August 17, 2026
MIDDLE EAST WAR | UKRAINE | U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | U.S. WATER | INDIANA | HAWAII | U.S. AND SOUTH KOREA | U.S. AND COLOMBIA | INDONESIA | MOROCCO AND SPAIN | ISRAEL AND LEBANON | INDIA | LIECHTENSTEIN | BELGIUM | GOLF | WEEKEND MOVIES | R.I.P. | TODAY IN HISTORY
MIDDLE EAST WAR | Day 171.
- The 60-day so-called Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran, signed in June, expired today with analysts noting that there have been no signs of compromise or major progress on any of the memorandum's key provisions, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, completely ending hostilities, and reaching an accord on Iran's nuclear program. [more]
- Emirati state-run media cites UAE officials as saying Iran was to blame for an attack Saturday on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz – the third such incident in a week – and calling for Iran to cease the "unprovoked strikes." [more]
- Speaking to reporters, Iranian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said today that Iran and Oman are finalizing a joint statement concerning an agreement on managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between the two countries. [more]
- In a television interview today, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to attack U.S. ally Oman if it interferes with U.S. efforts in the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them." [more]
UKRAINE | Today is day 1,633 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:
- Ukraine launched one its largest attacks on Moscow yesterday, launching an estimated 600 drones toward the Russian capital. At least six people were killed in the drone strikes, according to reports. [more]
- Ukraine’s largest steel producer, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, confirmed yesterday that one of its plants was damaged in a Russian missile attack and that operations at the site had been partially suspended. [more]
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Among prominent shooting incidents over the weekend:
- One person was killed, and four others were wounded, Saturday in a shooting incident at Charles Young Park in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. No information about a suspect in the incident has yet been released, but reports cite local police officials as saying they did not believe there was any ongoing threat to the public following the shooting. [more]
- One suspect has been arrested, and reports say police are seeking others, in connection with a shooting Saturday at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia. Five people were wounded in the incident, which took place outside the historically black college's dormitories. [more]
U.S. WATER | Data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation indicates that water levels at Lake Powell – the second-largest reservoir in the U.S. and a key water supply and hydroelectric power resource for multiple southwestern U.S. states – fell to an historic low on Saturday. Reports note that the lake is more than 20 feet lower than it was at the start of 2026 and cite officials as saying the reservoir is now about 30 feet away from the level at which associated turbines would stop producing hydroelectric power. [more]
INDIANA | Emergency response officials say at least seven people have died in flooding brought on by weeks of heavy rain in areas surrounding the White River near Indianapolis, Indiana. [more]
HAWAII | Hurricane Lala brought heavy rains and winds and cut off power to hundreds of thousands of people as it passed Hawaii's Oahu island over the weekend before weakening to a tropical storm. Authorities say the storm swept about 100 homes off their foundations and that damage assessments are still ongoing. [more]
U.S. AND SOUTH KOREA | A day ahead of planned week-long annual joint military exercises, and citing what he said was South Korea's refusal to assist in the war against Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday ordered the Pentagon to scale back the expansive drills, saying they "send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea. [more]
U.S. AND COLOMBIA | Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella says he has asked U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs on his country's goods to help the South American nation recover from last week's powerful earthquake in which at least 289 people were killed. Reports say the Trump administration has not yet responded to the request and cite the U.S. State Department as saying the U.S. has offered Colombia a total of $26.5 million in earthquake-related aid. [more]
INDONESIA | At least 55 people were killed, dozens were injured, and more than 1,300 homes were damaged Saturday when a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Flores Island in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province. A two-week state of emergency has been declared for the province as search and rescue efforts continue. [more]
MOROCCO AND SPAIN | Moroccan authorities say 294 migrants attempting to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by land and sea were arrested Saturday. The mass crossing attempt came amidst increased security measures on the border and just two weeks after another incident in which at least 90 people died when thousands of would-be migrants rushed the border. [more]
ISRAEL AND LEBANON | The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that at least 11 people were killed, and 19 others were wounded, Saturday in Israeli airstrikes on the villages of Ansar and Deir al-Zahrani in southern Lebanon. Israel says the strikes were in response to action against Israeli soldiers by members of the Hezbollah militant group. [more]
INDIA | Authorities say at least seven people were killed, and more than a dozen others were injured, today when a stampede occurred during prayer ceremonies at the Hindu Ashok Dham Temple in the Lakhisarai district of India's Bihar state. [more]
LIECHTENSTEIN | The royal house of Liechtenstein announced Saturday that the country's rules of succession will be changed from male primogeniture to absolute primogeniture, meaning that, in the future, "the first-born child will, regardless of sex, become the heir to the throne and later the princess or prince of Liechtenstein." [more]
BELGIUM | Efforts continue today to contain a wildfire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve that has burned about 12 square miles and forced the evacuation of some 600 residents of the Liège province near the German border. [more]
GOLF | Scottie Scheffler shot a final-round 4-under-par 66 yesterday to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind and claim his 21st career victory. [more]
WEEKEND MOVIES | "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $70 million in receipts, followed by "The Odyssey" and "The End of Oak Street." [more]
R.I.P. | Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in the television series "Heroes" and "Nashville," died yesterday at the age of 36, according to a statement from her family. [more]
TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1945, Sukarno declared Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands. After the Dutch transferred sovereignty four years later, he served as Indonesia's first president. [more history]