12 to KNOW

SOURCES:   Fox News — Trump-backed Navy SEAL vet delivers major blow to Massie in fiery GOP primary    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-backed-navy-seal-vet-delivers-major-blow-massie-fiery-gop-primary   Washington Post — Trump postpones Iran strike at Middle Eastern leaders' urging    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/   CNBC — Over 47,000 Samsung Electronics workers set to strike...

SOURCES:   CBS News — National Recording Registry adds Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Ray Charles and more. See the 2026 list.    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/national-recording-registry-2026-taylor-swift-beyonce-ray-charles/   Just Jared — Benny Blanco Is 'Not Allowed' to Talk About This Topic Regarding Selena Gomez Marriage    https://www.justjared.com/2026/05/18/benny-blanco-is-not-allowed-to-t...

SOURCES:   Alvarez & Marsal — Highlights From the 2025 AICPA Conference – Current SEC and PCAOB Developments    https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-leadership/highlights-from-the-2025-aicpa-conference-current-sec-and-pcaob-developments   The Irish Times — Big Four firms post more job ads for AI specialists than auditors    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/05/19/big-four-post-more-...

SOURCES:   CBS News — Trump calls off attack on Iran amid serious negotiations toward peace deal    https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-trump-warning-oil-stock-prices-futures-ceasefire-diplomacy/   NBC News — Rep. Thomas Massie confronts the full force of Trump's wrath in a GOP primary    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/rep-thomas-massie-confronts-full-force-trumps-wra...

SOURCES:   Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance — SEC Enforcement FY2025 Results Signal Shift in Priorities in Direct Critique of Prior Administration    https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2026/05/05/sec-enforcement-fy2025-results-signal-shift-in-priorities-in-direct-critique-of-prior-administration/   Accounting Today — Education Dept. rejects accounting as professional degree    https:/...

SOURCES:   CNN — Judge declares a mistrial in Harvey Weinstein's rape retrial after jury deadlocks    https://edition.cnn.com/   NPR — Sen. Bill Cassidy is one of few remaining Republican senators who voted to convict President Trump after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol    https://www.npr.org/sections/national/   Go Local Prov — World Health Organization on Sunday declared an Ebola outbreak...

SOURCES:   Accounting Today — AICPA updates audit confirmation standard    https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/aicpa-updates-audit-confirmation-standard   SEC.gov — SEC Announces Enforcement Results for Fiscal Year 2025    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-34   TheStreet — Big Four firm cuts 100s of jobs as consulting demand slows    https://www.thestreet.com/employment/big-four-fi...

SOURCES:   CNN — Trump-Xi summit ends on cordial note but no breakthroughs announced yet    https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-china-visit-xi-meeting-hnk   Anadolu Agency — Morning Briefing: May 15, 2026    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/morning-briefing-may-15-2026/3937991   Go Local Prov — 5 Big News Stories Overnight - Friday, May 15, 2026    https://www.golocalprov.com/news/5-big-new...

SOURCES:   Thomson Reuters — What to know about the new PCAOB auditing standards for 2026    https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/what-to-know-about-the-new-pcaob-auditing-standards/   Globe Newswire — AI Adoption Accelerates in Accounting, Yet Fragmented Tools Keep Efficiency Just Out of Reach    https://www.globenewswire.com/news-releases/2026/05/12/   ComplianceHub. Wiki — After SolarWinds: What...

SOURCES:   CNN — Live updates: Xi hails new era in US-China relations, but warns Trump on Taiwan    https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-china-visit-xi-meeting-hnk   Washington Post — China gains major edge on U.S. amid Iran war, U.S. intelligence finds    https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/13/china-gains-major-edge-us-amid-iran-war-us-intelligence-finds/   NPR — Pent...

SOURCES:   Center for Audit Quality — Public Policy and Technical Alert | December 2025    https://www.thecaq.org/public-policy-and-technical-alert-december-2025   Karbon — Karbon State of AI in Accounting 2026 Report shows strategy, training, and governance unlock AI's full potential    https://karbonhq.com/resources/state-of-ai-accounting-2026/   CFO Dive — CPA licensing changes poised to hi...

SOURCES:   CNN — Day 74 of Middle East conflict — Trump says 'I don't think about Americans' financial situation'    https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/12/world/live-news/trump-iran-war-news   Al Jazeera — Iran war live: World watches as Trump and Xi to hold high-stakes talks    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/5/13/iran-war-live-trump-travels-to-china-as-conflict-with-tehran-...

