‘Play it down’: Trump admits to concealing the true threat of coronavirus in new Woodward book  —  Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed US coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and “more deadly …

Biden leads in six 2020 swing states as Trump sees no convention bounce, CNBC/Change Research poll finds  — Joe Biden leads Donald Trump in six key 2020 swing states, according to a new CNBC/Change Research poll.  — Biden's edge over Trump in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina …

Trump spurns traditional debate prep with first faceoff less than 3 weeks away  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has not held a single mock debate session, and has no plans to stage a formal practice round, as he readies for his first faceoff with Joe Biden in less than three weeks …

Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Norwegian official, citing Israel-UAE peace deal  —  Nomination was submitted by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament  —  EXCLUSIVE: Just weeks after helping to broker peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) …

Justice Dept. Intervenes to Help Trump in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Lawsuit  —  Government lawyers made the unusual move of seeking to take over President Trump's defense in a suit brought by Ms. Carroll, who has accused Mr. Trump of raping her in the 1990s.

New Oscars standards require best picture contenders must be inclusive to compete  —  And the Oscar goes to ... inclusion.  —  In the latest step in its ongoing effort to boost diversity both within its own ranks and across the film industry, on Tuesday the film academy announced …

Republicans have insufficient evidence to call elections ‘rigged’ and ‘fraudulent’  —  Benjamin L. Ginsberg practiced election law for 38 years.  He co-chaired the bipartisan 2013 Presidential Commission on Election Administration.  —  Legions of Republican lawyers have searched in vain over four decades for fraudulent double voting.

No, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Didn't Spawn 250,000 Coronavirus Cases  —  Here's what we were told: An August motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, helped spread COVID-19 to more than a quarter-million Americans, making it the root of about 20 percent of all new coronavirus cases in the U.S. last month.

California's GOP Senate leader was under quarantine.  She spoke with no mask at a huge prayer event anyway.  —  In front of thousands of worshipers packed shoulder-to-shoulder outside the Capitol, California Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove (R) grabbed the microphone on Sunday and promised …

Make the Senate Great Again  —  To restore the world's greatest deliberative body, we need to think big.  —  What would the Founding Fathers think of America if they came back to life?  Their eyes would surely bug out first at our technology and wealth.  But I suspect they'd also be stunned …

America Is Trapped in a Pandemic Spiral  —  Editor's Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers.  Find the collection here.  —  Army ants will sometimes walk in circles until they die.  The workers navigate by smelling the pheromone trails …

'I'll have to say it's total bull***t': How political sources play the anonymity game  —  George W. Bush dished on his father's campaign, with the understanding that he'd later have to deny it.  Such arrangements have long been part and parcel not just of journalism, but of politics.  —  ADD TO BRIEFCASE

A GOP county chair asked Trump to wear a mask to his rally.  Instead, Trump mocked pandemic restrictions.  —  Hours before President Trump arrived in Winston-Salem, N.C., for a campaign rally on Tuesday, the county's top Republican official issued a warning: The president better be wearing a mask.

Coronavirus cases spike among school-age children in Florida, while state orders some counties to keep data hidden  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A month into the forced reopening of Florida's schools, dozens of classrooms — along with some entire schools — have been temporarily shuttered …

Cancer survivor pleading for help with health insurance ‘angry and hurt’ over Tillis staffer's response  —  CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. — A three-time cancer survivor who reached out to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis for help with her health insurance dilemma said that she got an insensitive response from a staffer instead.

A Trump Comeback?  —  Biden wants to make the campaign a referendum on Trump.  He's succeeding with Trump's help.  —  By The Editorial Board  —  With eight weeks before Election Day, the state of the 2020 campaign is clear: President Trump is trailing Joe Biden, who has succeeded so far …

Patients may have seen ‘significant’ delays in medicine deliveries by USPS, Senate report finds  —  Several large pharmacies say delivery times have ticked up, leading to a flood of customer complaints and the added expense of replacing missing orders.  —  Patients who rely on the U.S. Postal Service …

Arizona Supreme Court denies West's bid to appear on ballot  —  The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Kanye West's bid to appear on the state's Nov. 3 ballot as an independent presidential candidate, just hours before eight of the state's 15 counties faced a deadline for printing ballots.

It's Time to Start a New University  —  Two viruses—one biological, the other ideological—have delivered a mortal blow to American higher education.  —  Hundreds, maybe thousands, of colleges and universities will soon be wiped out by an unprecedented combination of financial exigency and revolutionary ideology.

EXCLUSIVE: Giancarlo Granda claims Falwell Jr. has been ‘relentlessly harassing’ him since sex scandal broke  —  Falwell Jr. walked away from Liberty University with an estimated $10.5 million payout  —  EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Falwell Jr.'s days as a role model for students at Liberty University ended long …

Reno airport authority: Planned Trump rally ‘may not proceed,’ violates state's 50-person limit on public gatherings  —  President Donald Trump's speaks during a rally at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020.  (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)

EXCLUSIVE: Texas A&M prof who called Trump ‘fat klansman’ disparages conservatives & Christians in class, multiple students say  — A professor previously covered by Campus Reform has made comments in class aimed at Republicans and certain religions.  — According to students who have taken …

‘Ask Me Anything!’:  Joe Biden Asks For Questions in Instagram Q&A, Doesn't Answer Any  —  2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told his Instagram followers to “Ask me anything!” after announcing he would be answering questions on the app.  Over 24 hours later, however, the former vice president has yet to answer any.

AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine study put on hold due to suspected adverse reaction in participant in the U.K.  —  A large, Phase 3 study testing a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford at dozens of sites across the U.S. has been put on hold due …

CNN airs photo of Biden and son with Washington Redskins logo removed from son's hat  —  The NFL team retired the polarizing name and logo in July

American Conservatism, b. 1955, d. 2020?  —  Is American conservatism as we've known it dead?  —  Is the Republican party salvageable?  Is it worth trying to save?  These questions have sparked an interesting discussion, one that raises important issues involving the relationship of principle …

NPR Poll: Financial Pain From Coronavirus Pandemic ‘Much, Much Worse’ Than Expected  —  In America's four largest cities, at least half of people say they have experienced the loss of a job or a reduction in wages or work hours in their household since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

50th District race is 'anyone's guess' as Issa, Campa-Najjar in statistical dead heat in new poll  —  The poll also suggests President Donald Trump's popularity has plummeted in the district; Joe Biden is now first choice  —  With Election Day two months away, a poll released Tuesday shows …

Attorney Hired To Probe VOA's Coverage Has Active Protective Order Against Him  —  The CEO appointed by President Trump to lead the federal agency that oversees the Voice of America and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters has made strict protocols for scrutinizing job candidates a hallmark of his brief tenure there.