Senate Confirms Trump Loyalist Todd Blanche as Attorney General 50-49

This is the morning edition of the One News Page Global Briefing, for Saturday, the eighth of August, twenty twenty-six. Here is what matters now.

The U S Senate narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a fifty-forty-nine vote early Saturday, elevating President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer to lead the Justice Department. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana provided the decisive vote after announcing on Friday that he would support the nomination. Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins opposed Blanche, with Murkowski saying the country needed an attorney general willing to check the administration’s worst impulses. The confirmation followed controversy over a reported one point eight billion dollars slush fund and marks a significant victory for Trump, who will now have a loyalist atop federal law enforcement.

Meanwhile, in Washington, President Trump signed two executive orders on Thursday that the White House said aim to restrict eligibility for birthright citizenship and ban birth tourism, the practice of foreign nationals entering as tourists to give birth. The move follows a June thirty Supreme Court ruling that struck down his earlier, broader attempt to end birthright citizenship as unconstitutional. Trump said he believed the latest actions would be constitutional; further details were not immediately provided.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence agreement on Friday, treating an attack on any of the three countries as an attack on all. The pact was formalised in a meeting that brought together Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It comes as Saudi Arabia faces drone and missile strikes it blames on Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen and amid broader regional tensions.

Back in the United States, the Trump administration has renewed its effort to oust Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, sending her a letter this week saying it is considering her removal over allegations of mortgage fraud. The move comes after the Supreme Court blocked an earlier attempt to fire her and upheld the Federal Reserve’s independence. The latest action remains under consideration.

Also in Washington, a federal appeals court ordered the Trump administration to halt construction of its planned four hundred million dollars White House ballroom, ruling that above-ground work cannot proceed without congressional approval. The administration demolished the historic East Wing last year to make way for the ninety thousand-square-foot project. Trump said the administration will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

In Britain, counter-terrorism police investigating the murder of former Conservative M P Ann Widdecombe have reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary reported in April twenty twenty-five at a Greater London address. No arrests were made at the time and the case was closed; a police watchdog is examining whether officers failed to pursue a line of inquiry that may have been relevant.

In the United States, authorities discovered the remains of fifty-six people improperly stored and decomposing on Thursday at a Chicago funeral home operated by a couple whose previous crematory was shut down over mishandled remains. Illinois state officials described deplorable conditions and suspended a license connected to the facility. It was not clear how long the bodies had been there.

On Capitol Hill, the Senate passed legislation on Friday to impose sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its petroleum exports, by an eighty-six-eleven bipartisan vote. The bill, championed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham before his death in July, is intended to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine by allowing tough new tariffs on major importers of Russian energy. It now goes to the House of Representatives.

In sport, former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has stepped down as head coach of the England Lions with immediate effect after a two-year stint. He was credited with creating a strong environment and helping develop young players.

In cycling, Polish rider Kasia Niewiadoma claimed a solo victory on the iconic Mont Ventoux climb to seize the overall lead in the Tour de France Femmes. She finished ahead of fellow contenders Marlen Reusser and Demi Vollering, who now trail by thirty-nine seconds and fifteen seconds respectively. The result came after Kimberley Le Court won stage six in a sprint on Thursday, when Reusser still held the yellow jersey.

In Utah, a Sikorsky S64 firefighting helicopter crashed on Friday morning near Richfield in central Utah, about one hundred and sixty miles south of Salt Lake City, while battling a wildfire, with two people on board. Federal aviation authorities confirmed the crash, but rescuers had not yet reached the scene and the condition of the occupants was not immediately known.

In football governance, F I F A president Gianni Infantino has strongly denied claims that U E F A paid a severance package to an alleged lover while he was the European governing body’s general secretary. The allegations were raised in a Daily Telegraph investigation.

That was the morning edition of the One News Page Global Briefing. Read the complete briefing and explore its supporting coverage at one news page dot com.