U.S. and world news for August 18

Trump turns up pressure on Zelenskyy before White House meeting

Before President Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House today to discuss his talks with Russian President Putin in more detail, he took to social media to turn up the heat on Zelenskyy. Trump said that If Zelenskyy wants the war in Ukraine to end, he must agree to some of Russia’s conditions, including that Ukraine cede Crimea and agree never to join NATO. Trump made no mention of the position he had been taking before meeting with Putin in Alaska. Before meeting with Putin, Trump said he would be disappointed if a ceasefire wasn’t reached between Russia and Ukraine, and even threatened “severe” consequences on Moscow if Putin didn’t end the fighting. However, after meeting with Putin, Trump changed his position. He is now focused on securing a peace deal without a ceasefire and said “we don’t have to think” about sanctions against Russia.

Protests in Israel

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis gathered around Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday to demand an end to the war in Gaza and the return of the remaining 50 hostages, which have not been pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Many protesters also participated in a nationwide general strike, blocked major roads and staged rallies in cities across Israel. These events were led by family members of the hostages and the October Council, which represents bereaved families from the war. It was one of the largest coordinated demonstrations since the beginning of the Gaza war nearly two years ago. “We are united in one simple demand directed at the Israeli government: Put an Israeli proposal on the table today for a comprehensive deal — to end the war in exchange for the return of the last hostage,” said Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is a hostage. Israeli police said at least 38 protesters were arrested for allegedly disturbing the peace.

Protests in Washington, D.C.

Protesters turned out over the weekend in Washington, D.C., to express their concerns about Donald Trump’s recent declaration of a crime emergency in the city and his decision to federalize the city’s police force. Now, three Republican-led states are sending hundreds of their own National Guard troops to the nation’s capital to assist in Trump’s efforts. West Virginia plans to send 300 to 400 National Guard troops, South Carolina has authorized the deployment of 200 troops and Ohio said it will send 150. These units will join the 800 D.C. National Guard troops that Trump has already deployed to patrol the district along with Border Patrol, ICE, FBI and DEA agents. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s posted on social media, “American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican.”

Hurricane Erin has a wide reach

Hurricane Erin became one of the fastest-strengthening Atlantic hurricanes on record when it transformed from a Category 1 storm with 75 mph winds on Friday to a Category 5 with near 160 mph winds just over 24 hours later. So far, the storm’s outer bands have dumped heavy rainfall across Puerto Rico and left 100,000 people without power, according to the island’s Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón. Additional rainfall of up to 6 inches is forecast over the Turks and Caicos and the eastern Bahamas through Tuesday. But as it churns through the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean, Erin could double or even triple in size, which may cause rough ocean conditions across much of the western Atlantic, the Hurricane Center said. While the storm is forecast to stay well offshore, its expansive wind field is already sending large swells outward for hundreds of miles and bringing dangerous rip currents to U.S. shores.

California Democrats and Texas Republicans move ahead on redistricting

Democrats in the California legislature were expected to introduce legislation today to redraw the state’s district maps for the 2026 mid-term election with final passage as early as Thursday, according to a source familiar with the Democratic planning. In the Texas legislature today, there was an increasing likelihood that Republicans will get a quorum and move forward with their plan to redraw district maps to give the GOP the chance to win five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Trump-backed effort to redraw Texas’ maps has stalled since August 3, when more than 50 Democratic lawmakers left the state to block a quorum and halt a special legislative session. But it is expected to move forward in the new session that began Friday. GOP leaders have not laid out a timeline for final passage of the new Texas map, but it could come as soon as this week.

Search continues for gunmen in Brooklyn shooting

Police are searching for multiple shooters who killed three people and wounded nine others in a shooting authorities say stemmed from a gang-related dispute at a crowded Brooklyn lounge over the weekend. Police have identified 12 victims from the shooting that took place at Taste of the City in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police initially identified 11 victims. The victims range in age from 19 to 61. Police believe some of the victims were involved in the shooting, while others were bystanders, Tisch said, emphasizing the information is still preliminary. Located on Franklin Ave. in Crown Heights, Taste of the City says it offers food, cocktails, hookah and entertainment nightly. With no suspects in custody, police are now searching for as many as four shooters they believe were involved in the incident.