September 26, 2026 4:08 am
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Supreme Court has turned away an attempt to use a new Missouri congressional map backed by President Donald Trump. Friday’s decision puts an end to a long-running legal dispute as absentee voting is underway in the midterm elections. The justices halted a last-minute revival of the Republican-friendly map by lower-court judges. The decision leaves in place a Missouri Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to hold the November election using a map adopted in 2022. A new map passed last year was aimed at helping Republicans gain an additional U.S. House seat. It was used in the August primary. But Missouri’s top court later ruled that it can’t take effect unless approved in a statewide referendum.
September 26, 2026 8:23 am
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide bomber has detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 11 people and wounding about 30 others. The attack occurred Saturday in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to police and rescue officials. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant attacks in recent years, many claimed by the TTP and the Baloch Liberation Army. The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban.
September 26, 2026 4:06 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI has disclosed its artificial intelligence models have interacted with U.S. government websites in unexpected ways. The AI giant says its models accessed public information on sites like SEC.gov and the U.S. Census Bureau. OpenAI says it has not found any misuse of credentials or data breaches. A spokesperson says the lab is reviewing what it calls misaligned model activity, where AI behaves unexpectedly. Most activity involved routine research tasks. An independent investigation found a failed hacking attempt on a Department of Education website. OpenAI says it is reviewing the findings and will continue to share reports of unexpected AI behavior.
September 25, 2026 2:19 pm
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A powerful nor’easter is expected to hit the East Coast over the weekend, bringing strong winds, coastal flooding, and heavy rain. The strongest winds are headed for Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, with gusts reaching 60 to 65 mph on Friday night and Saturday. Boston could see gusts of 50 to 55 mph, while inland areas may experience 35 to 40 mph. Meteorologist Matthew Belk notes that the storm’s impact will be greater closer to the coast. Public ferry services to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are experiencing widespread cancellations due to the weather, with disruptions expected to continue into Saturday. (Photo: AP)
September 25, 2026 12:56 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing states to resume using a controversial federal tool to check voter eligibility before the November elections. The emergency ruling lifts a lower court’s restrictions for now on the program, called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE. The recently revamped Department of Homeland Security tool has been a central pillar of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on noncitizen voting, although its use remains voluntary. A federal judge had blocked its use, saying SAVE violates voter privacy and can lead to wrongful voter purges. Critics argue the renewed use of SAVE by states could disenfranchise voters in the midterms.
September 25, 2026 4:53 am
No injuries resulted after a tractor trailer struck a disabled vehicle along Interstate 79 north early Friday morning. Washington County 911 says it happened around 4 a.m. near mile-marker 26 in Amwell Township. According to reports, the tractor trailer struck the vehicle and went down a steep hillside. The interstate is open through the area but motorists were asked to use caution through the area. Emergency crews towed both vehicles from the scene Friday afternoon. State Police continue to investigate.
September 25, 2026 2:26 am
The Houston Pumpkin Festival Committee and Houston Fire Company Board of Governors have decided to cancel the 2026 Houston Pumpkin Festival due to conditions at the festival grounds as a result of recent weather events like heavy rainfall and continued flooding. The Pumpkin Parade, however, will still take place on Saturday morning, October 10 at ten o’clock and The Firefighters Kitchen will be open throughout the day. Organizers say they understand how much this event means to the community and those who participate, but, they say safety is their top priority. They say their decision was not made lightly, in fact, they had made plans to utilize areas of the field that were still useable, however, with even more rain falling, that made it impossible. The Pumpkin Festival is the main fundraiser for the fire department to maintain its services to the community. (File photo of Pumpkin Festival)
September 25, 2026 4:44 am
Conditional use hearings for a proposed data center at Starpointe Business Park in Hanover Township have continued throughout the summer, and there is no end in sight. While many of these hearings were standing room only, there have been empty seats at the last two. Resident Cody Cunningham urges residents to be at as many hearings as they can to be seen and express their opinions. Another resident, Kerri Hageter, says she will continue to knock on doors and inform residents about these hearings. During Thursday night’s hearing, a witness for Prime Data Centers, LLC provided information about noise and sound studies that were conducted and noise reduction materials that would be used at the data center. During previous hearings, residents expressed concerns about noise pollution. Resident Katie Weber says she is still concerned, and she wants to hear from an acoustic expert who can address how harmful noises at different levels can be. The hearing will continue Tuesday and Wednesday of next week at 6:00 PM at the Hanover Township Fire Department Hall.
September 25, 2026 2:18 pm
(AP) – Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks on its nuclear program in seven days if the United States lifts its naval blockade, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observes a ceasefire that would include Lebanon. Iran’s foreign minister detailed the proposal in a private gathering on Thursday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to one attendee. The deal strongly resembles the so-called Memorandum of Understanding reached in June, but with an accelerated timetable. The earlier agreement quickly collapsed as Iran resumed attacks on shipping in the strait.
September 25, 2026 5:00 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Some trade analysts are struck by how few tangible accomplishments seem to have come from President Donald Trump’s meeting with China’s Xi Jinping. Xi concluded his state visit to the U.S. by saying he expects to meet Trump two more times this year. Trump took Xi to the National Archives on Friday to cap a three-day visit criticized for being light on substance, though Trump says they discussed the Iran war. Little was announced outside of the promise of more meetings and Washington and Beijing agreeing to extend their trade truce until January. Cato Institute vice president of general economics Scott Lincicome says there was a lot of “pomp and circumstance” signifying nothing.
