Hurricane Lala skirted Hawaii without making landfall and weakened to a tropical storm, but it brought hurricane-force gusts, drenching rain and flash flooding to the Big Island. Cleanup has begun after floodwaters washed out roads and thousands of households lost power. The governor said at least 100 homes were damaged or lost, and one person died.
NPR – US NPR – US Hurricane Lala skirted Hawaii without making landfall and weakened to a tropical storm, but it brought hurricane-force gusts, drenching rain and flash flooding to the Big Island. Cleanup has begun after floodwaters washed out roads and thousands of households lost power. The governor said at least 100 homes were damaged or lost, and one person died.
BBC News – World The U.S. Supreme Court has again rejected Donald Trump's bid to overturn a jury verdict that awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $5 million for alleged sexual abuse and defamation. It is the second time the court declined to consider his appeal; Trump has separately asked the court to overturn a larger 2024 award.
BBC News – World Actor Hayden Panettiere, known for roles in Heroes, Nashville and Remember the Titans, has died at age 36, her father confirmed. Reports of her death emerged on 17 August 2026. The Guardian framed the news with a career retrospective, noting Heroes was reworked around her character, Claire Bennet.
BBC News – World US President Donald Trump said he ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military drills with South Korea, calling them "inappropriate and hostile," hours before the exercises began on Monday. He cited his "very good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The move comes despite warnings from US and South Korean officials about North Korea's advancing capabilities.
NYTimes – World Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, held a rare meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday and began talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday. The diplomatic push aims to advance a stalled Gaza ceasefire plan, though Netanyahu has refused to withdraw Israeli forces until Hamas fully disarms.
NYTimes – World A US tourist died after being struck by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy, on 17 August. Italian firefighters said the man was in a restricted area closed due to recent volcanic activity. He was found in serious condition on the volcano’s eastern slope and later pronounced dead at a hospital in Catania. Reports give his age as 29 or 30. Mount Etna erupted again on 18 August, sending smoke and ash into the sky.
Jared Kushner is conducting a Middle East diplomatic mission to advance Gaza ceasefire talks, meeting Hamas officials and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Netanyahu rejected a U.S.-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza. Key disagreements remain.
NPR – Politics The California Democrat has admitted to "personal mistakes" outside of his marriage, but also says his actions were consensual in nature did not violate House Ethics rules.
BBC News – UK Princess Eugenie has announced that her third child, a daughter born earlier this month at a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, is named Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank. The baby weighed 6lb 9oz.
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BBC Sport The U.S. Supreme Court has again rejected Donald Trump's bid to overturn a jury verdict that awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $5 million for alleged sexual abuse and defamation. It is the second time the court declined to consider his appeal; Trump has separately asked the court to overturn a larger 2024 award.
