Toggle Daily · DAILY EDITION
August 19, 2026
The day's top events, read by how settled the reporting is.
Israeli strikes hit Syria's Abu al-Duhur airbase
Israeli strikes hit the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria's Idlib province, 70km from the Turkish border, drawing objections from Damascus, Ankara and Washington.
Trump orders US and South Korean drills reduced
Trump has instructed the Pentagon to shrink Ulchi Freedom Shield, the summer drill of US and South Korean forces, which opened Monday on an 11 day schedule.
UAE freezes commerce with Iran indefinitely
The UAE's Foreign Ministry says all trade and financial transactions with Iran are halted until further notice, after two ballistic missiles fell into the sea.
Ousted defence minister presses for a wartime vote
Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed as Ukraine's defence minister in July, called for wartime elections in a video address on Tuesday, saying governance is in crisis.
Nixon and Donalds win Florida's top primaries
Angie Nixon won Florida's Democratic Senate primary and Byron Donalds the Republican race for governor, on a night when Trump's endorsees won some races and lost others.