Orrin G. Hatch, longest-serving Republican in Senate history, dies at 88  —  Orrin G. Hatch, a conservative Utah Republican who came out of political nowhere to win a U.S. Senate seat in 1976 and ended his career 42 years later as the longest-serving Republican in the chamber's history …

For Trump's G.O.P., Crossing Lines Has Few Consequences  —  A dizzying week featured Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, caught lying and another lawmaker, Marjorie Taylor Greene, grilled under oath about her role in the Jan. 6 attack.  — Give this article- - - Read in app

Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Zelensky says Blinken, Austin will visit Sunday; strikes in Odessa kill at least 8  —  An adviser to Ukraine's president accused Russia of a surge in airstrikes on Mariupol's Azovstal Iron and Steel Works and alleged that invasion forces are preparing to storm the site …

Filing Provides New Details on Trump White House Planning for Jan. 6  —  Testimony disclosed by the House committee investigating the riot showed that Mark Meadows and Freedom Caucus members discussed directing marchers to the Capitol as Congress certified the election results.

Exclusive: Local election chief threatened by Republican leader seeking illegal access to voting equipment  —  A local Republican Party leader in North Carolina threatened to get a county elections director fired or have her pay cut unless she helped him gain illegal access to voting equipment, the state elections board told Reuters.

The Former Chancellor Who Became Putin's Man in Germany  —  Gerhard Schröder, who is paid almost $1 million a year by Russian-controlled energy companies, has become a pariah.  But he is also a symbol of Germany's Russia policy.  — Give this article- - - Read in app

Joe Biden met with Hunter Biden business partner at the White House  —  Hunter Biden's closest business partner made at least 19 visits to the White House and other official locations between 2009 and 2015, including a sitdown with then-Vice President Joe Biden in the West Wing.

Lloyd Austin presses hard on Ukraine — but quietly  —  The U.S. defense secretary has taken on a major, behind-the-scenes role in countering the Russian invasion, officials say  —  Six days before the invasion of Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin took a final crack at getting …

Michigan GOP moves forward with 2020 election-denying secretary of state and AG  —  Michigan Republicans picked two candidates — who deny the 2020 election results and have been endorsed by former President Trump — to serve as the state's next top elections officer and top law enforcement official.

New book: V.P. political decline called “slow-rolling Greek tragedy”  —  A senator close to Vice President Harris lamented her political decline as a “slow-rolling Greek tragedy,” New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns write in “This Will Not Pass,” their book out May 3.

Gov. Greg Abbott truck inspections turned up zero drugs, migrants but cost Texas $4.2 billion  —  The costly policy, which experts estimate cost hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of a single week, did not result in any migrant detentions or illegal substance seizures.

President Joe Biden Endorses U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader in Reelection Battle  —  “Now we have a lot more to do and to get it done we need to keep a Democratic Congress.”  —  Expand  —  President Joe Biden on Saturday endorsed U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon) in his bid for an eighth term in Congress.

Some Republicans fear party overreach on LGBT measures  —  A spate of GOP bills targeting the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity issues has been accompanied by anti-gay rhetoric  —  Republican lawmakers around the country are pushing an array of bills that limit the discussion …

Commander hints at Russian ambitions beyond Ukraine  —  RIGA, Latvia — A Russian commander said Friday that Moscow wants to take “full control” of eastern and southern Ukraine, in part so it could have a path to neighboring Moldova — raising fears that the nearly two-month war could spill outside of Ukrainian borders.