As coronavirus surges, Fox News shifts its message on masks  —  WASHINGTON — When Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this week on Fox News that Americans needed to wear face masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus, anchor Sandra Smith did not challenge him on the science.

Justice Department considering replacing US attorney in Brooklyn with Barr ally  —  (CNN)The Justice Department is considering replacing the US attorney in Brooklyn with a senior department official close to Attorney General William Barr, officials briefed on the matter said.

“What Do I Do?  What Do I Do?”:  Trump Desperate, Despondent as Numbers Crater, “Loser” Label Looms  —  “They probably won't have” the Jacksonville convention.  The Joni Ernst campaign is angry at Trump's horrible numbers.  Meadows and Kushner are at loggerheads over Parscale.

His troops have suffered a very different fate.  —  Only a few hours had passed since President Trump pardoned 1st Lt. Clint Lorance and the men of 1st Platoon were still trying to make sense of how it was even possible.  —  How could a man they blamed for ruining their lives …

Texas governor mandates face masks in public spaces  —  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order Thursday requiring all Texans to wear a face covering in public in counties with 20 or more positive coronavirus cases.  —  Why it matters: It's a dramatic reversal for the Republican governor …

Jeffrey Epstein Confidante Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested, Sources Say  —  Maxwell was accused in a civil suit of allegedly helping Epstein traffic underage girls; he died by suicide awaiting trial last year  —  Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and heiress who became a confidante …

More Voters Rule Out Trump Than Biden  —  Mixed results on who has presidential ‘stamina’  —  West Long Branch, NJ - Half of the nation's electorate says they have ruled out voting for Donald Trump in November, while 4 in 10 say the same about Joe Biden.  Biden currently holds a 12 point lead …

Silicon Valley Elite Discuss Journalists Having Too Much Power in Private App  —  In leaked audio from an invite-only app, venture capitalists pondered everything they think is wrong with journalism.  —  During a conversation held Wednesday night on the invite-only Clubhouse app …

The Baseline: How a Functional Executive Would Have Handled the Russian Bounty Operation  —  It's increasingly clear that the Trump administration has committed a serious policy failure in its lack of response to the stream of intelligence reporting on Russian bounties placed on the heads of U.S. service members in Afghanistan.

Herman Cain is receiving treatment for coronavirus at an Atlanta hospital  —  (CNN)Former 2012 Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is receiving treatment for coronavirus at an Atlanta-area hospital, according to a statement posted to his Twitter account.

Speaker Pelosi: ‘The president himself is a hoax’  —  Congressional leaders are hoping they will get the answers they're looking for this morning when Trump administration officials brief them on intelligence that Russia allegedly paid bounties to the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Trump ambassadors sold stocks as president downplayed pandemic and virus was spreading  — Several ambassadors chosen by President Donald Trump shed assets amid warning signs that the coronavirus was rapidly spreading across the world.  — Their sales came as many investors across …

Duckworth threatens to block military nominees unless impeachment witness Vindman gets promotion  —  Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Thursday announced she'll hold up the confirmation of more than 1,000 military promotions until Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirms that the promotion of impeachment witness Army …

Angry exchange on video shows gun being pulled on mom, teen in Orion Twp.  —  Content warning: This video contains graphic language.  —  An angry exchange with accusations of racism was caught on video outside of an Oakland County Chipotle restaurant and shows a woman allegedly pulling a gun …

AP EXCLUSIVE: Soldiers were issued bayonets for DC unrest  —  CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed a report by The Associated Press that some of the service members who were mobilized to Washington, D.C., last month in response to civil unrest …

He Built a Privately Funded Border Wall.  It's Already at Risk of Falling Down if Not Fixed.  —  Trump supporters funded a private border wall on the banks of the Rio Grande, helping the builder secure $1.7 billion in federal contracts.  Now the “Lamborghini” of border walls is in danger …

Trump's pick for ambassador involved in racist smear against black politician  —  President Trump's nominee to be ambassador to Norway is facing demands that he abandon his pursuit of the diplomatic post following the unearthing of a 1994 court filing indicating his involvement in the production …

In the Covid-19 Economy, You Can Have a Kid or a Job.  You Can't Have Both.  —  Our struggle is not an emotional concern.  We are not burned out.  We are being crushed by an economy that has bafflingly declared working parents inessential.  —  Last week, I received an email from my children's principal …

As coach, Tommy Tuberville handed a one-game suspension to player charged with rape of 15-year-old  —  When Clifton Robinson, the short but quick receiver from Naples, Florida, returned to the Auburn University football team in August 1999 after pleading guilty to contributing to the delinquency …

‘Must really hate yourself’: Kellyanne Conway's daughter Claudia wonders how any woman could support Trump  —  George and Kellyanne Conway's daughter Claudia has become a political commenter in her own right, taking to social media to unleash her logic on the Washington, D.C. establishment.

Oregon State Police don't wear coronavirus masks while patronizing coffee shop, despite governor's order  —  A group of Oregon State Police troopers appeared to defy Gov. Kate Brown's statewide mask order while in uniform Wednesday, entering a Corvallis coffee shop without wearing required face coverings …

Young people are throwing coronavirus parties with a payout when one gets infected, official says  —  (CNN)Some young people in Alabama are throwing Covid-19 parties, a disturbing competition where people who have coronavirus attend and the first person to get infected receives a payout, local officials said.

Mysterious Explosion and Fire Damage Iranian Nuclear Enrichment Facility  —  Iran released a photograph showing evidence of what appeared to be a major explosion at the site.  Early evidence suggests it was most likely an act of sabotage.  —  A fire ripped through a building …

University of Massachusetts Nursing Dean Fired After Saying “Everyone's Life Matters” [Updated]  —  We have been discussing the growing fear of professors and students over the loss of free speech on campuses for years, but recently those concerns have been greatly magnified with the investigation …

China Never Reported Existence of Coronavirus to World Health Organization  —  Contrary to claims from both Chinese officials and the World Health Organization, China did not report the existence of the coronavirus in late 2019, according to a WHO timeline tracking the spread of the virus.

Jeff Sessions Just Told Us Who He Is  —  The Senate candidate tells his version of the Obama beer summit story.  —  It's not often that a man who has spent three and a half decades in public life opens a window into his truest self.  But that's what Jeff Sessions did in the course of a New York Times profile.