August 8, 2026 6:21 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed Todd Blanche as the next attorney general of the United States. The 50-49 vote early Saturday came after a bruising confirmation fight that exposed deep concerns in both parties about installing President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney atop the Justice Department. While Blanche has already been leading the department in an acting capacity, his confirmation could free him to pursue the Trump administration’s agenda even more aggressively. Blanche’s supporters say his experience as a federal prosecutor and the trust he earned working for Trump as his personal attorney will help him in the role.
August 8, 2026 8:22 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators have headed for the exits in the predawn hours without having met President Donald Trump’s push to pass a strict proof-of-citizenship voting bill. Trump had demanded that senators stay in session and skip their August recess. But there is not enough support for the SAVE America Act. Instead they tried to advance a slimmed-down voter ID bill, but it failed on a party-line vote. Senators wrapped an all-night session Saturday having confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general and approved stopgap funding as a step toward preventing a government shutdown later this year. They vowed to try again in autumn on the voting bill as well as a broader package to fund the Iran war.
August 8, 2026 4:33 am
Iran’s leaders believe that sooner or later the United States will have to accede to their control over the Strait of Hormuz. That would mark a victory in the five-month war, as the critical waterway carries a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas in peacetime. But Iran’s strategy also carries major risks. A prolonged conflict could inflict further damage on Iran’s economy and infrastructure, potentially triggering another wave of internal unrest. In the meantime, the conflict over the strait makes it difficult to wind down the wider war, much less resume negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program.
August 8, 2026 4:30 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its efforts to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, two months after the Supreme Court allowed her to retain her job while she fights the president’s effort to terminate her over mortgage fraud allegations that she has denied. The justices, in a 5-4 decision in June, said Cook, who was nominated to the Fed’s Board of Governors by President Joe Biden, could remain in her post at least as long as her lawsuit challenging her firing goes on. The Trump administration is appealing a lower-court ruling in Cook’s favor. A letter this week from the White House to Cook said President Donald Trump was “considering” firing Cook but wanted to give her an opportunity to challenge the effort.
August 8, 2026 4:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump’s administration must stop construction of the $400 million White House ballroom because Congress has not approved the project. Trump blasted the decision Friday as “unjust” while vowing to appeal it to the U.S. Supreme Court. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit ruled that Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition. The panel upheld an April order from a lower court judge for aboveground work on the project to be halted.
August 8, 2026 4:17 am
A Peters Township teen has been accused of sexting a 14 year old boy. Earlier this year Alexander Scott, 18 attempted to try and set up another 14 year old teen for a sexual encounter. Court documents show that Washington Police charged Scott on Thursday with multiple felonies after communicating with him on an internet chat board. The communications were on June 29 and continued with the juvenile until they became too uncomfortable and then they contacted police. The police investigation said Scott allegedly brought another adult into the messaging that was a Peters Township graduate in an attempt to set up a sexual encounter. It is not clear if this incident is tied to a previous sextortion and catfishing scheme that found Peters Township graduate Zachariah Meyers charged with 67 felony charges. Since Meyers’ arrest, Aaron White, 30 of Fallowfield Township was charged with sending lewd photos to a 15 year old boy last summer. Charles Usner, 23 of Mt. Lebanon was charged communicating with a 15 year old boy and driving him to a park to have a sexual encounter earlier this summer. Scott is charged with disseminating images of child sex acts, corruption of minors and additional felonies. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on August 18.
August 8, 2026 7:13 am
Emergency responders were called to a home in the 200 block of Franklin Terrace in North Franklin Township for a vehicle that collided into the front of a home. According to 9-1-1 dispatchers, the accident occurred at 9:48 Friday night. Minor injuries occurred to the people in the vehicle and were treated at the scene. No one in the house was injured. Hazmat/collapse personnel were called to the scene to stabilize the front wall of the house.
August 8, 2026 4:19 am
The Peters Township School District is making changes to its cell phone policy. The new policy will prohibit students from using their cell phones throughout the school day. New rules prohibit students from using cellphones, smart devices, smart watches or any portable device capable of accessing the internet during the school day. Students will be required to keep the devices powered off and store them in lockers or cubbies. Students will be able to use them during extracurricular activities. Exceptions can be made for students with medical needs. Students who try to get around the ban will have their devices confiscated. The measure is in anticipation of a statewide ban that could take place in 2027. Currently, the Pennsylvania House and Senate have approved separate bills that would prohibit cellphone use in schools. Currently, the Washington and Ringgold School Districts have cellphone bans in place.
August 7, 2026 3:39 pm
CHICAGO (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration orders inspections for hundreds of Boeing planes, following reports of cracks in some older models. The rule, finalized Thursday, applies to certain Boeing 737 Max models and takes effect September 10. The FAA estimates this covers 471 planes. So far, no cracks have been found in these specific Max models. However, the FAA received reports of cracks in older 737 planes. Boeing says it has been working with operators on this issue for six years and already initiated its own inspections. The company supports the FAA’s latest directive.
August 7, 2026 3:35 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says a federal appeals court’s decision that he cannot build a $400 million ballroom at the White House without congressional approval is unjust. The Republican president says on social media he’ll be appealing the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit ruled Friday that Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition. The panel upheld an April 16 order from a lower court judge for Trump’s Republican administration to halt aboveground work on the ballroom.
