12 to KNOW

SOURCES:   Bloomberg — Blanche Attorney General Nomination Advanced by Senate Panel    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-04/blanche-attorney-general-nomination-advanced-by-senate-panel   NPR — Senate Judiciary Committee advances Blanche nomination, setting up a final vote    https://www.npr.org/2026/08/03/g-s1-136864/todd-blanche-rescinds-trump-anti-weaponization-fund   NPR — Arson s...

SOURCES:   SEC — Statement on PCAOB 2026 Budget    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/atkins-statement-pcaob-2026-budget-012226   The CAQ — Public Policy and Technical Alert | April 2026    https://www.thecaq.org/public-policy-and-technical-alert-april-2026   Atlas CPA Index — CPA Exam Candidate Numbers 2024-2025: Record Low, Signs of Recovery    https://atlascpaindex.com/news/cpa-ex...

SOURCES:   C-SPAN — Senate Judiciary Committee Votes on Todd Blanche    https://www.c-span.org/event/senate-committee/senate-judiciary-committee-votes-on-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general/445701   WORLD Radio — Tuesday morning news: August 4, 2026    https://wng.org/podcasts/tuesday-morning-news-august-4-2026-1785791560   NPR — Photos: Wildfires in Spokane lead to thousands of evacuations...

SOURCES:   Journal of Accountancy — A new top 5 firm: Grant Thornton acquiring fellow top 10 firm CBIZ    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jul/a-new-top-5-firm-grant-thornton-acquiring-fellow-top-10-firm-cbiz/   Capterra — Accounting trends 2026: AI Tools are Shifting Expectations and Skills    https://www.capterra.com/resources/accounting-trends-ai-software-changing-work/   McGuireW...

SOURCES:   CNN — Live updates: US-Iran war news; Trump says talks to resume Monday    https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/02/world/live-news/iran-war-trump   CBS News — Live Updates: U.S.-Iran negotiations set to begin Monday, Trump says    https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-strait-of-hormuz-kuwait-jordan-air-base/   ABC News — Police confirm 3 victims killed, 7 injured after shooting...

SOURCES:   Journal of Accountancy — A new top 5 firm: Grant Thornton acquiring fellow top 10 firm CBIZ    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jul/a-new-top-5-firm-grant-thornton-acquiring-fellow-top-10-firm-cbiz/   Journal of Accountancy — AICPA updates audit standards related to external confirmations    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jul/aicpa-updates-audit-standards-r...

SOURCES:   NPR — Senate panel delays vote on Blanche's nomination as key Republicans withhold support    https://www.npr.org/2026/07/30/g-s1-136265/senate-blanche-nomination   CNN — Key committee vote for Todd Blanche postponed in major blow to his nomination    https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/29/politics/todd-blanche-nomination-cornyn   Bureau of Economic Analysis — GDP (Advance Estimate), 2nd Qu...

SOURCES:   Heavy Sports — Newlywed Travis Kelce Gets Emotional Training Camp Welcome From Chiefs Kingdom    https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/travis-kelce-training-camp-welcome/   Everett Post — Happy 'Billboard' chart-iversary, Taylor Swift!    https://www.everettpost.com/music/country-music/happy-billboard-chart-iversary-taylor-swift/   The O'Colly — Introspective, apol...

SOURCES:   Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting — PCAOB unveils draft strategic plan for 2026–2030, seeks public feedback    https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/news/pcaob-unveils-draft-strategic-plan-for-2026-2030-seeks-public-feedback/   Receipts AI — 110+ AI Accounting and Automation Statistics (Updated June 2026)    https://receiptsai.com/ai-automation-accounting-statistics-2026   Centri Consulting...

SOURCES:   CNBC — Fed rate decision July 2026: Divided Fed holds interest rates steady    https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/29/fed-rate-decision-july-2026.html   NPR — A divided Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady despite high inflation    https://www.npr.org/2026/07/29/nx-s1-5910558/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation   ABC News — Fauci invokes 5th Amendment during Senate testimony, refra...

SOURCES:   Journal of Accountancy — PCAOB seeks feedback on its 5-year strategic plan    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jul/pcaob-seeks-feedback-on-its-5-year-strategic-plan/   SEC — SEC Charges ADM and Three Former Executives with Accounting and Disclosure Fraud    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-15-sec-charges-adm-three-former-executives-accounting-disclosure-fra...

SOURCES:   CNN — GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham remembered in first day of funeral services    https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/28/politics/live-news/lindsey-graham-funeral   U.S. News & World Report — Lindsey Graham's Funeral: What to Know About the Schedule    https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2026-07-28/lindsey-grahams-funeral-what-to-know-about-the-schedule-who-will-attend   Cambr...

