment citing gerrymandering  —  A judge in North Carolina on Friday tossed out the state's constitutional amendment requiring a voter ID, citing prevalent gerrymandering in the state's General Assembly.  —  Wake County Superior Court Judge …

As tax refunds shrink, Republicans scramble to defend Trump tax cut  —  Size apparently does matter, at least when it comes to tax refunds, and that's put Republicans on the defensive as Americans start filing their returns.  —  With headlines blaring about smaller refunds in the first weeks …

How Esquire lost the Bryan Singer story  —  On February 11, news broke that Millennium Films was delaying Bryan Singer's Red Sonja, which was to begin production this year.  This was, on the face of it, a remarkable turn of events.  Singer's Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, had just been nominated for five Oscars.

Warren: Native Americans should be ‘part of the conversation’ on reparations  —  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Friday that Native Americans should be “part of the conversation” on reparations, The Washington Post reported.  —  Warren, a 2020 Democratic presidential contender …

Looming Mueller investigation report leaves Washington in suspense  —  For 21 months, Robert Mueller has been an omnipresent but unseen lead in D.C. drama.  —  Driving the news: As soon as he delivers his farewell letter or report, the protagonists become Attorney General William Barr …

Health Care and Insurance Industries Mobilize to Kill ‘Medicare for All’  —  WASHINGTON — Even before Democrats finish drafting bills to create a single-payer health care system, the health care and insurance industries have assembled a small army of lobbyists to kill “Medicare for all,” …

Florida human trafficking: Billionaire equity firm owner John Childs wanted on prostitution charge in Vero Beach  —  Billionaire equity firm owner John Childs is one of several men accused of soliciting prostitution in connection with a Florida spa tied to an international human trafficking ring, police said Thursday.

Justice Democrats Helped Make Ocasio-Cortez.  They're Already Eyeing Their Next Targets.  —  WASHINGTON — Less than a month into the 116th Congress, Sean McElwee, the liberal co-founder of Data for Progress, rattled off a list of sitting Democratic House members who should face a primary from the left …

YouTube Just Demonetized Anti-Vax Channels  —  YouTube on Friday said it would prevent channels that promote anti-vax content from running advertising, saying explicitly that such videos fall under its policy prohibiting the monetization of videos with “dangerous and harmful” content.