Hawaii

Finland passes law to turn away asylum seekers at border

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2024

HELSINKI — Finland on Friday passed a temporary bill that would allow agents to turn away asylum-seekers at its borders, an escalation in its ongoing dispute with Russia that experts and human rights groups warn will violate international law.

Relations between Finland and Russia, which share an 830-mile border, have sharply deteriorated since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Late last year, Finland closed all land crossings with its neighbor, accusing Russia of trying to weaponize migration. Russian authorities have called the accusations “unsubstantiated.”

Parliament voted 167-31 to approve the bill, which would be in place for a year. Because it is an expedited constitutional amendment, it required more than the typical supermajority to pass.

The legislation gives authorities the power to halt the acceptance of asylum applications at the border for up to a month at a time — and to remove migrants who had made it into the country in hopes of seeking asylum. Forcing people back over a border, a practice known as “pushbacks,” is illegal under European and international law.

The text had been repeatedly amended since the government handed over a first draft in May that it acknowledged was not in line with Finland’s Constitution. Legal experts swiftly warned that the bill also would violate the country’s international obligations, and the U.N. refugee agency said it risked setting a dangerous precedent.

Worried about Finland’s human rights responsibilities, lawmakers negotiated heavily over the language, including the means for asylum-seekers to appeal and the role of parliament in applying the law.

Before its passage, the bill appeared to be largely supported by the Finnish public. About 65% of Finns said they were in favor of the law, with just 19% saying they were opposed, according to a survey commissioned by a prominent Finnish newspaper in late June.

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Hawaii

American Red Cross assisting displaced family after 2-alarm fire

Published

9 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Press Room

American Red Cross assisting displaced family after 2-alarm fire

WAIMANALO (HawaiiNewsNow) – The American Red Cross is assisting a family Thursday after a two-alarm fire was extinguished in Waimanalo.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to Oluolu Street at about 3 a.m., staffed with 10 units and 39 personnel.

The first unit arrived at about 3:15 a.m. to find a working fire at a two-story residential building. No one was inside.

Flames and smoke were coming from the garage, said HFD. A hazmat team was dispatched to secure a 125-pound LPG tank that was exposed.

The fire was under control at 4 a.m. and fully extinguished at about 4:15 a.m.

No injuries were reported.

The American Red Cross was requested to assist the displaced family.

An investigation is underway to determine what caused the fire and damage estimates.

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Hawaii

Hawaii Water Polo enters Big West Championship as number 1 seed

Published

21 hours ago

April 9, 2026

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Hawaii Water Polo enters Big West Championship as number 1 seed

The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Water Polo Team has secured the number 1 seed in the Big West Championship Tournament.

“I think everyone understands the importance of the tournament and, what we want to do,” said Hawaii Junior Daisy Logtens.

Hawaii enters the tournament 13-5 overall and 6-0 in conference play.

UH will open up the conference tournament against 8th seed UC Santa Barbara. UH recently defeated UCSB 18-4 on March 28th in Manoa.

The 1st match for UH is set for Friday at 7:00am HT in Long Beach, California.

The winner of (1) Hawaii vs (8) UCSB will take on the winner of (4) vs (5) UC San Diego.

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Hawaii

‘Surreal’: Flood victims near UH Manoa prepare for third storm

Published

2 days ago

April 8, 2026

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‘Surreal’: Flood victims near UH Manoa prepare for third storm

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Anxiety ran high in Manoa ahead of Wednesday’s impending storm, which comes about two weeks after a second Kona low flooded 14 residential units along Koali Road.

It was not the first time the homes were swamped in recent months.

Last November, a water main break overflowed the same ground-level units near UH Manoa, causing extensive damage.

Now, as tenants clean up and repair their homes after the latest storm, they are bracing for yet another storm expected to hit Wednesday.

“It sounds like a movie, it sounds a little surreal, a little not real,” Koali Road resident Carlos Jimenez said.

Jimenez, whose home was flooded both times, recalled the recent one, which covered his home in about two feet of water, describing the deluge as “a little bit above knee high.”

The damage to Jimenez’s unit went beyond the floor, too, because of the heavy rain.

“The ceiling got water-damaged. From what I saw, it was soaking water, sagging, and it was about to collapse,” Jimenez said.

Fortunately, crews repaired his roof days before the third storm could send another round of downpours.

Outside, both of Jimenez’s vehicles sat damaged and dead.

After all that he has seen at his Koali Road home, Jimenez said he would take the new storm seriously.

“Get ready, you know, with my mother. She lives with me. She’s 87,” Jimenez said.

After witnessing the devastation in the neighborhood, Jimenez’s neighbor, Dario Aricala, whose home was spared, is not taking it for granted during this week’s wet weather.

“The last storm, we almost got flooded. We are hoping for the best that this storm is not such bad,” Aricala said.

Click here to donate to Jimenez’s GoFundMe page.

In the meantime, other residents have been staying elsewhere during cleanup and repairs, and the property manager said he has been helping them.

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