Nasdaq, S&P 500 hit record highs amid jobs data, upbeat forecasts
The Dow finished lower, as a 5.1% drop in UnitedHealth Group shares weighed on the index. Read more
Top News
Get the latest top stories and breaking news today from Hawaii, across the nation and around the world.
Police believe gunman who killed insurance CEO has left NYC
Reporting by Luc Cohen, Kyoko Gasha and Amina Niasse in New York, Rich McKay in Atlanta and Brendan O’Brien in Chicago and Manas Mishra in Bengaluru. Read more
U.S. milk supply to be tested for bird flu virus
Farmers and dairy processors will be required to provide samples of raw milk on request from the government. Read more
U.S. appeals court upholds TikTok law forcing its sale
The ruling is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court. Read more
U.S. jobs data cements Federal Reserve rate cut this month
A quarter-percentage-point reduction would bring the Fed’s policy rate to the 4.25%-4.50% range, a full percentage point below where it was in September when the central bank began its easing cycle Read more
House Republicans block release of ethics report on Gaetz
Republicans closed ranks to turn back two nearly identical Democratic-written resolutions that would have forced the release of the report on the ethics panel’s yearslong investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use by Gaetz, R-Fla. Read more
Taiwan urges China to ‘unclench its fists’ ahead of war games
China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, is expected to launch another round of exercises in response to Lai’s trip to the Pacific, which has included stopovers in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam, according to security sources. Read more
High surf advisory in place for Niihau, Kauai, Oahu
Forecasters warn of strong currents, which will make swimming dangerous. Read more
Trump appoints former PayPal exec as AI and crypto czar
“He will work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.,” Trump said in a post on his social-media site Truth Social, without saying whether “czar” was an official title. Read more
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Biden team considers blanket pardons to thwart Trump’s threats
Among those whose names have been floated for possible pardons are former Rep. Liz Cheney, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Jack Smith, the outgoing special counsel who prosecuted Trump. Read more
Hawaii volleyball swept by TCU in NCAA Tournament first round
Hawaii, which played in its 31st consecutive NCAA Tournament, was swept in the first round for the first time since 1997. Read more
Elon Musk brings Trump’s government efficiency push to Capitol Hill
The two chairs of the Department of Government Efficiency have called for firing thousands of federal workers, slashing regulations and eliminating programs whose authorization has expired, such as veterans’ healthcare. Read more
NASA announces further delays for Artemis moon missions
The Artemis program was established by NASA during President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration with the goal of returning astronauts to the moon for the first time since the U.S. space agency’s Apollo 17 mission. Read more
Bitcoin storms above $100K as Trump 2.0 fuels crypto euphoria
Once it broke $100,000 in Thursday’s Asian morning, boosted by U.S. President-elect Trump’s nomination of pro-crypto Paul Atkins to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, it was soon at an all-time high of $103,619. It last fetched $101,139, up about 3.2% on the day. Read more
Defense secretary scraps South Korea trip after martial law attempt
One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said planning had been underway for a trip in the near term but it was determined now was not the appropriate time. Read more
Healthcare industry rethinks risk after murder of UnitedHealth CEO
UnitedHealthcare, part of UnitedHealth Group, is the biggest U.S. insurer. CVS operates Aetna, another top insurer. Read more
Internet sleuths hunt for clues on murder of UnitedHealth’s CEO
Meanwhile, platforms including Bluesky, Reddit and X sprouted hundreds of posts from amateur gumshoes poring over video and photos. “Dude had a suppressor, which is an extremely difficult thing to acquire, especially in a state like New York,” wrote one Reddit user. Read more
FDA chief defends work on obesity, food to Senate
The hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions follows President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the country’s top health agency. Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, has also said those at the agency in charge of nutrition labels on food have “to go”. Read more
Hawaii reports 15th travel-related dengue case this year
The latest case comes about a month after the last travel-related case was reported Nov. 6 in a resident on Maui. Read more
Man in his 40s suffers cardiac arrest hiking Koko Crater trail
Paramedics treated the hiker and took him to a hospital in critical condition. Read more
U.S. judge rejects Boeing plea deal in fatal 737 MAX crashes
Boeing and the DOJ now have 30 days to update the court on how they plan to proceed in the case, O’Connor ruled. Read more
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Nasdaq, S&P 500 hit record highs amid jobs data, upbeat forecasts
U.S. appeals court upholds TikTok law forcing its sale
U.S. jobs data cements Federal Reserve rate cut this month
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