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Ed Martin, a close ally of President Donald Trump who worked in several Justice Department roles, is leaving to focus on legal efforts related to upcoming elections. Martin was involved in controversial actions during his time in the department, including dismissing Jan. 6 cases and investigating Democratic politicians.
Key Facts
Ed Martin served as the Justice Department’s pardon attorney and held other positions in President Trump’s administration.
President Trump announced Martin’s departure to work on legal battles around the 2024 and 2028 elections.
Martin oversaw the dismissal of Jan. 6 cases after Trump’s pardons.
His nomination as interim U.S. attorney for D.C. was withdrawn due to concerns about his experience and support for Capitol rioters.
Martin led investigations into Democratic officials like Sen. Adam Schiff and NY Attorney General Letitia James.
A judge dismissed the case against James due to issues with prosecutor appointments.
Martin was removed from leading the “Weaponization Working Group” after conflicts with Justice Department leadership.
Attorney General Todd Blanche called Martin a “patriot” in a social media post praising his service.
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The CDC reported that eating alfalfa sprouts from specific brands is causing people to get sick with E. coli and salmonella infections. They advised consumers to throw away any sprouts from these brands to avoid illness.
Key Facts
The CDC identified an outbreak of E. coli and salmonella linked to alfalfa sprouts.
The sprouts involved were sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands.
Several people became sick after eating these sprouts.
The CDC recommended that anyone who bought these sprouts should discard them.
E. coli and salmonella are bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
The outbreak is under investigation to prevent more cases.
The warning was issued to protect public health and limit the spread of illness.
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TikTok and its parent company ByteDance agreed to pay $400 million to the U.S. Department of Justice to settle claims that the app broke children’s online privacy laws. The payment includes $300 million now and another $100 million after a court dismisses a previous agreement.
Key Facts
TikTok and ByteDance face allegations of violating a law that protects children’s online privacy.
The total settlement amount is $400 million.
$300 million will be paid immediately.
The remaining $100 million will be paid after a court dismisses an earlier consent decree.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement on a Friday.
The case involves protecting children's private information on TikTok.
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Reports of sexual assault in the U.S. military decreased for the third year in a row in 2025. The Pentagon also received fewer complaints about sexual harassment compared to 2024.
Key Facts
Reports of sexual assault in the U.S. military fell again in 2025, continuing a three-year downward trend.
The Pentagon received 7,998 sexual assault reports in 2025.
Sexual harassment complaints to the Pentagon were slightly lower in 2025 than in 2024.
The data comes from a report released by the Department of Defense on Friday.
The report covers the experiences of military personnel across all branches of the U.S. armed forces.
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The Lindsay Clancy trial in Massachusetts is deciding whether she is criminally responsible for killing her three children or not due to severe postpartum mental illness. The jury will determine if she will face life in prison or be sent to a psychiatric hospital based on medical records, expert testimonies, and events from the day of the crime.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy admits to killing her three children on January 24, 2023.
The trial focuses on why the killings happened and if Clancy was legally responsible at the time.
Prosecutors argue Clancy acted with intent, citing her asking her husband to leave the house as a planned action.
The defense says Clancy had postpartum psychosis, a severe mental illness after childbirth, and was not responsible for her actions.
If found premeditated murder, Clancy faces life in prison without parole; if not guilty by reason of insanity, she will be sent to a state psychiatric hospital.
Massachusetts has no special legal defense for postpartum psychosis, so normal criminal responsibility rules apply.
Postpartum psychosis symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, confusion, and mood swings.
The jury will consider her mental state before and during the incident alongside expert opinions.
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Walmart will start accepting Apple Pay and other tap-to-pay methods at some stores on August 24. The company plans to have this payment option in all Walmart and Sam's Club locations by the end of 2026 and at its gas stations by mid-2027.
Key Facts
Walmart will let customers pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other tap-to-pay options starting August 24 at select stores.
Tap-to-pay will be available at all Walmart and Sam's Club stores by the end of 2026.
Walmart gas stations will offer tap-to-pay by mid-2027.
This change aims to give customers more payment choices and make shopping easier.
Walmart previously encouraged customers to use its own Walmart Pay app, which uses QR codes.
Customers have complained that they could not use Apple Pay at Walmart stores before.
Apple Pay is accepted at over 85% of U.S. retailers.
This move aligns Walmart with common digital payment methods used nationwide.
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President Trump’s administration is changing many rules about U.S. colleges and universities. These changes affect how schools get federal research money, handle international students, and follow the law on admissions and accreditation.
Key Facts
The administration is cutting and freezing federal research funding for universities.
A new rule would let political appointees approve or cancel research grants based on government priorities.
The Pentagon ordered 30 schools to review their foreign research partnerships to keep funding and protect national security.
New limits restrict international students to a maximum of four years in the U.S., replacing the old “duration of status” rule.
