August 17, 2026 2:49 am
Gas prices are three cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.160 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is back on the rise after a week of falling prices. Today’s national average of $4.06 is five cents more than last week. Crude oil prices are once again in the $80 per barrel range amid continued uncertainty along the Strait of Hormuz. While gasoline demand is down, crude oil prices are keeping pump prices higher than normal for this time of year. So far, this is the highest August on record when it comes to the national gasoline average. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased last week from 9.03 million barrels per day to 8.96 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 209.7 million barrels to 208.7 million. Gasoline production also decreased, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day.
August 18, 2026 4:57 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — A marathon meeting between U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left the fate of the Gaza ceasefire unclear. Officials signaled moderate optimism after Monday’s talks but offered no concrete commitment by Israel to the latest US-proposed plan. American negotiators appeared to acquiesce to Israeli demands that Hamas disarmament must come before any reconstruction of the devastated Palestinian enclave. They did not publicly signal that Israel had made any commitments to withdraw its troops from the 60% of Gaza they currently occupy. That’s a major sticking point in the plan.
August 18, 2026 5:00 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says a solid alliance with the United States strengthens foundation of national security. Lee’s comments Tuesday come as many South Koreans remain baffled and concerned about U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt order to “substantially reduce” military exercises with South Korea. Trump made the announcement just before U.S. and South Korean soldiers began annual exercises on Monday designed to sharpen readiness against North Korean threats. Trump cited what he said was a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s refusal to join the war against Iran.
August 18, 2026 5:00 am
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida voters cast ballots Tuesday for Republican and Democratic nominees for governor, U.S. Senate and several congressional races. The primaries will define a midterm ballot set to test President Donald Trump’s grip on his adopted state. Congressman Byron Donalds is hoping with Trump’s backing to dominate the Republican field and be elected in November as Florida’s first Black governor. Eleven-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running in a new near-majority Black district under a GOP-led redrawing of congressional districts. And Ashley Moody, the Senate appointee who replaced Marco Rubio when he became secretary of state, is seeking the GOP nod to run for the final two years of the term.
August 18, 2026 5:05 am
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is pitching a plan to help shield local police officers who make immigration arrests from possible financial consequences if they are accused of on-duty misconduct. A planning document released Friday says the agency is proposing to subsidize liability insurance for state and local officers who are trained and deputized to enforce federal immigration laws. ICE’s partnerships with local departments have soared since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and may get an additional boost with liability insurance by removing a hurdle that has made some local police departments reluctant to join. The Associated Press is the first to report on this insurance proposal.
August 18, 2026 5:02 am
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Opening statements started Tuesday in a pivotal trial for Meta Platforms in a California federal court, where states are seeking billions of dollars in damages for social media harms to children. Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking extensive financial damages plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. Twenty-nine states sued the tech giant in 2023 over child safety and privacy. The other 25 will go to trial later. The company also faces lawsuits in state courts. Meta said in a statement that it believes it has a strong case.
August 18, 2026 5:03 am
SANTA ANA ZIROSTO, Mexico (AP) — Authorities have lifted a U.S. security alert that halted avocado exports from Michoacán, Mexico’s main avocado-producing state. The alert had left around 200,000 workers in limbo while the military set up increased security measures. By the weekend, orchards and packing plants were back in operation, and U.S. inspectors had returned to certify the fruit. Some workers are relieved to have their wages back, while others fear the calm won’t last. The region is plagued by violence and extortion from local cartels. Increased security measures have been deployed, but growers remain cautious, hoping for lasting improvements.
August 17, 2026 4:40 am
Authorities say 13 former or current Penn State University students participated in a cocaine-trafficking ring that involved two fraternities. Authorities say the cocaine was packaged mainly at two off-campus fraternity houses and distributed primarily to students. Pennsylvania’s top prosecutor says fraternity brothers packaged the cocaine and that authorities found a pattern of some pledges being indoctrinated through cutting and bagging cocaine. Penn State University said in a news release that the university is placing Delta Upsilon on interim suspension while the college investigates the incident. Sigma Chi is not recognized and operates outside of Penn State’s oversight.
August 17, 2026 5:17 am
Hayden Panettiere has died at age 36. The actor starred in television series including “Heroes” and “Nashville.” Police in Greenville, South Carolina, say Panettiere was found unresponsive at an apartment complex on Sunday. They say an autopsy found no signs of trauma and her death remains under investigation. Panettiere’s father announced the actor’s death in a statement provided to ABC News. Panettiere had a prolific career dating to 1996. She appeared in “Remember the Titans” and voiced Dot in the Disney animated movie “A Bug’s Life.” Her role as a superpowered cheerleader in “Heroes” propelled her to fame two decades ago.
August 18, 2026 2:50 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Frank Beard, the drummer for ZZ Top, has died at 77. He passed away Tuesday at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family by his side. ZZ Top sold over 50 million records and had six No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. The band, formed in 1969, was known for hits like “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs.” They maintained their original lineup for over five decades. Their unique style and humor made them popular in Hollywood and MTV. Beard is survived by his wife, Debbie Meredith, and three children. (Photo: AP)
