In N.H. stop, Trump embraces woman convicted in Jan. 6 case  —  The former president has steadily escalated his advocacy for people charged in the Capitol riot.  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former president Donald Trump on Thursday praised and embraced a woman convicted of defying police orders on the U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021.

A second firm hired by Trump campaign found no evidence of election fraud  —  The founder of the company has been interviewed by federal prosecutors investigating the former president's efforts to overturn the 2020 results  —  Former president Trump's campaign quietly commissioned a second firm …

Biden's team is leaning into this culture war staple  —  “You'll see Democrats up and down the ticket running on this.”  —  Presidential campaigns often are waged on whether or not the country is ready to “turn the page.”  President Joe Biden wants his reelection bid to hinge on whether or not there is a page to turn.

Speaker McCarthy Seeks to Turn Up Debt Ceiling Temperature on President Biden  —  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday escalated demands for President Joe Biden and Democrats to avoid a debt-ceiling crisis by embracing the plan that House Republicans passed the day before on party lines.

Senate Democrats Demand Answers From John Roberts Amid Supreme Court Ethics Controversy  —  The letter comes after the chief justice refused to appear to testify as Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch come under fire for disclosure lapses.  —  Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) …

New York City Subway Ends Twitter Service Alerts After Musk Raises Price  —  New York City's mass-transit system is ending its real-time service alerts on Twitter for subway, train and bus riders as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority curbs its relationship with the platform owned by Elon Musk.

The dirty little secret of White House news conferences  —  President Biden was photographed holding a note card Wednesday, revealing the stage managing behind many political media events  —  President Biden offered such a long and nuanced response to the first question he got …

Writer Defends Clarence Thomas' Free Trips Without Mentioning He Was On Same Trips  —  Mark Paoletta comes under fire for not disclosing he went on trips with Thomas and billionaire Harlan Crow in his defense of the Supreme Court justice's ethics.  —  A National Review writer …

Jerry Springer, Host of TV's Most Controversial Show, Dies at 79  —  Jerry Springer, the former Cincinnati news anchor and mayor who came to preside over the controversial and extremely profitable talk show bearing his name, has died.  He was 79.  —  According to NBC affiliate WLWT …

Climate protesters paint case housing Degas ballerina sculpture in D.C.  —  Protesters smeared black and red paint on the case and pedestal of Edgar Degas's “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” sculpture in the National Gallery of Art in D.C. on Thursday to bring attention to the climate crisis …

Brokeback Party  —  They just can't quit him.  —  Hey fam: Tonight I'll be joined by Mona Charen and Will Saletan on the livestream at 8 p.m. in the East.  We'll talk about horseshoe theory and the uniparty.  Also Biden 2024.  And we'll be discussing this thing below 👇

Scoop: DeSantis dines with Miriam Adelson, other major GOP donors in Israel  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dined with Miriam Adelson — former President Trump's top financial backer in 2020 — and other major GOP donors in Jerusalem on Wednesday, according to two sources who attended the dinner.

Exclusive — Disarray Consumes Fox News as Murdochs Attempt to Reassert Control with Carlson, Bongino Ousters  —  Fox News is trying to sideline former Tucker Carlson Tonight host Tucker Carlson through the 2024 election, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Breitbart News.

Spring Branch ISD field trip to play canceled due to ‘age-appropriateness of the performance’  —  Spring Branch ISD is canceling a school trip to see “James and the Giant Peach” over “age-appropriateness of the performance.”  —  SPRING BRANCH, Texas (KTRK) — Parents are divided …

The Suppression Has Begun.  But We Can Stop It.  —  Two news stories out of Florida and Montana on Wednesday might at first blush have seemed unrelated, but paired with what we just saw in Tennessee, we must now pay very close attention.  —  In Florida, the Walt Disney Company sued …

Does the “Arcturus” COVID variant cause pink eye?  What to know about the new strain  —  Health authorities say they are now tracking a handful of new SARS-CoV-2 variants climbing in prevalence around the country, including the XBB.1.16 sublineage.  That strain has been dubbed by some scientists …

Fox News Poll: Voters favor gun limits over arming citizens to reduce gun violence  —  Half worry about being a victim of gun violence, including many in gun-owning households  —  After a series of mass shootings this spring, including the killing of several students at a private Christian school …

GOP legislator says she was ‘yelled at and intimidated’ on House floor by DFL colleague  —  “My interaction on Wednesday evening with Rep. Finke left me shaken and fearing for my personal safety,” Rep. Dawn Gillman said.  —  A Republican lawmaker was verbally accosted by a Democratic colleague …

Conservative dissenters block abortion limits in Nebraska, South Carolina  —  Strict new abortion restrictions failed to advance in two conservative-dominated legislatures on Thursday, signaling a mounting fear among some Republicans that abortion bans could lead to political backlash.

Russian Warplanes Are ‘Trying to Dogfight’ US Jets Over Syria, General Says  —  “Don't take the bait,” the region's top Air Force general warns pilots.  —  Russian warplanes are flying increasingly close to American fighter jets in the skies over Syria “like they're trying to dogfight,” …

6 on NYC Council refuse to vote for ‘End Jew Hatred Day’  —  A member who voted ‘no’ vote called Jewish critics ‘disrespectful’ for accusing her of antisemitism  —  Several Jewish New York City Council members expressed shock Thursday that six of their colleagues did not vote for a resolution …

State finds ‘cause’ to discipline Leon superintendent over ‘politically charged statements’  —  The investigation began after a Moms for Liberty member wrote the governor calling for Hanna's removal from office.  The letter was stamped with “LET'S GO BRANDON.”

Twitter is complying with more government demands under Elon Musk  —  The company has not refused a single request since Musk took ownership, according to self-reported data  —  It's been exactly six months since Elon Musk took over Twitter, promising a new era of free speech and independence from political bias.

Ted Cruz Tapes Will Be Given to Feds Probing Jan. 6: Report  —  HAND 'EM OVER  —  Audio tapes recorded by former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg that show Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) allegedly scheming to steal the 2020 presidential election will be handed over to the Justice Department …

Feds: Rioter Couple Raided Pelosi's Office, Stormed the Senate, Then Kicked a Cop in the Groin  —  The Pennsylvania couple took selfies in Pelosi's office before taking a seat in Senate chairs assigned to Sens. Kevin Cramer and Patrick Toomey, the FBI said.  —  A bullhorn-wielding Pennsylvania …

In win for transgender rights advocates, effort to enact Kansas trans health care ban fails  —  Kansas lawmakers fell short of overriding Gov. Laura Kelly on a measure that would have banned gender-affirming care for transgender youths, a win for trans rights advocates as states across the country pursue similar measures.

Fire Sale: $300 Million San Francisco Office Tower, Mostly Empty.  Open to Offers.  —  350 California Street was worth $300 million four years ago.  It might sell for 80% less now, brokers say, in a market where office vacancy rates have soared.  —  Before the pandemic …

Federal appeals court upholds several voter restrictions enacted by Florida Republicans  —  A federal appeals court has upheld several provisions of a restrictive election law in Florida that was passed by the GOP-controlled legislature in 2021.  —  A divided panel of the 11th US Circuit Court …

Newsmax Ratings Climb After Tucker Carlson's Exit at Fox  —  The niche conservative news channel is still small compared to Fox News, but its viewership has doubled and in some time slots even tripled since Tucker Carlson was dismissed.  —  Newsmax, the niche conservative news channel …

Merchant Vessel Seized by IRGCN in Gulf of Oman  —  Gulf of Oman —  On April 27 at approximately 1:15 p.m. 1ocal time, Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman.