Tuesday, August 18, 2026 — Evening Edition

The full Supreme Court has yet to rule on a constitutional appeal filed by lawyers for retired General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez, who faces charges in the killing of Isy Obed Murillo; the case remains on the court's agenda, awaiting discussion.

Honduras's National Institute of Statistics said photographing electricity meters during the 2026 national census is optional, not mandatory, after public fears that the practice could be used to justify rate increases during an energy crisis.

Defense Minister Enrique Rodríguez Burchard signed a memorandum of understanding with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to deepen military and security cooperation and strengthen Honduras's ability to fight organized crime.

The Agriculture Ministry projects near-term rice production of 700,000 quintals (about 31,500 metric tons), a 40% jump from 2025's roughly 500,000 quintals, as part of a drive to cut reliance on imports, which now supply more than five million of the six million quintals Hondurans consume each year.

The Energy Ministry raised diesel prices by L 3.73–3.89 per gallon and kerosene by L 2.46–2.62 per gallon nationwide starting August 17, capping consecutive weeks of fuel increases that hit transport, industry, and agriculture.

Roatán's municipal police launched a cleanup to remove abandoned and junked vehicles from public spaces across the island, including parking areas and beaches, to improve streets and public amenities.

Congress will hold an emergency session on August 19 with mayors from 75 municipalities under yellow alert to address crop losses, water shortages, and food-security risks, proposing immediate aid to farmers along with drinking water, food assistance, and investment mechanisms.

Also reported by: Radio Cadena Voces (RCV)

Environmentalists warn that water output from San Pedro Sula's Sunseri aquifer has fallen 75% since wells were drilled in 1987, and a congresswoman is pushing legislation to designate the zone as a multi-use area and create a Metropolitan Park to protect the city's groundwater.

More than 15,500 Salvadorans entered Honduras during the August holiday week, up 31% from the same period last year and generating about $1.2 million in foreign exchange, according to Tourism Minister Andrés Ehrler.

Olimpia midfielder Edwin Rodríguez suffered a small nasal fracture after taking an elbow to the face in Sunday's 3-1 win over Motagua; exams show he can keep playing in a protective mask, with surgery put off until after the Apertura tournament.

José Eliezer Martínez, a Honduran with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and deferred action, was deported in April after authorities allegedly pressured him to accept removal despite his legal protections; ordered back to the US on August 5, he remains in Border Patrol custody in Texas with his case unresolved.

Honduras ranked among Spain's top immigrant nationalities in the second quarter of 2026, with 7,600 Hondurans arriving and 2,700 leaving over that period, according to Spain's Continuous Population Statistics.

A woman died after becoming trapped in a fire that tore through an apartment building in the San Juan neighborhood of Siguatepeque on August 17; firefighters are investigating the cause.

Pedro Darío Lobo Rodríguez, 38, suspected of arranging illegal migration to the United States, was shot dead inside an auto-repair shop in La Ceiba by gunmen who fled on a motorcycle.

Gracia María Medina Bonilla, a 30-year-old UNAH physical-education student who coached girls' soccer in her neighborhood, was shot and killed on June 4, 2019, when a gunman asked about school hours at her Los Pinos home, waited for someone to open a window, and fired at point-blank range.

A couple reported missing in Lempira on August 14 has been found dead in Tambla; authorities are working to identify the bodies and investigating how they died.