UH to join MWC in all sports
The University of Hawaii announced Tuesday that it will join the Mountain West Conference as a full-time member effective July 1, 2026.
Wahine bounce back with sweep of UC Riverside
US Supreme Court hears case of trucker fired for failed drug test from cannabis-based CBD
The U.S. Supreme Court tackled a case on Tuesday involving a New York state man who was fired from his job as a commercial truck driver for failing a drug test after taking cannabidiol, or CBD, that he said was falsely sold as lacking the psychoactive ingredient present in marijuana.
US tells Israel to improve Gaza humanitarian situation or risk military aid
The United States has told Israel it must take steps in the next month to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on U.S. military aid, U.S. officials said, in the strongest such warning since Israel’s war with Hamas began a year ago.
Meta must face US state lawsuits over teen social media addiction
Facebook parent company Meta must face lawsuits by U.S. states accusing it of fueling mental health problems among teens by making its Facebook and Instagram platforms addictive, a federal judge in California ruled on Tuesday.
Election certification in Georgia is mandatory, judge rules
Certifying elections is a required duty of county election boards in Georgia, and they’re not allowed to refuse to finalize results based on suspicions of miscounts or fraud, a Fulton County judge ruled Tuesday.
Giant pandas from China return to National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON — A pair of pandas from China arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, in a revival of so-called panda diplomacy after an 11-month pause that had left countless zoogoers disappointed by the absence of the lovable black-and-white bears.
Georgia reports record turnout as early voting begins in U.S. battleground state
Voters in Georgia turned out in record numbers as the battleground state opened early voting for the Nov. 5 presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, state officials said on Tuesday.
Harris pledges marijuana reform if elected
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate defended her record as a prosecutor, pledged to decriminalize marijuana and to push for police reform on Tuesday, as she aimed to shore up support among Black men in an interview with radio host Charlamagne tha God in Detroit. Charlamagne, a Black comedian and author who hosts radio program “The Breakfast Club,” is known for his blunt interviews of celebrities. Although he is a Harris supporter, he has been critical of her and President Joe Biden in the past and called Democrats “cowards” for ineffectively prosecuting a case against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. One of his first questions was asking Harris to address a common rumor – that she disproportionately locked up Black men over her more than a dozen years as San Francisco’s district attorney. Harris said she was “one of the most progressive prosecutors” on marijuana cases, and would work to decriminalize it, because she knows how that has hurt certain populations, especially Black men. Some polls show that fewer Black men support Harris than they did Biden in the 2020 election. Her campaign and allies including Barack Obama are working to win them back in Michigan and other battleground states that will be decided by a thin margin.
92 people remain missing in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
Almost three weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall, 92 people are still unaccounted for in North Carolina, officials said Tuesday.
Island Life photo for October 16 — Fishy fella
Island Life photo for October 16 — Fishy fella
Obituaries for October 16
Editor’s note: Obituaries are published free of charge as a public service. Content is subject to editing for parity treatment and style continuity. Date of publication cannot be guaranteed. Any questions regarding obituaries should be directed to the mortuary or to obituaries@westhawaiitoday.com. Memorial advertisements with photos may be purchased through the newspaper advertising department.
Hawaii PUC probing utility’s role in deadly Lahaina wildfire
UH-H sports: Vulcans sweep HPU; women’s soccer moves to No. 19
HILO — Vulcans extended their win streak to eight games as UH-Hilo Women’s Volleyball swept inter-island foe HPU (25-20, 25-19, 25-21) in Pacific West Conference action Monday night at the Vulcan Gymnasium.
BIIF volleyball: Last week of regular season begins
The final week of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) girls volleyball regular season began Monday with matches across the isle. Official BIIF playoff brackets will become official after the last match is played Thursday night. Playoffs will begin Friday.
A distant planet may host a moon that’s spewing a volcanic cloud
Astronomers have identified thousands of planets orbiting distant stars using sophisticated observatories. But there’s something they have yet to spot with any certainty: moons around those worlds.
Radio proposal draws doubts at council meeting
A Hawaii County Council proposal to bolster the island’s emergency communications network using amateur radio operators was met with some skepticism Tuesday.
A climate resistant community passed two hurricane tests
As Hurricane Milton rushed ashore last Wednesday, at least 2,000 Floridians found safe haven at Babcock Ranch, a community the size of Manhattan that opened in 2018 to withstand climate-driven storms.
North Korea blows up roads, prompting South to fire warning shots
North Korea blew up sections of roads in its own territory that are part of links once used to connect the southern part of the peninsula with the north, in a show of defiance after it accused Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang.
Trump sways to music for 39 minutes in awkward end to Pennsylvania campaign event
Former President Donald Trump stood and swayed to music for 39 minutes Monday after cutting off questions from supporters in an awkward end to a town hall in suburban Philadelphia.