American politician and lawyer; 48th vice president of the United States (2017–2021)
The government has dismissed Jan. 6 riot prosecutions after President Trump has granted sweeping clemencies and pardons to those involved, including cases tied to emissions-control devices. The judge has described the events at the Capitol as a perilous attack on the Constitution, while outlining the ongoing legal fallout as some cases are dismissed and others are clarified.
A series of developments shows Kyiv gaining renewed support from some Trump-aligned figures, including Laura Loomer, who has visited Kyiv and publicly reversed years of anti-Ukraine commentary. Zelenskiy has met Loomer and signaled closer alignment with Washington as Russia intensifies its missile campaign and U.S. politics realign around Ukraine.
The administration has issued new orders aimed at restricting birth tourism and citizen eligibility criteria, while a federal appeals court has ordered construction on a White House ballroom to stop pending Congressional approval. The BBC’s Americast interview with Hunter Biden is being unpacked as part of the broader political scene.
Karoline Leavitt has announced she will leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children. President Donald Trump has said she will remain a top outside adviser; the White House has not named a successor and senior officials are expected to brief reporters temporarily.
The BBC has asked a Florida federal court to allow subpoenas to be served on Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner in President Trump’s $10bn defamation suit over a 2024 Panorama edit. The BBC says the trio have "personal knowledge" about the January 6, 2021 speech; Trump’s lawyers argue service is blocked by Secret Service protection and call the effort politically motivated.
The Seoul Central District Court has found Han Hak-ja, 83, guilty of illegal political donations and bribery related to efforts to influence South Korea's political scene. The court has handed two-year sentences across involved parties, and related cases of Kim Keon Hee are noted with earlier and subsequent penalties.