HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
Iran Threatens New Offensive as Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. Expires
Aug 18, 2026
The White House said Monday it would not seek to extend a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, as the 60-day ceasefire deal expired without an agreement to end the war. In Washington, President Trump called on Tehran to “put up the white flag of surrender,” while Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran would shift to a “fully offensive” military posture after the U.S. repeatedly violated terms of the agreement.
Esmail Baghaei: “The negotiations never began, because the United States committed gross and widespread violations of the text of the MOU just a few weeks after signing it on June 18th, and therefore, the 60-day discussion is basically no longer relevant.”
Yemen’s Houthis Claim Another Attack on Saudi Ship in Red Sea
Aug 18, 2026
In Yemen, fighters with the Houthi movement said Monday they’d launched a missile attack on a Saudi ship in the Red Sea — the latest such strike since the Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia last month. The Houthis control roughly a third of Yemen’s territory, and the United Nations warns recent attacks by the group have killed at least 17 civilians.
Russian Oil Spills from Grounded Tanker, Fouling Beaches in Oman
Aug 18, 2026
A major ecological disaster is unfolding in Oman, where a massive oil spill has spread to over 2,000 square kilometers and has begun fouling beaches. The oil spread largely unchecked for weeks, after a tanker carrying 800,000 barrels of Russian crude ran aground in a protected marine reserve, following an unexplained attack on the vessel in June. This comes after President Trump on Monday threatened to “bomb the shit out of” Oman if it gets in the way of U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, crude oil futures climbed to over $90 dollars a barrel Monday following reports that Iran had seized a UAE-owned tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. gas prices have set a mid-August record amid stalled talks with Iran, with the national average at $4.06 a gallon.
Trump Denies Reports of Deteriorating Conditions Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln as “Fake News”
Aug 18, 2026
The U.S. Navy says a guided-missile destroyer spent four days adrift in the South China Sea last month after an engineering failure left the 10,000-ton warship unable to maneuver under its own power. The breakdown left sailors aboard the USS Benfold without easy access to food, water, toilets and air conditioning.
The news comes as the Pentagon is under scrutiny over reports of low morale and mental health crises impacting sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which has been deployed continuously for nine months supporting President Trump’s attacks on Iran. On Monday, Trump downplayed reports about poor conditions on the Lincoln, including rationed food, moldy showers and shortages of basics including soap and deodorant. Trump insisted the Lincoln is “beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of.”
Meanwhile, Trump lashed out at CNN reporter Kristen Holmes when she asked whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had personally requested that the U.S. end joint military exercises with South Korea.
Kristen Holmes: “Did he ask you specifically to scale back on those?”
President Donald Trump: “Quiet. Quiet. You’re very disrespectful in front of this young man. OK? Don’t you find her disrespectful? He understands. Quiet. Who are you with?”
Kristen Holmes: “I’m with CNN.”
President Donald Trump: “Fake news. You’re fake news.”
Kristen Holmes: “I just wanted to follow up on the South Korea question.”
President Donald Trump: “You’re a loud — you’re a loud, boisterous person. You’re fake news. Be quiet.”
Kristen Holmes: “I was trying to find out if you had” —
President Donald Trump: “Be quiet. Be quiet.”
Kristen Holmes: — “been talking to Kim Jong-un, if he had asked you” —
President Donald Trump: “You’re a fake reporter, and you report fake news.”
Kristen Holmes: — “to scale back on those military exercises.”
President Donald Trump: “Go ahead.”
U.N. Warns of “Alarming” Surge of Violence as Israel Ramps Up Attacks on Lebanon
Aug 18, 2026
Israel’s military has carried out fresh airstrikes and mortar attacks on southern Lebanon after weekend airstrikes killed at least 11 people, including children. A U.N. spokesperson warned of an “alarming” surge in violence, as the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it recorded an average of 137 projectiles fired daily into southern Lebanon by Israel over the last two weeks.
Stéphane Dujarric: “We are witnessing, both from our humanitarian and peacekeeping colleagues, alarming and concerning intensification of violence in the southern part of the country over the weekend, this which also includes civilian casualties on the Lebanese side. Some of this violence has displaced families from areas where they had only recently returned, prompting them to seek safety elsewhere.”
Kushner and Netanyahu Hold Talks on U.S.-Backed 15-Point Gaza Plan
Aug 18, 2026
Image Credit: Reuters/Kent Nishimura
President Trump’s son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The meeting did not lead to an agreement for Israel to implement a framework that Hamas previously agreed to. This is Kushner speaking to Fox News.
Jared Kushner: “We have a plan to rebuild Gaza, but we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarization occurs. Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long, until — if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again.”
Hamas had agreed to disarm as part of the U.S.’s 15-point plan, but Israel rejected that proposal. Israel has been conducting near-daily attacks on the Gaza Strip despite last year’s so-called ceasefire, killing more than 1,200 people since October.
