Author: Mandy Matthews

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the release of American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was recently kidnapped by members of the foreign terrorist organization Kata’ib Hizballah near Ba Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the release of American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was recently kidnapped by members of the foreign terrorist organization Kata’ib Hizballah near Ba The announcement updates a tense situation and makes clear the American government was directly involved in securing her freedom. For Republicans, a swift recovery underscores the need for clear policy and firm responses to groups that target U.S. citizens abroad. The return of a…

Joseph Figueira Martin, an aid worker held in the Central African Republic for nearly two years, was released Tuesday, his family told The Associated Press, ending a long period of fear and uncertainty for those close to him. Joseph Figueira Martin had been detained in the Central African Republic for nearly two years before his release on Tuesday, his family told The Associated Press. The news came as a sudden relief to relatives and colleagues who had been waiting for any sign of movement. Details about the exact circumstances of his release are still emerging. The Central African Republic has…

Former Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson has died after battling ALS; she resigned in July 2025 and leaves behind a long record as an advocate-turned-judge and a vacant seat on the state’s highest court. Evelyn Wilson passed away Saturday after a struggle with ALS, the degenerative neurological disease also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. She stepped down from the Kansas Supreme Court in July 2025 following that diagnosis, ending a tenure that began in 2020. Her departure left a vacancy that remains politically charged. Wilson’s legal career stretched back decades, including 15 years on the Shawnee County District Court bench,…

The IRS set up a student loan repayment perk for staff, but a recent inspector general audit found widespread abuse, raising questions about oversight, fairness, and consequences for those who skirted the rules. The agency drew scrutiny after promising to repay outstanding student loans for employees, aiming to make the workforce more competitive and retain talent. What started as a benefit now looks like a program with weak guardrails and a troubling outcome. That makes it a taxpayer issue, because public trust depends on honest administration of benefits. “The IRS promises to repay outstanding student loans for employees, but more…

Across law, politics, and public perception, several clear choices are standing out as the president considers who should step into Bondi’s role. As the president mulls over who to replace Bondi with, there are several standout candidates. Conservatives are watching closely because this pick will shape legal fights and policy priorities for years. The decision blends experience, temperament, and political optics. One obvious factor is courtroom experience in high-stakes litigation, especially actions that push back on federal overreach. A candidate who has taken on challenges to bloated federal agencies or defended state authority naturally appeals to Republicans who favor limited…

This piece explains how Senate rule changes and budget reconciliation offer two paths past the filibuster and why Republicans favor reconciliation when possible. The Senate’s filibuster creates a high bar for major legislation, and that reality forces leaders to choose between two escape hatches. One option is the “so-called nuclear option,” a rule change that lets a simple majority set new precedents and bypass the 60-vote threshold. The other option is reconciliation, a budget-centered process that can sidestep the filibuster when the measure meets strict requirements. Reconciliation is politically safer for a majority party because it works inside existing Senate…

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday that directs federal agencies to withhold funding from colleges that fail to follow new mandates related to transgender participation in athletics. The president’s move gives bureaucracies new leverage over universities by tying federal dollars to compliance with rules on how schools handle transgender athletes. Supporters say this restores fairness and accountability where federal money is involved. Critics warn of legal fights and campus unrest as schools react. The order centers on the authority of federal agencies to cut funding at institutions that do not adhere to the specified mandates. That funding pressure…

Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham was struck by an unknown substance in Santa Monica after a woman approached and fled, despite a permanent restraining order that had been issued months earlier. Lindsey Buckingham, a 76-year-old two-time Grammy Award winner, was attacked in Santa Monica when a woman allegedly threw an unidentified material at him and immediately left the scene. According to Fox News, Buckingham had gone to an appointment when the incident happened and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Threat Management Unit is coordinating with the Santa Monica Police Department. No arrests have been made so far, and authorities…

The federal government on Thursday sued Connecticut, Arizona and Illinois over their attempts to regulate prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket, arguing those state actions clash with federal oversight of commerce and markets. Federal regulators moved quickly on Thursday to block state efforts in Connecticut, Arizona and Illinois that target prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. The government framed the lawsuit as a direct challenge to state rules that, in its view, interfere with a unified marketplace. The case is already shaping up as a test of how far states can go in trying to control digital…

Bill Gates remains a powerful backer of mainstream health narratives, using donations and influence to shape how global health issues are covered, and that pattern deserves clear-eyed scrutiny. His public standing slipped after the intense pandemic years, but Bill Gates did not step away from shaping the conversation. The combination of vast wealth and a keen interest in global health keeps him active behind the scenes, pushing ideas through a network of grants, foundations, and media relationships. Observers on the right see a familiar pattern: money steering messaging. One recurring tactic has been direct financial support to outlets that present…