Kona hoops: Wildcats wash Waveriders in pre-holiday action
KEALAKEKUA — Konawaena and Kealakehe boys basketball squared off Friday night in some pre-holiday, crosstown action in Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium. The Wildcats won convincingly, 59-28.
Darius Taylor’s return sparks Minnesota to 30-24 win over Bowling Green in Quick Lane Bowl
DETROIT — Freshman Darius Taylor returned from a leg injury to rush for a career-high 208 yards, and Minnesota beat Bowling Green 30-24 in the Quick Lane Bowl on Tuesday.
Sweden moves a step closer to NATO membership after Turkey’s parliamentary committee gives approval
ANKARA, Turkey — The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee gave its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Tuesday, drawing the previously nonaligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance.
Ukraine damages a Russian landing ship in the Black Sea after battlefield disappointments
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian warplanes damaged a Russian ship moored in the Black Sea off Crimea, both countries said Tuesday, bolstering Ukrainian morale after battlefield disappointments and doubts about the future of Western aid.
6-year-old boy traveling to visit grandma for Christmas put on wrong Spirit flight
FORT MYERS, Fla. — A 6-year-old boy who left on a flight for the Christmas holiday to visit his grandmother in southwest Florida instead was put on the wrong plane and ended up 160 miles away in Orlando, Florida.
Nation & world news – at a glance- for Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Blizzard conditions disrupt travel across Northern and Central Plains
As social media guardrails fade and AI deepfakes go mainstream, experts warn of impact on elections
NEW YORK — Nearly three years after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the false election conspiracy theories that drove the violent attack remain prevalent on social media and cable news: suitcases filled with ballots, late-night ballot dumps, dead people voting.
Americans ramped up spending during the holidays despite some financial anxiety and higher costs
NEW YORK — Holiday sales rose this year and spending remained resilient during the shopping season even with Americans wrestling with higher prices in some areas and other financial worries, according to the latest measure.
Victim in Puna shooting was set to change pleas in felony cases
A 39-year-old Hawaiian Acres man who died Christmas Eve after being shot in his driveway on Saturday was set to change his pleas next month in a pair of felony court cases.
Tis the season for giving: A guide for how to give, even a little
Christmas is over, but giving season for nonprofits is just starting to peak.
The rapper Ye, who has a long history of making antisemitic comments, issues an apology in Hebrew
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who has a long history of making antisemitic comments, apologized to the Jewish community in an Instagram post written in Hebrew on Tuesday.
Biden orders strikes on an Iranian-aligned group after 3 US troops wounded in drone attack in Iraq
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden ordered the United States military to carry out retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian-backed militia groups after three U.S. service members were injured in a drone attack in northern Iraq.
1st Amendment claim struck down in Project Veritas case focused on diary of Biden’s daughter
NEW YORK — Criminal prosecutors may soon get to see over 900 documents pertaining to the alleged theft of a diary belonging to President Joe Biden’s daughter after a judge rejected the conservative group Project Veritas’ First Amendment claim.
Police investigating incidents involving Colorado justices after Trump removed from state’s ballot
DENVER — Police said Tuesday they are investigating incidents directed at Colorado Supreme Court justices and providing extra patrols around their homes in Denver following the court’s decision to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot.
Israeli military says Gaza ground offensive has expanded into urban refugee camps
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli forces on Tuesday expanded their ground offensive into urban refugee camps in central Gaza after bombarding the crowded Palestinian communities and ordering residents to evacuate. Gaza’s main telecom provider announced another “complete interruption” of services in the besieged territory.
For a new generation of indie rock acts, country music is king
LOS ANGELES — Singer-songwriter Mitski’s “My Love Mine All Mine,” plays out like a whispered dirge.
1-2-3 and counting: Las Vegas weddings could hit record on New Year’s Eve thanks to date’s pattern
LAS VEGAS (AP) — For better or for worse, a wave of couples saying “I do” in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve could set a record for the city’s busiest wedding day ever.
Court reverses former Nebraska US Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction of lying to federal authorities
LOS ANGELES — An appellate court on Tuesday reversed a 2022 federal conviction against former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, ruling that he should not have been tried in Los Angeles.
Baltimore’s new approach to police training looks at the effects of trauma, importance of empathy
BALTIMORE — A three-minute viral video shows an irate Baltimore police officer berating a teenager because he ignored orders to stop skateboarding and called the officer “dude.”
Whisky wooing young Chinese away from ‘baijiu’ as top distillers target a growing market
BEIJING (AP) — A distillery in southwestern China is aiming to tap a growing taste among young Chinese for whisky in place of the traditional “baijiu” liquor used to toast festive occasions.
Commentary: Are we as a nation ready for the next big threat? What Oct. 7 and the pandemic have taught us
I was stunned by the early morning headline that appeared in my email. According to The New York Times, Israeli officials had known about Hamas’ plan for more than a year before it launched its Oct. 7 attacks.
Island Life photo for Wednesday, December 27, 2023 – ‘Terrific trumpetfish’
Island Life photo for Wednesday, December 27, 2023 – ‘Terrific trumpetfish’
Editorial: Don’t give in to gloom about Ukraine
Nearly two years ago, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine unified European nations, reinvigorated the trans-Atlantic alliance and forged a spirit of rare bipartisanship in Washington. Now that resolve is fraying. President Joe Biden’s administration and the European Union are struggling to deliver aid for Ukraine’s military and budget, with even some of the country’s staunchest supporters expressing doubts about its battlefield prospects and calling for negotiations to end the war.
German visitor drowns in Kona
Police are investigating the possible drowning of a 57-year-old man from Germany on Sunday morning at Hokulia Bay in Kailua-Kona.
Police seek Waikoloa beach robbery suspect
Police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect responsible for a robbery at a Waikoloa beach area on Friday night.