SOURCES:   Securities and Exchange Commission — SEC Charges ADM and Three Former Executives with Accounting and Disclosure Fraud    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-15-sec-charges-adm-three-former-executives-accounting-disclosure-fraud   Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting — PCAOB unveils draft strategic plan for 2026–2030, seeks public feedback    https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/n...

SOURCES:   NBC News — Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after 'brief and sudden illness'    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/sen-lindsey-graham-dies-71-brief-sudden-illness-rcna552722   U.S. State Department — Public Schedule - July 28, 2026    https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/07/public-schedule-july-28-2026/   WORLD Radio — Tuesday morning news: Ju...

SOURCES:   SEC — SEC Charges ADM and Three Former Executives with Accounting and Disclosure Fraud    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-15-sec-charges-adm-three-former-executives-accounting-disclosure-fraud   Accounting Today — AI Thought Leaders Survey 2026: Process Predictions    https://www.accountingtoday.com/list/ai-thought-leaders-survey-2026-process-predictions   Thomson Reute...

SOURCES:   WORLD Radio — Monday morning news: July 27, 2026    https://wng.org/podcasts/monday-morning-news-july-27-2026-1785109238   Al Jazeera — Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House next week amid Iran war escalation    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/24/netanyahu-to-meet-trump-at-white-house-next-week-amid-iran-war-escalation   Wikipedia — 2026 North American heat wave    https://en.wik...

SOURCES:   Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting — PCAOB unveils draft strategic plan for 2026–2030, seeks public feedback    https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/news/pcaob-unveils-draft-strategic-plan-for-2026-2030-seeks-public-feedback/   The Ledge — AI accounting in 2026: Separating progress from hype    https://www.ledge.co/content/ai-accounting-in-2026-separating-progress-from-hype   Reuters — Aust...

SOURCES:   NBC News — Trump administration announces wave of new tariffs on dozens of trading partners    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-congress-2026-midterm-iran-ukraine-doj-dhs-ice-live-updates-rcna588796   Bloomberg — Trump Rebuilds Tariffs With Forced-Labor Duties on 60 Economies    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-23/us-sets-new-forced-la...

SOURCES:   Billboard — Happy 'Billboard' chart-iversary, Taylor Swift!    https://www.everettpost.com/music/country-music/happy-billboard-chart-iversary-taylor-swift/   Forbes — Taylor Swift Manages A Historic First On The Charts    https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2026/07/18/taylor-swift-manages-a-historic-first-on-the-charts/   Rolling Stone — Gracie Abrams Releases New Album &#...

SOURCES:   Journal of Accountancy — PCAOB seeks feedback on its 5-year strategic plan    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jul/pcaob-seeks-feedback-on-its-5-year-strategic-plan/   Karbon — The State of AI in Accounting Report 2026    https://karbonhq.com/resources/ebooks/state-of-ai-accounting-report-2026/   ESG Today — European Commission Adopts Finalized Corporate Sustainability Rep...

SOURCES:   ABC News — Iran live updates: CENTCOM says it redirected 9 ships, 'disabled' 1 in Iran blockade    https://abcnews.com/International/live-updates/iran-live-updates-kuwait-attacked-bahrain-sounds-sirens/?id=134907987   CBS News — Iran War Updates: U.S. carries out 12th straight night of strikes    https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-strait-hormuz-oil-prices-red...

SOURCES:   Inside Public Accounting — Missouri Establishes New CPA Licensure Pathway    https://insidepublicaccounting.com/2026/07/16/missouri-establishes-new-cpa-licensure-pathway/   Reuters via Yahoo Finance — Australia to boost scrutiny of Big Four accounting firms after wave of scandals    https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/australia-boost-scrutiny-big-four-074210869.html   Texas CPA Society To...

SOURCES:   CNN — Live updates: US-Iran war, Pete Hegseth testifies at hearing says war cost $37.5 billion    https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/22/world/live-news/the-war-with-iran   NPR — Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods    https://www.npr.org/2026/07/21/nx-s1-5901905/trump-imposes-tariffs-canadian-goods   CBS News — Trump to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian hockey sticks, milk, alcohol and...

SOURCES:   European Commission — Commission adopts revised sustainability reporting standards    https://finance.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-adopts-revised-sustainability-reporting-standards-2026-07-03_en   Journal of Accountancy — AICPA Top Issues Survey: Firms' focus on technology rises    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jun/aicpa-top-issues-survey-firms-focus-on-technology-r...

SOURCES:   CBS News — U.S. carries out 10th night of strikes on Iran after 3 U.S. troops killed    https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-trump-us-troops-killed-wounded-jordan-base/   CNN — July 20, 2026 — US completes more strikes against Iran after Trump warning to Tehran    https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/20/world/live-news/iran-war-trump   NPR — Andy Burnham succeeds Keir Starmer as the U.K...