Trump Administration Secretly Seized Phone Records of Times Reporters  —  The admission by the Biden Justice Department followed similar recent disclosures to The Washington Post and CNN.  —  WASHINGTON — The Trump Justice Department secretly seized the phone records of four …

The Lab-Leak Theory: Inside the Fight to Uncover COVID-19's Origins  —  Throughout 2020, the notion that the novel coronavirus leaked from a lab was off-limits.  Those who dared to push for transparency say toxic politics and hidden agendas kept us in the dark.  —  I. A Group Called DRASTIC

Law Student Who Made Fun of the Federalist Society Will Be Allowed to Graduate After All  —  Update, 9: 30 p.m.: Stanford has concluded that Nicholas Wallace engaged in protected speech, dropped its investigation, and lifted the hold on his diploma.  Wallace has confirmed that he will be allowed to graduate.

Federal prosecutors looking into whether Gaetz obstructed justice  —  MIAMI — Federal prosecutors are examining whether Rep. Matt Gaetz obstructed justice during a phone call he had with a witness in the sex-crimes investigation of the Florida congressman, according to two sources familiar with the case.

COVID-19 cases hit lowest point in U.S. since pandemic began  —  The U.S. has brought new coronavirus infections down to the lowest level since March 2020, when the pandemic began.  —  The big picture: Nearly every week for the past 56 weeks, Axios has tracked the change — more often than not …

Trump has grown increasingly consumed with ballot audits as he pushes falsehood that election was stolen  —  Former president Donald Trump remains relentlessly focused on the false claim that the November election was stolen from him and is increasingly consumed with the notion …

Ellie Kemper and Twitter's Two Minutes Hate  —  Twitter's sidebar points to people who have been declared fair game for punching and the mob gleefully piles on  —  If you've spent any time in the land of online controversies this week, you may have heard that Ellie Kemper …

Veteran's microphone cut off when he discusses Blacks' role in establishing Memorial Day  —  Event organizer turned down sound for part of speech; Speaker says he was censored by Hudson American Legion  —  HUDSON — What at first blush appeared to be a short audio malfunction at Monday's Memorial …

Rep. Mo Brooks is avoiding an insurrection lawsuit.  Rep. Eric Swalwell hired a private investigator to find him.  —  (CNN)Republican Rep. Mo Brooks is avoiding a lawsuit from his Democratic colleague Rep. Eric Swalwell that seeks to hold him accountable for the January 6 Capitol insurrection …

Candidate interrupted by sex toy on drone, punched at event  —  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M (AP) — A New Mexico sheriff who is running for mayor of Albuquerque was interrupted while on stage at a campaign event by a flying drone with a sex toy attached to it and a man who punched him.

Democrats Want to Destroy Democracy to Save It  —  Our democracy is in peril, according to unbiased experts of expertise who really want Joe Manchin to roll-over on the filibuster.  We have to pass the Perpetual Democrat Control Act now, or it's curtains for our democracy …

Trump ends blog after 29 days, infuriated by measly readership  —  Upset that it was being mocked for low traffic, Trump ordered his team Tuesday to put the blog out of its misery  —  Former president Donald Trump's blog, celebrated by advisers as a “beacon of freedom” …

Republican senators managed to outdo themselves in cowardice  —  Republican senators have managed to outdo themselves in cowardice — which is quite a feat.  —  Last week's Senate vote blocking a national commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol was even more appalling …

Looking to themselves, Palestinians expect little from Israeli changes.  —  Negotiating as the clock ran down, Israeli parties ranging from the left to the far right, including an Arab bloc, agreed on a coalition government. … Here's what you need to know:  —  Israeli opposition makes a coalition deal to topple Netanyahu.

Why the Manhattan District Attorney Should Have Trump Worried  —  Donald Trump's case won't be Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's first high-profile prosecution.  —  On May 25, the day after Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. announced that he had convened a criminal grand jury …

Sources: Dem lobbying firm under federal investigation for Burisma work  —  The Justice Department is investigating the work of a consulting firm linked to the president's son for potential illegal lobbying, four people familiar with the probe told POLITICO.

Far-Right Vigilante's ‘Alarming’ Gubernatorial Run Has Some Bracing for Chaos  —  Ammon Bundy is currently barred from entering the Idaho state Capitol where he would ostensibly need to conduct official business.  But his campaign is anything but a joke.  —  BOISE, Idaho—Far-right agitator …

Russia-Linked Group Behind JBS Attack Revels in ‘Audaciousness’  — Revil recruits talent online and promises profits for partners  — Companies with cyber-insurance ‘tastiest morsels’ for hackers  —  They patronize hacking forums to recruit affiliates, advertise profit-sharing schemes …

Right-wing pastor gets Covid after saying vaccines were part of ‘mass death campaign’ … A right-wing Florida pastor was hospitalized with Covid-19, weeks after saying vaccination efforts were part of a “mass death campaign.”  —  The pastor, Rick Wiles, wrote Tuesday on TruNews.com …

Katie Hill ordered to pay $220,000 in attorneys' fees in revenge porn case  —  Former Rep. Katie Hill has been ordered to pay about $220,000 in attorneys' fees to a British tabloid and two conservative journalists she sued in her unsuccessful revenge porn lawsuit.

MyPillow Guy Says He ‘Probably’ Inspired Trump's Idea of an August Restoration  —  “If Trump is saying August, that is probably because he heard me say it,” Lindell told The Daily Beast. … Donald Trump now has the notion in his head that he could return to the White House in August.

Tasked to Fight Climate Change, a Secretive U.N. Agency Does the Opposite  —  Behind closed doors, shipbuilders and miners can speak on behalf of governments while regulating an industry that pollutes as much as all of America's coal plants.  —  LONDON — During a contentious meeting …

The Afghans Who Helped Us Need Our Help Now  —  The Afghans who supported American military, intelligence, and aid agencies deserve special immigration visas.  —  And the reality Between the motion  —  And the act  —  Falls the Shadow  —T.S. Eliot

The Fake History of the Filibuster Won't Die Senators keep repeating a made-up origin story.  —  Advocates of the Senate filibuster can be proud of one thing.  They have successfully carried out an extraordinarily effective propaganda campaign.  They have convinced much of the country …

NASA is going back to Venus  —  NASA has chosen two new missions to unlock the mysteries of Earth's evil twin: Venus.  —  Why it matters: This marks the first time the space agency will send dedicated missions to the cloudy planet in more than 30 years.  —  What's happening …

NFL pledges to halt ‘race-norming,’ review Black claims  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The NFL on Wednesday pledged to halt the use of “race-norming” — which assumed Black players started out with lower cognitive function — in the $1 billion settlement of brain injury claims and review past scores for any potential race bias.

Lake Highlands High Valedictorian Pulls Switcheroo on Commencement Speech  —  You know the drill.  Every valedictorian has to get her speech approved before she delivers it at commencement.  You can't let high school kids — even really smart, hardworking, responsible kids — just get up and say whatever they want to say.