SOURCES:   The CAQ — Public Policy and Technical Alert | December 2025    https://www.thecaq.org/public-policy-and-technical-alert-december-2025   Journal of Accountancy — How AI is transforming the audit — and what it means for CPAs    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2026/feb/how-ai-is-transforming-the-audit-and-what-it-means-for-cpas/   Talentfoot — How the CPA Shortage Is Extending...

SOURCES:   CNN — Trump says ceasefire with Iran on 'massive life support' after he rejects Tehran's proposal    https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/11/world/live-news/iran-war-proposal-trump   NBC News — Pentagon releases declassified UFO files including videos and photos held by the government for decades    https://www.nbcnews.com/science/ufos-and-anomalous-phenomena/ufo-uap-files-pentag...

SOURCES:   SEC.gov — SEC's Division of Enforcement Announces Updates to Enforcement Manual    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-20-secs-division-enforcement-announces-updates-enforcement-manual   The CAQ — Public Policy and Technical Alert | December 2025    https://www.thecaq.org/public-policy-and-technical-alert-december-2025   Today's CPA Magazine — AI in Accounting 2026:...

SOURCES:   CNN — Day 72 of Middle East conflict — Trump calls Iran response to US proposal 'totally unacceptable'    https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/10/world/live-news/iran-war-news   CNBC — From Singapore to Brussels, world leaders eye Trump-Xi summit from afar    https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/11/trump-xi-summit-beijing-global-leaders-iran-war-taiwan-strait-of-hormuz-.html   Nebraska Medicine...

SOURCES:   Accounting Today — SEC, FASB prepare for semi-annual reporting option    https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/sec-fasb-prepare-for-semi-annual-reporting-option   Morgan Lewis — Securities Enforcement Roundup – January 2026    https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2026/02/securities-enforcement-roundup-january-2026   Journal of Accountancy — How will accountants learn new skills when AI does...

SOURCES:   The Vindicator — Nation and world at a glance for May 8    https://www.vindy.com/news/national-news/2026/05/nation-and-world-at-a-glance-for-may-8/   NPR — Pennsylvania is suing Character. AI over accusations the company's chatbots are violating the state's medical licensing regulations    https://www.npr.org/sections/national/   CNN — Ex-deputy found guilty of reckless homicide...

SOURCES:   Center for Audit Quality — Public Policy and Technical Alert    https://www.thecaq.org/public-policy-and-technical-alert-december-2025   Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance — SEC Enforcement FY2025 Results Signal Shift in Priorities    https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2026/05/05/sec-enforcement-fy2025-results-signal-shift-in-priorities-in-direct-critique-of-prior-administrat...

SOURCES:   CNN — US and Iran closing in on agreement aimed at ending war, source says    https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/06/politics/trump-iran-war-talks-plan   MS NOW — Iran war live updates: Trump vows to restart bombing    https://www.ms.now/liveblog/iran-war-news-today-trump-us-may-6-2026   St. Louis Fed — The Dual Mandate in Conflict: Balancing Current Tensions between Inflation and Employment   ...

SOURCES:   The CAQ — Public Policy and Technical Alert | December 2025 | The CAQ    https://www.thecaq.org/public-policy-and-technical-alert-december-2025   Texas Society of CPAs — AI in Accounting 2026: From Practical Automation to Strategic Advantage    https://www.tx.cpa/news-publications/todays-cpa-magazine/issues/article/march-april-2026/2026/03/05/ai-in-accounting-2026-from-practical-automat...

SOURCES:   CNN — Live updates: Trump to pause US effort to guide ships through Strait of Hormuz while blockade remains    https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/05/world/live-news/iran-war-news   NPR — Trump says he's paused U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels out of Strait of Hormuz    https://www.npr.org/2026/05/05/nx-s1-5811770/iran-war-updates   CNN — Trump keeps saying the quiet part out loud on c...

Twelve stories. Everything you need to know. The 12 to KNOW Morning Brief covers US news, world events, markets, sports, and one story that will actually make you smile — all in about ten minutes. If you want to walk into your day informed and ready, this is your brief. Drop in every weekday morning.

SOURCES:   PCAOB — AS 1215: Audit Documentation (effective on 12/15/2026)    https://pcaobus.org/oversight/standards/auditing-standards/details/as-1215--audit-documentation-(effective-on-12-15-2026)   SEC — SEC's Division of Enforcement Announces Updates to Enforcement Manual    https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-20-secs-division-enforcement-announces-updates-enforcement-manual  ...

SOURCES :   NBC News — U.S. launches mission to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz; Iran threatens attacks    https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/iran-war-trump-mission-guide-ships-strait-hormuz-attack-energy-prices-rcna343406   PBS NewsHour — Live Results: Ohio state primaries    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/   NPR — Wyoming lawmakers say tight new restrictions on abortion are needed to grow...