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Bondi earned president’s ire over handling release of Epstein files and failing to prosecute his political enemiesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump has fired Pam Bondi, the attorney general, according to multiple reports, dismissing a loyalist who reshaped the justice department, but still failed to please a president fixated on prosecuting political enemies and frustrated with the politically explosive release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.Bondi presided over a major purging of career justice department staff, shifted focus away from criminal prosecutions toward immigration cases and spearheaded the defense of Trump’s towering stack of executive orders as they faced legal challenges. Continue reading...

Trump has yet to nominate a permanent CDC director and the Senate confirmation of his pick for top doctor is in limboSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe Trump administration’s “Make America healthy again” (Maha) agenda appears to be stalled as two of the government’s most influential public health positions sit empty.The president has yet to nominate a permanent director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leaving a leaderless agency that has been plagued by turmoil for the past year. At the same time, Trump’s controversial pick for surgeon general, Casey Means, remains in limbo as her nomination stalls in the Senate. Continue reading...

• Dr. Casey Means' nomination for U.S. surgeon general is stalled after senators from both parties questioned her vaccine views and limited medical experience during a confirmation hearing last month. • The 38-year-old Stanford-educated physician, who left her surgical residency, faces scrutiny for her alignment with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine rollback efforts. • Despite White House and activist support, Means needs full Republican backing on the Senate HELP Committee, but two GOP senators remain opposed amid legal setbacks for Kennedy's agenda.

Former Olympic rower to lead corporation as it hammers out future funding model with governmentMatt Brittin, Google’s former top executive in Europe, has been named the BBC’s next director general.Brittin, who stepped down as Google’s president in Europe, the Middle East and Africa last year, will replace Tim Davie at a crucial time for the corporation, as it hammers out its future funding model with the government. Continue reading...

Riverside county sheriff had last month seized more than 650,000 ballots cast in the state’s November special electionCalifornia’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, is seeking a court order to stop the Riverside county sheriff’s department from continuing its recount of ballots from the November 2025 special election.The LA Times reports that Bonta filed a petition with the fourth appellate district on Monday, writing that “the Sheriff’s misguided investigation threatens to sow distrust and jeopardize public confidence” in upcoming elections. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Richard Hermer, who is Jewish, says Tory leader and shadow minister seem ‘to only have an issue with Muslim events’Richard Hermer, the attorney general, has challenged Kemi Badenoch to say whether she would object to Jewish prayer in public, after the Conservative leader backed one of her shadow ministers who said an Islamic prayer event was intimidating and un-British.Hermer, one of the UK’s most prominent Jewish politicians, said Badenoch’s decision to support the views of Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, put her on a par with Reform UK and Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist. Continue reading...

Board meets this week to discuss appointment, with former Google executive the strong favourite to replace Tim DavieFormer Google executive Matt Brittin is expected to be named the BBC’s next director general within days, with the corporation’s board meeting this week for a final discussion about the appointment.The decision will be discussed at a regular BBC board meeting on Thursday. Though the meeting will not formally approve Brittin for the role, an announcement could be made as soon as next week. Continue reading...