Israel’s Far-Right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Demands Kill Quota in Gaza
Aug 18, 2026
Image Credit: The October 8th Podcast by Rom Braslavsky
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir used a podcast interview with freed hostage Rom Braslavski to demand a kill quota in Gaza. This is Ben-Gvir.
Itamar Ben-Gvir: “It’s no secret I disagree with the prime minister. I think targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night, not just those who pose an immediate threat. There are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people.”
The comments drew condemnation even from staunch defenders of Israel, like Nevada’s Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen, who said, “Anyone advocating for acts of violence against innocent civilians should not be in an official government position. I believe Ben-Gvir must resign, and I urge Prime Minister Netanyahu to denounce these remarks and reaffirm to the world that this is not the government’s position.”
Netanyahu Posts Image Comparing NYC Mayor Mamdani to Middle East’s Authoritarian Leaders
Aug 18, 2026
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has amplified messages comparing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to authoritarian leaders from the Middle East. On Sunday, Netanyahu posted an image showing a new Likud party campaign billboard towering over a Tel Aviv highway that places Mamdani shoulder to shoulder with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem. The four appear under the Hebrew slogan: “They want Netanyahu to lose. Don’t let them win.” Israeli elections are scheduled for October 27.
Voters Head to the Polls for Primary Elections in Florida
Aug 18, 2026
In Florida, voters head to the polls for primary elections today, with progressive challengers looking to unseat powerful incumbent Democrats. In Broward County, union organizer Oliver Larkin is seeking to upset Congressmember Jared Moskowitz. Larkin is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who supports Medicare for All and an end to U.S. weapons transfers to Israel. Moskowitz has heavy support from donors associated with AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, as well as the artificial intelligence super PAC Leading the Future.
Elsewhere, Democratic Congressmember Debbie Wasserman Schultz faces a crowded field as she seeks a 12th term in Congress. Wasserman Schultz is running in the newly redrawn 20th District in southeast Florida, which is heavily African American. She faces four Black primary challengers, including progressive Elijah Manley, a democratic socialist campaigning on universal healthcare and a federal jobs guarantee. Wasserman Schultz led the Democratic National Committee during Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential bid in 2016. She resigned her post in July of that year after WikiLeaks revealed DNC staff favored Clinton over Bernie Sanders during the primary.
Meanwhile, President Trump voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary, despite repeatedly attacking mail-in ballots and signing an executive order earlier this year to curb voting by mail.
CBP Temporarily Pauses Border Wall Construction in Big Bend National Park
Aug 18, 2026
Image Credit: X/LaikenJordahl
In southern Texas, the Trump administration said Monday it had temporarily paused construction of a section of border wall in the Big Bend National Park. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said he would personally conduct an on-the-ground evaluation of the site, after construction crews were filmed bulldozing pristine desert wilderness, prompting fierce criticism from environmentalists. In a statement, campaigner Laiken Jordahl of the Center for Biological Diversity accused the Department of Homeland Security of lying about border wall construction in Big Bend, adding, “We won’t rest until the contracts are canceled, the waivers of law are rescinded, and the bulldozers are sent packing for good.”
SCOTUS Rejects Trump’s Bid to Undo Verdict Finding Him Liable for Sexually Abusing E. Jean Carroll
Aug 18, 2026
Image Credit: Lev Radin/ZUMA Press Wire
For the second time, the Supreme Court has turned down Donald Trump’s effort to undo the 2023 jury verdict holding him liable for sexually abusing the writer E. Jean Carroll and later defaming her. The justices issued a one-sentence order Monday denying his request for a rehearing, with no explanation and no noted dissents. The ruling leaves the $5 million civil judgment intact.
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New York Judge Pushes Back Luigi Mangione’s Murder Trial
Aug 18, 2026
A New York judge pushed back Luigi Mangione’s state murder and weapons trial on Monday over the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This comes after Mangione pleaded guilty last Friday to federal stalking charges. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. Mangione’s lawyers are arguing that he should not be punished for the same crime twice. The judge gave prosecutors until October 9 to answer Mangione’s motion and scheduled his next court appearance for December 10.
Opening Statements Begin in Murder Trial of Tupac Shakur
Aug 18, 2026
In Las Vegas, opening statements began Monday in the murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, nearly 30 years after rapper Tupac Shakur was shot near the Strip. Prosecutors told jurors that a gang war in Compton drove the killing and that Davis orchestrated it as revenge for an attack on his nephew. This is prosecutor Binu Palal.
Binu Palal: “Duane Davis has repeatedly told us, over and over again, about the anger he felt and his own role in the revenge drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur. And now, nearly 30 years later, we’re going to ask you to finally hold Duane Davis accountable.”
Tupac Shakur was the son of Afeni Shakur, a prominent activist and member of the Black Panther Party.
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