“Top stories and breaking news from Hawaii, across the nation, and around the world.”
Views expressed in this Hawaii and U.S. news roundup are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Accessed on 15 January 2026, 1403 UTC.
Content and Source: “Honolulu Star-Advertiser.”
URL–https://www.staradvertiser.com/category/breaking-news/
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Russ Roberts (https://hawaiinewsjournal.com).
Thursday, January 15, 2026 70°Today’s Paper
Breaking News
Get the latest top stories and breaking news today from Hawaii, across the nation and around the world.
Japan and Philippines sign defense pact as regional tensions rise
The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, designed to enable the swift provision of supplies and services between their militaries, comes months after a landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement between two of Washington’s closest Asian allies took effect. Read more
No. 3 Hawaii defeats Rockhurst in 4 in volleyball nightcap
Kristian Titriyski and Adrien Roure put down 15 kills apiece to cap a long day for the No. 3 Hawaii men’s volleyball team, which completed a doubleheader with a 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 25-13 win over Rockhurst tonight. Read more
Man, 39, sentenced to life in prison for killing his mom, dog
The Hawaii Paroling Authority will determine the final mandatory minimum term Jamil Hart will have to serve before becoming eligible for parole. Read more
Capitol fire alarms continued to trigger evacuations today
The alerts first sounded Monday without explanation and continued to disrupt legislative hearings and other Capitol operations today. Read more
Former consumer advocate attorney appointed to Hawaii utility commission
Jon Itomura Itomura served from 2003 to 2019 as the supervising attorney for the Division of Consumer Advocacy at the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Read more
DOH reports travel-related Zika, dengue cases on Oahu
Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects and is linked to complications, including miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm birth. Read more
Hawaii men’s volleyball team sweeps Roberts Wesleyan
Sophomore Finn Kearney and freshman Thatcher Fahlbusch added six kills for UH (4-1), which started six players who normally come off the bench. Read more
Farrington Highway near Kahi Mohala reopens
Workers discovered the unexploded ordnance during a shoulder excavation between Kahi Mohala and Aloun Farms, and requested motorists to avoid the area. Read more
Pier 16 berths closed after boat strikes Nimitz bridge
The Hawaii Department of Transportation said the waters surrounding the piers are also closed to all vessel traffic to protect the highway. Read more
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Nasdaq leads Wall Street lower as tech and bank shares tumble
Financials, including the banks, which were up sharply in 2025, have fallen this week amid concerns over President Donald Trump’s proposed cap on credit-card interest rates. Read more
Fire extinguished at 2-story home in Maunalani Heights
After an offensive attack, the fire was declared under control at 4:23 p.m., and fully extinguished at 4:51 p.m. Read more
Verizon network outage hits thousands of users across U.S.
The U.S. wireless carrier said it was working to address the issue that was affecting cellphone users across the country. Read more
Box jellyfish advisory issued for Hanauma Bay
An HNL Alert was issued at 8:42 a.m. today after box jellyfish were observed at the shoreline and several stings were reported. Signs have been posted. Read more
High wind advisory extended to midnight; high surf warning ahead
Surf is expected reach 12 to 16 feet along north shores; 8 to 12 feet along west shores. Read more
U.S. to suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 nations, officials say
The pause, which will affect applicants from countries including Somalia, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Yemen, Thailand and Brazil, will begin on January 21, the spokesperson said. It does not affect visitor visas. Read more
Gold price hits record $4,641 as uncertainty persists
Spot gold was 0.7% higher at $4,619.73 per ounce by 11:08 a.m. ET (6:08 a.m. Hawaii time), after earlier hitting a record high of $4,641.40. Read more
FBI searches home of Washington Post journalist in leak probe
A 1980 law called the Privacy Protection Act generally bars search warrants for reporters’ work materials unless the reporters themselves are suspected of committing a crime related to them. Read more
Yen rebounds from 18-month low against dollar
The yen strengthened 0.56% against the greenback to 158.27 per dollar. It earlier reached 159.45, the weakest since July 2024. Read more
Saks Global files for bankruptcy after Neiman Marcus takeover
The filing cast uncertainty over the future of the iconic U.S. luxury fashion brand, though Saks said early today that its stores would remain open for now after it finalized a $1.75 billion financing package and appointed a new chief executive. Read more
Trump weighs Iran military action as U.S. pulls troops from Qatar base
Two European officials said U.S. military intervention appeared likely, with one saying it could come in the next 24 hours. Read more
Trump makes obscene gesture at heckler in Ford factory tour
It was a fleeting interaction that happened while the president was out of sight of the small group of reporters that travels by his side as part of the press pool. Read more
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