Exclusive: Trump says he does not believe polls that show Biden ahead in presidential race  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told Reuters on Wednesday he does not believe opinion polls that show his likely Democratic presidential opponent, Joe Biden, leading in the 2020 race for the White House.

Alyssa Milano On Why She Still Supports Joe Biden & How She Would Advise Him About Tara Reade Allegations - Guest Column  —  Editors' Note: Actress and activist Alyssa Milano has been a leader of the #MeToo movement, as her 2017 tweet calling on women to share their stories of sexual harassment …

South Carolina Senate Moves to Likely Republican  —  It's hard to think of a politician who has undergone a bigger evolution over the past four years than South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.  But could that very political makeover hurt him at the ballot box in 2020, even in a reliably red state?

After One Tweet To President Trump, This Man Got $69 Million From New York For Ventilators  —  We may all be at home, but that hasn't stopped our reporters from breaking exclusive stories like this one.  To help keep this news free, become a member and sign up for our newsletter, Outbreak Today.

Trump Officials Are Said to Press Spies to Link Virus and Wuhan Labs  —  Some analysts are worried that the pressure from senior officials could distort assessments about the coronavirus and be used as a weapon in an escalating battle with China.  —  WASHINGTON — Senior Trump administration officials …

Flynn Lawyers Seize on Newly Released F.B.I. Documents  —  The documents show details of a debate among F.B.I. officials before interviewing Michael T. Flynn in 2017, days after he lied to the vice president about his talks with a top Russian diplomat.  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump's allies cheered …

US weekly jobless claims hit 3.84 million, topping 30 million over the last 6 weeks  — Weekly jobless claims hit 3.84 million last week, higher than economist expectations of 3.5 million.  — The total brings the rolling six-week figure to 30.3 million.

Special Report: Trump told Saudis: Cut oil supply or lose U.S. military support - sources  —  WASHINGTON/LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - As the United States pressed Saudi Arabia to end its oil price war with Russia, President Donald Trump gave Saudi leaders an ultimatum.

What Do Famous People's Bookshelves Reveal?  —  In quarantine, people are inadvertently exposing their reading habits — embarrassing, surprising and impressive.  —  Bibliophiles do not approach bookshelves lightly.  A stranger's collection is to us a window to their soul.

Admit It: You Are Willing to Let People Die to End the Shutdown  —  CNN's Jake Tapper was brutally direct in his question to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who recently lifted his state's stay-at-home order, in favor of a gradual reopening of business.  Are you worried, Tapper asked …

Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found in Trucks at Brooklyn Funeral Home  —  Neighbors complained of a foul odor coming from trucks parked outside the home, which had a broken freezer, a law enforcement official said.  —  2,500 Mourners Jam a Hasidic Funeral, Creating a Flash Point for de Blasio

Food Lines a Mile Long in America's Second-Wealthiest State  —  “We've never had to rely on anyone else,” said one food bank visitor.  But now, pushed to the edge of hunger, many unemployed New Jersey residents are asking for help for the first time.  —  EGG HARBOR, N.J. — Jean Wickham's two sons are in college.

Biden announces VP search committee  —  Joe Biden is one step closer to naming a running mate, announcing four co-chairs and a committee to vet candidates for a job he has committed to filling with a woman.  —  Driving the news: The vice presidential selection committee will be headed …

Susan Rice Slams Jared Kushner's ‘Ridiculous’ Boast About U.S. Coronavirus Response  —  The former national security adviser denounced Trump's son-in-law for calling the handling of the crisis “a great success story.”  —  Former national security adviser Susan Rice tore into Jared Kushner …

Mike Pence, the Mayo Clinic, and the Mask  —  This is America.  The rules are supposed to apply to everyone.  —  News reports of Vice President Mike Pence's refusal to wear a mask during his visit to the Mayo Clinic this week reminded me of something that occurred when I worked in the Reagan administration.

The Morbid Ideology Behind the Drive to Reopen America  —  Photos of the small “reopen America” protests, which have made the rounds on social media over the past week, have revealed a spectacle as cartoonish as it is macabre: a rogue's gallery of right-wing groups coming together to share …

Bill de Blasio's new low: blaming the Jews  —  Well, Bill de Blasio, you certainly showed us Jews, didn't you, on Tuesday night?  Yep, you called us out, all 1.2 million of us New York City Jews, and I really hope you enjoyed it.  Because I know it's not fun being mayor right now.

Biden reaches deal to let Sanders keep hundreds of delegates  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has agreed to let former primary rival Bernie Sanders keep hundreds of delegates he would otherwise forfeit by dropping out of the presidential race in a deal designed …

Germany bans Hezbollah, raids mosques  —  Odd ANDERSEN with Michelle FITZPATRICK in Frankfurt  —  A police officer walks out of Al-Irschad Mosque during a raid in Berlin, as dozens of police and special forces stormed mosques and associations linked to Hezbollah in Bremen, Berlin, Dortmund and Muenster early Thursday

China says it ‘expelled’ U.S. Navy vessel from South China Sea  —  “The provocative actions of the United States seriously violated relevant international law norms,” a spokesman for China's military said.  —  China's military has said it “expelled” a U.S. navy vessel from the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea this week.

Lawmakers made hundreds of stock transactions during pandemic, watchdog finds  —  Republican and Democratic lawmakers have bought and sold stocks hundreds of times throughout the coronavirus pandemic — some of them lucrative moves to invest in industries buoyed by the crisis and divest …

In Defense of the Blob  —  America's Foreign Policy Establishment Is the Solution, Not the Problem  —  The foreign policy establishment has seen better days.  During the Obama administration, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes derided it as “the Blob,” mocking its stodgy hawkishness.