Feb 24, 2017

Priebus asked FBI to shoot down Russia stories; FBI said 'no'

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus asked the FBI to "talk to reporters on background" to dispute reports linking the Trump campaign to Russia, CNN reports. The FBI declined. A White House official said the request was made only after the FBI said the reports were questionable.

CNN does an excellent job explaining why this matters:

The direct communications between the White House and the FBI were unusual because of decade-old restrictions on such contacts. Such a request from the White House is a violation of procedures that limit communications with the FBI on pending investigations.

Go deeper

Sam Baker

10 mins ago - Health

Lessons from the lockdown — and what comes next

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

We are nowhere near finished with the coronavirus, but the next phases of our response will — if we do it right — be more targeted and risk-based than the sweeping national lockdown we’re now emerging from.

Why it matters: Our experience battling this new virus has taught us a lot about what does and doesn’t work. We’ll have to apply those lessons rigorously, and keep adapting, if we have any hope of containing the virus and limiting the number of deaths from here on out.

Go deeper (3 min. read)

Orion Rummler

Updated 28 mins ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd protests: Unrest continues for 6th night across U.S.

A protest near the White House on Sunday night. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Most external lights at the White House were turned off late Sunday as the D.C. National Guard was deployed and authorities fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters nearby, per the New York Times.

What's happening: It's one of several tense, late-night standoffs between law enforcement and demonstrators in the United States over the death of George Floyd and other police-related killings of black people.

Go deeper (2 min. read)

Axios

Updated 30 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Photo Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Noam Galai, Jamie McCarthy, Josep Lago/AFP, Alfredo Estrella/AFP, and Narayan Maharjan/NurPhoto, all via Getty Images

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 5 a.m. ET: 6,181,781 — Total deaths: 372,136— Total recoveries — 2,646,874 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 5 a.m. ET: 1,790,191 — Total deaths: 104,383— Total recoveries: 444,758 — Total tested: 16,936,891 — Map.
Public health: Black Americans' competing crises — Coronavirus looms over George Floyd protests across the country.
2020: AIPAC conference in March 2021 canceled.
Economy: What U.S. workplaces may look like next — Both part of America's unfinished business — Future of mobility in post-pandemic world.
World: Former FDA commissioner says "this is not the time" to cut ties with WHO — White House sends 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil, 1,000 ventilators to come.

Other resources (<1 min. read)