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Accessed on 29 January 2026, 1437 UTC.
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Russ Roberts (https://hawaiinewsjournal.com).
Thursday, January 29, 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.
Gold nears record $5,600 as silver smashes $120 amid Iran tensions
“Gold’s perfect storm continues with U.S.-Iran geopolitical tensions, a weak dollar and market expectations of more Fed rate cuts driving prices to endless record highs,” said Jamie Dutta, market analyst at Nemo.money. Read more
Videos show Alex Pretti in confrontation with agents 11 days before his death
The footage adds to what is known about the 37-year-old nurse, Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal agents Saturday after they pepper sprayed him and pushed him and a woman to the ground. Read more
Riders ill after passenger sprays unknown ‘chemical’ on TheBus
Upon arrival, firefighters found multiple patients affected by a hazardous chemical on TheBus. Read more
No. 3 Hawaii sweeps Saint Francis in opening road match
Hawaii has won 18 straight matches against nonconference opponents on the road since 2022. Read more
Starbucks ignored maggots and fire risks, ex-VP’s lawsuit alleges
During a high-stakes demonstration of Starbucks’ new “Siren System,” baristas were allegedly forced to flick maggots away from equipment to prevent executives from seeing an infestation, according to a whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former vice president. Read more
Lifeguards rescue distressed swimmer off Manana Island
Lifeguards headed out on rescue jet skis, found the man, and brought him safely back to shore. He did not require further medical assistance. Read more
Gabbard attends FBI search of Georgia election office for 2020 ballots
The search was conducted a week after Trump reiterated during comments in Davos, Switzerland, his longstanding and debunked claim that the 2020 voting “was a rigged election.” Read more
HFD: McCully home fire caused by e-scooter’s lithium-ion battery
HFD’s fire investigator determined that the fire originated in the living room. Read more
2 agents who shot Pretti are on leave, Trump official says
It was unclear if the department had taken action regarding the other agents involved in the encounter with the nurse, Alex Pretti, including those who had helped restrain him before he was shot and killed by the two agents. Read more
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Fed holds rates steady amid ‘elevated’ inflation
“Economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace,” Fed policymakers said in the statement after voting 10-2 to hold the U.S. central bank’s benchmark interest rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range following a two-day meeting. Read more
Gold hits record $5,311 as dollar falls ahead of Fed decision
Spot gold was up 1.9% at $5,289.48 an ounce by 12:45 p.m. ET (7:45 a.m. Hawaii time) after touching a record $5,311.31. Prices gained more than 3% in the previous session. Read more
3 seriously injured, including children, in Waialua vehicle crash
EMS officials said crews responded at 1:06 a.m. to a report of a single-vehicle crash where the driver lost control of a minivan that came to rest in bushes. Read more
Hawaii joins states seeking to ban federal immigration agreements
Hawaii is among several states currently considering legislation to terminate agreements that delegate federal immigration powers to local police, part of a growing national pushback against the Trump administration’s enforcement tactics. Read more
Trump tells Iran to make nuclear deal or next attack will be ‘far worse’
Trump said a U.S. naval force headed by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was approaching Iran. Read more
Amazon to cut 16,000 jobs in latest round of layoffs
The cuts were widely expected across Amazon’s corporate workforce since late October, when the company laid off 14,000 corporate employees. Read more
CBP review of Alex Pretti shooting contradicts Secretary Noem
The review makes no mention of the Department of Homeland Security’s earlier claims that Pretti, a U.S. citizen, “wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” Read more
Dollar hits 4-year low as Trump comments trigger global sell-off
The dollar weakness may offer some respite to Japanese officials, but it is already a source of concern for others. Read more
Bill Belichick fails to make NFL Hall of Fame on first ballot
According to ESPN, Belichick was informed Friday that he did not reach the threshold of 40 out of 50 votes from the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Read more
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked at town hall in Minneapolis
The Minneapolis police said the man, whom they later identified as Anthony J. Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of assault. Read more
Teens seriously injured when e-bike crashes in Ewa Beach
Under Hawaii law, the minimum age to ride a low-speed e-bike is 15 years old, with helmets mandatory for riders under age 18. Read more
Woman killed, 6 hurt after vehicle rear-ends pickup truck on H-1
This was Oahu’s fifth traffic fatality this year, compared with six at the same time in 2025. Read more
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