Republicans react to Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as defense secretary: ‘He is the change agent’

Republican lawmakers celebrated after the Senate narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary on Friday. The Senate was split 50-50, with three Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — joining the Democrats in opposing Hegseth’s confirmation, forcing Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote. After Hegseth was … Read more

Ilia Malinin: ‘I have a little more pressure on myself. I don’t think I’m really that far away from everyone’

Figure skating’s ‘quad god’ takes aim at a third straight US national title starting on Saturday, but for the first time as the incumbent world champion No matter how you look at it, Ilia Malinin is already one of the most technically accomplished men’s figure skaters of all time. From his history-making quad axel, to … Read more

‘Just evil’: Top Republican details Russia’s ‘horrific’ mass abductions of Ukrainian children

More than 200,000 children have been abducted by Russia since the start of its invasion of Ukraine, Chairman Emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said, citing U.S. estimates. “If a foreign adversary took 260,000 of our kids, and they were in indoctrination camps, I mean, how would we feel about that?” … Read more

Sierra Leone has a chance to protect women and girls. We must not allow US influence to stop us | Dr Ramatu Bangura

Religious extremists from the US are bolstering local opposition by pouring money and messaging into the country under the guise of supporting ‘family values’ Sierra Leone is on the precipice of making history in its parliament this week. A new bill being debated would see a deadly centuries-old British colonial law abolished and monumental strides … Read more