House drops plan to return after lawmaker backlash  —  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Tuesday announced that lawmakers won't return to Washington next week, abruptly reversing course after widespread backlash from members in both parties who warned the move would be unsafe.

What Biden Has To Say  —  Joe Biden, Tara Reade, and double-standards.  —  I have no idea if Tara Reade's allegations against Joe Biden are true.  And, like Cathy Young, I think there are reasons to be skeptical.  (You can read her deep dive into the facts here.)

Pence Flouts Mask Policy While Visiting Staff, Patient at Mayo Clinic  —  WHY???  —  Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday refused to wear a mask during his visit to Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, which requires all staff, patients, and visitors to wear a face covering while at the medical center.

Trump Orders Meat Plants to Stay Open in Move Slammed by Union  — President will invoke Defense Production Act after closures  — At least 6,500 workers sickened or in isolation, union says  —  President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that compels slaughterhouses to remain open …

Beshear called it a prank, but Tupac Shakur really does need his unemployment check  —  Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear went full Dad-mode during his Monday night news conference, calling out the “bad apples” who filed for unemployment under fake names during the coronavirus pandemic.

‘A Bargain With the Devil’—Bill Comes Due for Overextended Airbnb Hosts  —  Entrepreneurs built mini-empires of short-term rental properties, borrowing against revenue that's now vanishing under coronavirus lockdowns  —  For years, Cheryl Dopp considered the ding on her phone …

Inside Donald Trump and Jared Kushner's Two Months of Magical Thinking  —  On the afternoon of Thursday, March 19, Donald Trump sat in the Oval Office obsessing over the beaches in Florida.  CNN footage of shirtless spring breakers packed onto the sand while the coronavirus pandemic raged …

Alaska school removes ‘The Great Gatsby,’ other famous books from curriculum for ‘controversial’ content  —  Bookstores are now fielding requests for works removed from Mat-Su Borough School District classrooms.  —  An Alaska school board removed five famous — but allegedly “controversial” …

Georgia men drink disinfectants in attempts to stop coronavirus  —  Two people in Georgia drank liquid cleaning products over the weekend in misguided attempts to ward off COVID-19, according to the Georgia Poison Center.  Both men had histories of psychiatric problems and are expected to recover.

Top E.R. Doctor Who Treated Virus Patients Dies by Suicide  —  “She tried to do her job, and it killed her,” said the father of Dr. Lorna M. Breen, who worked at a Manhattan hospital hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.  —  A top emergency room doctor at a Manhattan hospital that treated …

The U.S. plans to give $500 billion to large companies.  It won't require them to preserve jobs or limit executive pay.  —  The Fed's coronavirus aid program lacks restrictions Congress placed on companies seeking financial help under other programs.  —  A Federal Reserve program expected …

Ohio's G.O.P. Governor Splits From Trump, and Rises in Popularity  —  Mike DeWine, a low-key career politician, has followed health experts' guidance as Ohio confronts the coronavirus.  His constituents are overwhelmingly appreciative.  —  For 40 years, Mike DeWine rose steadily if blandly …

Nearly 70 dead in ‘horrific’ outbreak at veterans home  —  Nearly 70 residents sickened with the coronavirus have died at a Massachusetts home for aging veterans, as state and federal officials try to figure out what went wrong in the deadliest known outbreak at a long-term care facility in the U.S.

Trump has played the media like a puppet.  We're getting better — but history will not judge us kindly.  —  Traditional journalism is under siege, NBC News chief Andy Lack wrote this week: President Trump continues to “put the bully in bully pulpit,” and the coronavirus crisis has taken a toll.

Senators demand answers from Pompeo on Wuhan lab cables  —  The State Department was warned two years ago of safety concerns at a Wuhan lab doing dangerous research on bat coronaviruses.  Now, two Democratic senators want to know if those warnings were ignored — and why, despite these warnings …

Andrew Yang sues over New York's shutdown of presidential primary  —  Andrew Yang, the former presidential candidate, is suing the New York State Board of Elections in federal court after the state election commission effectively canceled the Democratic presidential primary there.

No Testing, No Treatment, No Herd Immunity, No Easy Way Out  —  We need to start preparing for a darker reality.  —  Contributing writer at The Atlantic  —  The past few months have been bleak.  Every day has brought word of new casualties from the coronavirus.  The world economy entered free fall.

MLB discussing plan to start season in late June, playing in home stadiums with realigned league  —  Maybe it's a dream scenario.  —  Maybe it's premature to get excited.  —  Then again, maybe it just might work.  —  Major League Baseball officials have become cautiously optimistic …

Scientists know ways to help stop viruses from spreading on airplanes.  They're too late for this pandemic.  —  On March 14, 1977, a woman with the flu climbed aboard a 737 and headed for Kodiak, Alaska, with 53 other passengers and crew.  After an engine failed, most of them sat on the runway …

Trump's Response to Virus Reflects a Long Disregard for Science  —  The president's Covid-19 response has extended the administration's longstanding practice of undermining scientific expertise for political purposes.  —  WASHINGTON — At a March visit with doctors and researchers at the Centers …

The Latest: 52 positive cases tied to Wisconsin election  —  MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Wisconsin (all times local):  —  More than 50 people who voted in person or worked the polls during Wisconsin's election earlier this month have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.

Tucker Carlson Beats Sean Hannity as Trump Briefings Give Fox News a Boost  —  The network's ratings surged in April, but “Hannity” missed its top spot for the first time since 2017.  —  Sean Hannity has been the king of Fox News for two and a half years, the highest-rated host on the highest-rated cable news channel.

Utah Attorney General suspends state contract with Banjo in light of founder's KKK past  —  • The Utah Attorney General's Office will suspend use of a massive surveillance system after a news report showed that the founder of the company behind the effort was once an active participant …

Belgians urged to eat fries twice a week as coronavirus creates massive potato surplus  — Belgians are being called upon to eat fries at least twice a week as more than 750,000 tons of potatoes are at risk of being thrown away.  — Romain Cools, secretary general of Belgian potato …

DOJ unseals Roger Stone warrants in response to lawsuit from CNN and other outlets  —  Roger Stone sentenced to more than 3 years in prison  —  (CNN)The Justice Department on Tuesday made public dozens of search warrants from its investigation into Roger Stone, after CNN and other news organizations sued for access to the files.

Axios returns PPP loan  —  Axios, which qualified for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan to avoid layoffs, will return the money, after nearing a deal for an alternative source of capital.  —  Why it matters: In the four weeks since Axios applied for the loan, based …

Oppo dumps and behind-the-scenes lobbying: Biden's VP search heats up  —  Joe Biden's advisers and allies have become torn over whether it is more important to choose an African American or a progressive running mate.  —  While the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive …

Patriots' Rookie Justin Rohrwasser To Remove ‘3 Percenter’ Tat, 'It's Shameful'  —  “I want to get it removed from my body.  It's shameful that I had it on there ignorantly.”  —  That's Patriots rookie Justin Rohrwasser fighting back tears and apologizing for the “3 Percenter” …

POLITICO's reporting on President Trump and the Bank of China  —  POLITICO published an article Friday morning on President Donald Trump's business dealings with China.  ("Trump owes tens of millions to the Bank of China - and the loan is due soon.")  Since then, new reporting and information …

New Model Shows How Deadly Lifting Georgia's Lockdown May Be  —  COST OF LIVING  —  Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi are veering toward a terrifyingly premature end to their COVID-19 lockdowns, according to a new pandemic analysis.  —  Gov. Brian Kemp's aggressive scheme to lift Georgia …