The Justice Department is investigating medical schools for alleged racial discrimination in admissions.
The Education Department is reviewing the American Bar Association’s authority to approve law schools.
Proposals aim to break up long-standing control by accrediting groups and speed up the approval of new ones.
Critics worry these changes might reduce graduate student numbers and harm scientific research and international collaboration.
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Hundreds of people in Tunisia's capital, Tunis, protested against President Kais Saied. They demanded that he step down, criticizing power cuts and the rising cost of living.
Key Facts
The protest took place on Thursday in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.
Hundreds of people joined the march.
Protesters want President Kais Saied to leave office.
They complained about frequent power outages.
They also expressed concern about higher living costs.
The protest was organized by a new opposition group called Nafas Movement.
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The US national debt has grown to $40 trillion, more than doubling in ten years. This increase comes from large government spending and rising interest payments under President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
Key Facts
The US national debt is now $40 trillion.
In 2016, the debt was just under $20 trillion.
The debt has increased due to heavy government spending.
Both President Donald Trump’s and President Joe Biden’s administrations contributed to the rise.
Higher interest payments have also added to the debt total.
The growing debt can impact American consumers and the global economy.
Treasury Department data provides these debt figures.
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A man was killed by a bear in Crystal, New Mexico, marking a very rare fatal bear attack in the state. Police responded quickly, shot the bear, and later found and killed it, while urging the public to avoid dangerous wildlife.
Key Facts
The attack happened on a Native American reservation in Crystal, New Mexico.
Police received a call about the bear attack around 1 p.m. and responded with help from wildlife and criminal investigators.
The bear was shot and later found and killed by authorities.
This is only the second fatal bear attack in New Mexico in over 100 years, the last being in 2001.
The 2001 attack involved a bear breaking into a woman’s home and killing her.
In 2020, a woman was seriously injured by a bear in New Mexico but survived.
Fatal bear attacks in North America are very rare, with people much more likely to be harmed by other humans or other causes.
Wildlife officials advise people to stay away from bears and to report sightings to local authorities immediately.
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President Donald Trump has warned of a major economic campaign to isolate Iran and stop its threat by cutting off financial and trade links. Iran’s leaders currently show little interest in talks and may respond to worsening economic conditions with military action. Despite economic challenges, Iran maintains economic strength through diverse industries, trade with China, and regional partnerships.
Key Facts
President Trump called for an "economic D-Day" to isolate Iran and warned countries helping Iran would face severe economic consequences.
Iran’s current leadership is reluctant to negotiate due to political costs and past negotiation failures.
An Iranian journalist says Iran will try to resist economic pressure to encourage the US to change its approach and grant sanctions relief.
If Iran’s economy worsens significantly, with major inflation or shortages, it might respond by escalating military tensions rather than negotiating.
Iran has a broad industrial base that produces many essential goods domestically.
China buys Iranian oil and supplies machinery and parts critical to Iran’s industries.
Iran maintains strong trade relationships with neighboring countries to support its economy.
The outcome of any new conflict between Iran and its adversaries is unpredictable.
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Somalia is facing a severe hunger crisis, with about six million people not getting enough food due to drought, conflict, and displacement. Aid efforts are hampered by long-term instability and large cuts in international funding, making it hard to help those in need.
Key Facts
Around six million Somalis face severe hunger.
The causes include drought, ongoing conflict, and people being forced to leave their homes.
Somalia has experienced instability for more than 30 years, affecting aid delivery.
International aid to Somalia has been sharply reduced recently.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has only a small portion of the money needed to provide food aid.
Clashes continue between government forces and opposition groups, especially in key areas like Baidoa.
Large numbers of people are fleeing drought-affected areas.
Experts from various organizations are discussing the crisis and possible ways to help.
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TikTok and its parent company ByteDance agreed to pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. government. The lawsuit said TikTok broke laws protecting children's online privacy by collecting data from young users.
Key Facts
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement on a Friday.
TikTok was sued in 2024 for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
The act protects children’s privacy by limiting data collection from minors online.
TikTok and ByteDance agreed to pay $400 million to resolve the lawsuit.
ByteDance is the Chinese company that owns TikTok.
Neither TikTok nor ByteDance gave comments immediately after the announcement.
The case focused on how TikTok collects data from children using the app.
The legal action is part of ongoing concerns about privacy on social media platforms.
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President Donald Trump announced that Ed Martin, the pardon attorney at the Department of Justice (DOJ), is leaving his position. Trump said Martin will focus on legal efforts for the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.
Key Facts
Ed Martin served as the pardon attorney at the DOJ.
President Trump announced Martin’s departure on social media.
Martin will work on legal battles related to upcoming elections.
These elections include the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race.
President Trump stated Martin will help ensure elections are free, fair, and honest.
Trump also said Martin will support constitutional rights in his new role.
No replacement or timeline for the new pardon attorney was mentioned.
The story is still developing, with updates expected later.
