Barr distances himself from Trump-era subpoenas of Democratic lawmakers  —  Former Attorney General William Barr on Friday distanced himself from reports that the Trump Justice Department seized communications records belonging to two prominent Democratic lawmakers who were spearheading investigations into then-President Donald Trump.

‘I was completely inside’: Lobster diver swallowed by humpback whale off Provincetown  —  PROVINCETOWN — At a little before 8 a.m., Friday, veteran lobster diver Michael Packard entered the water for his second dive of the day.  —  His vessel, “the J 'an J,” was right off Herring Cove Beach …

Trump-inspired death threats are terrorizing election workers  —  Election officials and their families are living with threats of hanging, firing squads, torture and bomb blasts, interviews and documents reveal.  The campaign of fear, sparked by Trump's voter-fraud falsehoods, threatens the U.S. electoral system.

Nevada schools reckon with race, triggering polarization  —  RENO, Nev. (AP) — One year after protests over racial injustices and police violence swept the country, clashes over how to teach students about racism and its role in U.S. history are raging in school districts across Nevada and elsewhere …

Revealed: rightwing firm posed as leftist group on Facebook to divide Democrats  —  FEC investigation failed to uncover link to Rally Forge, a firm with close ties to Turning Point USA  —  digital marketing firm closely linked to the pro-Trump youth group Turning Point USA was responsible …

Here are the winners of the 2021 Pulitzer Prizes  —  The Pulitzers, regarded as one of the highest honors in journalism, were announced later than usual this year due to the pandemic.  —  The Pulitzer Prizes, usually announced at a ceremony at Columbia University, were announced remotely again …

Chicago police officer charged in connection with US Capitol breach  —  Karol J. Chwiesiuk is at least the 10th individual from Illinois charged in connection with the U.S. Capitol breach, and he is the fourth on that list from the Chicago area.  —  Federal authorities have arrested …

America must rethink its unique and contradictory advocacy of Israel's Jewishness  —  As a new Israeli government takes shape, the Biden administration must rethink its messaging about Israel and the Palestinians, especially in the absence of a clear path to ending their conflict.

The War Over Reality and Control: Critical Race Theory As An Opening For Fascist Power  —  Governor Ron DeSantis opened a Florida Board of Education meeting on Thursday by voicing his opposition to critical race theory, painting it as an effort to teach America's students that …

‘People of Praise leaders failed me’: Christian group tied to Justice Amy Coney Barrett faces reckoning over sexual misconduct  —  EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — In December, Katie Logan called the police in this Minneapolis suburb to unearth a buried secret: Her high school physics teacher …

Garland announces expansion of Justice Department's voting rights unit, vowing to scrutinize GOP-backed voting restrictions and ballot reviews  —  Attorney General Merrick Garland pledged Friday to double the size of the Justice Department's voting rights enforcement staff to vigorously combat efforts …

EXCLUSIVE: 'It's a problem here in Puerto Rico - not with Washington.' AOC's aunt says Trump is NOT to blame for lack of aid to the struggling island after the congresswoman bashed the former president for damage to her grandmother's home  — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared images on social media …

Two Black Students Won School Honors.  Then Came the Calls for a Recount.  —  After two white families claimed a grade calculation error, a Mississippi school added their children as co-valedictorian and co-salutatorian, reviving questions about race and equity.  —  At first, it seemed a joyous occasion.

Trump's false Lafayette Square exoneration  —  Don't be fooled by the media's credulous acceptance of a new report  —  One of the most notorious events of the Trump presidency was the attack at Lafayette Square on June 1 last year.  Cops from numerous law enforcement agencies suddenly charged …

“I'm not finished”: Harris' border-czar tour flop continues  —  Something tells me this won't assuage fears from Democrats that Kamala Harris is out of her depth in dealing with the border crisis.  The Biden administration can't ask for a friendlier venue than Univision for its immigration policies …

Governor Abbott: I'll build a southern border wall in Texas  —  Texas Governor Greg Abbott hosted a Border Security Summit in Del Rio on Thursday.  During the summit, he made a major announcement - Texas will build a southern border wall.  Abbott also stated his intention for local law enforcement …

One worked for Trump.  The other for Obama.  This is their advice on unifying the country.  —  We must overcome political differences and honor our precious rights.  Otherwise, the country will fail entirely.  —  As President Joe Biden heads out to rally the world, our biggest vulnerability is ourselves.

YouTube Bans Sen. Ron Johnson For Discussing Early Treatment Of COVID-19  —  YouTube's position is that content on the site must parrot whatever comes from its narrow set of authorities, even though their positions change frequently and dramatically.

Oregon legislators expel Rep. Mike Nearman, who helped armed protesters enter Capitol  —  The Oregon House voted 59-1 Thursday to expel Rep. Mike Nearman, the first time it has ejected a sitting representative.  —  Lawmakers removed Nearman because he let far-right demonstrators …

BuzzFeed News Has Won Its First Pulitzer Prize  —  BuzzFeed News won a Pulitzer Prize on Friday for a series of innovative articles that used satellite images, 3D architectural models, and daring in-person interviews to expose China's vast infrastructure for detaining hundreds of thousands of Muslims in its Xinjiang region.

In NBC interview, Putin calls Trump ‘colorful’ but says he can work with Biden  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an exclusive interview Friday with NBC News, called former president Donald Trump a “colorful individual” and said he can work with President Joe Biden.

Coronavirus restrictions spark mutiny against GOP governor  —  BOISE, Idaho — Gov. Brad Little had only briefly traveled out of state to attend a Republican governors' conference when his own lieutenant governor made him regret it.  —  Without warning, GOP Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin took advantage …

House lawmakers roll out bills to rein in Big Tech as conservatives warn of too much federal control  —  Companies would have regulations imposed on mergers, data, and certain business practices  —  Texas proposes new legislation to hold Big Tech accountable