McCarthy named US House speaker
Republican favourite Kevin McCarthy was named speaker of the US House of Representatives as he quelled a fierce rebellion among his party's ranks that had paralyzed the lower chamber of Congress for days.
McCarthy was always the frontrunner to lead the Republican-led House, but his victory was almost derailed by a right-wing revolt in his party that extended the contest to a historic 15 rounds of voting.
The speaker wields huge influence in Washington by presiding over House business and is second in line to the presidency, after the vice president.
As he accepted the gavel, McCarthy vowed House Republicans would "pass bills to fix the nation's challenges, from the wide open southern border to 'America last' energy policies, to woke indoctrination in our schools."
"America's long term challenges -- the debt and the rise of the Chinese Communist Party -- Congress must be with one voice on both of these issues," he told the House.
McCarthy had been hoping to secure the gavel in the 14th voting round but suffered a shock setback amid astonishing scenes of Republican infighting as he came up short of a majority by just one vote out of more than 400 cast.
The Republicans, who hold a razor-thin majority, had been mired in internecine warfare as Trump-backed McCarthy failed to win the speakership in multiple ballots, with around 20 conservative hardliners blocking his path.