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The head of Hawaii’s prison system plans to change part of the Waiawa Correctional Facility, a minimum-security prison, to better care for mentally ill inmates currently in the larger Hālawa prison. Only inmates who are stable on their medication and close to their release dates will move to Waiawa, which offers a less strict environment and more outdoor space.
Key Facts
Waiawa Correctional Facility is a minimum-security prison in Central Oʻahu with space for 334 men, currently housing 189.
The plan is to clear out one dormitory at Waiawa and make it a therapeutic space for mentally ill inmates.
Inmates transferred must be stabilized on medication and within 60 months of their release or parole dates.
Waiawa is more open and less restrictive than Hālawa, offering outdoor areas and programs like education and substance abuse treatment.
Concerns remain about whether Waiawa can provide specialized mental health care since it was not built for this purpose.
The state has faced problems with mental illness in prisons, including suicides and a class-action lawsuit over poor mental health services.
Recent inspections found that prisons are understaffed and provide inadequate treatment for mentally ill inmates.
The state is asking for more money to hire healthcare workers like psychiatrists and nurses to improve mental health care in prisons.
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A Pentagon report shows more U.S. troops are reporting unwanted sexual contact, but the overall number of such incidents has gone down. About one in three service members who experienced sexual assault reported it in 2025, up from one in four in 2023.
Key Facts
In fiscal year 2025, 33% of troops who experienced unwanted sexual contact reported it, compared to 25% in 2023.
The total reported sexual assault cases in 2025 were 7,998, a decrease of 197 from 8,195 in 2024.
Unwanted sexual contact among active-duty women dropped from 6.8% in 2023 to 4.3% in 2025.
For men, unwanted sexual contact fell from 1.3% in 2023 to 1% in 2025.
Sexual harassment among active-duty women decreased from 24.7% to 17.5% during the same period.
Sexual harassment reports for men dropped from 5.8% to 4.4%.
The Pentagon collects data through confidential surveys every two years to understand the true scope of the problem.
Officials say increased reporting shows more confidence in the support and reporting systems for victims.
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President Donald Trump cited a U.S. Census Bureau report to claim that over 24,000 noncitizens voted in the 2020 election. However, experts say the report’s methods are flawed and may have produced many mistaken identifications of noncitizen voters.
Key Facts
The Census Bureau report reviewed about 160 million 2020 voter records and linked over 24,000 to noncitizen status records.
This count is preliminary; more than 32 million voter records still await analysis.
The report relied on matching voter data with citizenship records but did not explain how it handled errors.
Experts say the method likely created false positives due to data mistakes or outdated citizenship information.
Mistaken matches may occur because of similar names, shared addresses, or inaccurate data updates.
Election policy expert Mark Lindeman called the report’s methodology weak and unclear.
Law professor Justin Levitt highlighted three sources of error: errors in voter files, citizenship records, and data matching.
The report does not prove that noncitizen voting was widespread or intentional.
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Pope Leo XIV has called on leaders and countries worldwide to help the people of Gaza, who continue to face serious hardships. He urged support for efforts to rebuild the area.
Key Facts
Pope Leo XIV made an appeal to global authorities.
The appeal focuses on helping the people of Gaza.
Gaza’s population is still experiencing significant suffering.
The Pope called for assistance in starting reconstruction work.
The appeal highlights ongoing challenges in Gaza after recent difficulties.
The message is directed at governments and international groups.
Reconstruction refers to rebuilding damaged homes, infrastructure, and services.
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Ed Martin, who led the Justice Department's Weaponization Working Group and served as the U.S. pardon attorney, is leaving the department. His time in the Trump administration included several controversies and challenges.
Key Facts
Ed Martin was the head of the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group.
He also served as the U.S. pardon attorney.
Martin’s tenure in the Trump administration had multiple controversies.
He faced difficulties advancing as a nominee for certain positions.
Martin is now leaving the Justice Department.
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The Dutch data protection authority fined Uber €825 million ($966 million) for using automated systems to deactivate driver accounts without properly informing them or involving human review. Uber plans to appeal the decision, which is the second-largest fine under Europe’s GDPR rules that protect people from computer-made decisions affecting their lives.
Key Facts
The fine of €825 million ($966 million) was issued on August 17 by the Dutch data protection authority.
This is the second-largest GDPR fine, after a €1.2 billion fine against Meta for data transfer violations.
Uber automated suspensions of driver accounts for suspected fraud or low customer ratings without adequate human review or warning.
GDPR rules say important decisions affecting people’s lives must include human review and a way to challenge the decision.
The case involves incidents across Europe from 2018 to 2022, starting from a French complaint.
Uber says it usually includes human reviews and disputes for suspensions and calls the fine disproportionate.
The fine is based on a share of Uber’s estimated 2025 revenue.
A digital rights group is preparing a lawsuit to seek compensation for drivers affected by the automated decisions.
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