ABCNEWS - WATCH: Jury sides with rapper Afroman in police music video case
Grammy-nominated rapper Afroman won a defamation lawsuit filed by seven Ohio sheriff's deputies who sued him over music videos in which he used home security footage to mock their raid of his home.
ABCNEWS - WATCH: Oil and gas prices surge as Iran escalates strikes on Gulf refineries
Iranian attacks on significant energy infrastructure and refineries in several Gulf countries pushed oil and gas prices higher in volatile trading on Thursday.
THEAMERICANCONSERVATIVE (Harrison Berger) - Poll: Majority Oppose Iran War
State of the Union: A new survey shows that voters think Israel benefits from the war in Iran more than the U.S. The post Poll: Majority Oppose Iran War appeared first on The American Conservative .
A majority of Americans oppose President Donald Trump’s military strikes against Iran and believe the ongoing regional war benefits Israel more than the United States, according to a new poll conducted by Data for Progress and released by the IMEU Policy Project and Demand Progress. The survey of 1,215 likely voters found that 53 percent disapprove of Trump’s strikes on Iran, while 43 percent approve, placing public support below the initial approval levels seen at the start of most recent U.S. military interventions. Asked which country they believe a war with Iran would benefit more, Israel or the United States, a majority of respondents—56 percent, say that it serves Israel more—compared with just 29 percent who said the war…Open
THEAMERICANCONSERVATIVE (Harrison Berger) - Iran War Enters Twentieth Day: Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion for War
State of the Union: President Trump said the U.S. “knew nothing” about an Israeli attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure. The post Iran War Enters Twentieth Day: Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion for War appeared first on The American Conservative .
The Iran War entered its 20th day on Thursday following a report from The Washington Post that the Pentagon will seek $200 billion to fund the war. The news seemingly clashes with multiple statements from President Donald Trump that the United States has already “won” the war. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed the budget request on Thursday morning adding that “that number could move.” Hegseth added, “it takes money to kill bad guys.” Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi responded to the reported budget request, warning Americans about what he called “the trillion-dollar ‘Israel First tax’ that’s about to hit the U.S. economy.” The U.S. government has not yet released its findings on an…Open
BITCHUTE - Parent Alert! Oscars Uplifts Motherhood, Teachers Union Activists, CA Classroom Chaos
Jill Simonian discusses surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night through a mom’s point of view. Plus: more evidence showing how the NEA’s political activism is shaping education—and the classroom chaos pushing experienced teachers to quit in California.
AXIOS (Kathleen Hunter) - Mullin scores committee approval to head DHS
Sen. Markwayne Mullin's Cabinet nomination advanced to the Senate floor Thursday despite opposition from Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Why it matters: The 8-7 committee vote puts Mullin an important step closer to being confirmed to succeed Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary when Noem steps down at the end of the month. - Paul voted "no, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted in favor. - Otherwise, the vote split along party lines. State of play: The vote followed a vitriolic hearing on Wednesday that opened with Paul challenging Mullin to "tell me to my face " why Paul deserved an assault that left him with broken ribs. - "You have never had the courage to look me in the…
AXIOS (Avery Lotz) - States challenge "broadcast behemoth" mega-merger
Eight states sued to block the massive $6.2 billion merger of Nexstar and Tegna that could create the largest local broadcast company in the country by far. Why it matters: The deal, which would require lifting the limit on television station ownership, is a litmus test for the Federal Communications Commission's deregulation drive. - FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has already signaled he supports the transaction. Driving the news: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia sued in federal court Wednesday to block the creation of a "broadcast behemoth" that they argue would harm competition and raise fees. - They argue that "eliminating independent news operations will diminish…
AXIOS (Barak Ravid) - Six U.S. allies back potential Strait of Hormuz coalition
Six U.S. Western allies announced in a joint statement on Thursday their support for a potential coalition to reopen the strait of Hormuz for commercial ships and oil tankers. Reality check: The statement does not include any commitment to send naval vessels or other resources to make that happen. For now, it's largely a gesture to placate President Trump, who has railed against allies for declining to help secure the strait and warned that a failure to do so could undermine the future of NATO. Why it matters: The strait closure has become the main crisis for the White House in the war. - As long as the Iranian blockade holds and Gulf oil remains trapped, President Trump can't end the war and declare victory even if he wants to.…
AXIOS (Ben Geman) - White House says it's not planning oil or gas export restrictions
The Trump administration doesn't plan to thwart U.S. oil exports as officials scramble for ways to temper energy price spikes. Why it matters: Rumors of restrictions have swirled in recent days, and would represent a sea change after years of expanding shipments that have made the U.S. a huge player in global markets. Driving the news: "Oil and gas export restrictions are not under consideration," an administration official said Thursday via email. What they're saying: Some analysts have criticized the idea of restricting exports. - "While legally feasible, export restrictions would likely backfire — offering limited relief to US consumers while imposing economic and geopolitical costs," scholars with Columbia University's energy think…