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Former Hawaii congressman plays leading role in 80th anniversary of D-Day events

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Former Hawaii congressman plays leading role in 80th anniversary of D-Day events


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As we celebrate freedom and democracy, one former Hawaii politician has a job perpetuating patriotism and freedom around the world.

Former Hawaii Congressman Charles Djou played a leading role in last month’s 80th anniversary of D-Day events as secretary and chief executive of the American Battle Memorials Commission.

At the June 6 commemoration at Normandy Beach, Djou was the first speaker before President Emmanuel Macron, of France, and U.S. President Joe Biden — where he said Americans defend freedom in foreign lands, but then brings its soldiers home.

“All that America asks for in return for the sacrifice of our brave and our young and our finest is a few small plots of land to bury our dead,” he said.

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Despite his time in Congress and in Afghanistan as an officer with the Army Reserve, Djou said the D-Day ceremonies were humbling.

He was surrounded by surviving veterans, high-ranking officials and politicians and even Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

“I did not sit next to Tom Hanks. My wife and daughter sat next to Tom Hanks,” he said, laughing.

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda said she was excited to see Djou representing Hawaii at the events.

“You had Secretary Austin, you had Secretary Blinken, and you had Secretary Djou,” she said. “I mean, you know, to see a local boy of such prominence.”

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The American battle monuments commission oversees 31 memorials and cemeteries in 17 countries, including the Honolulu Memorial, which surrounds the statue of Lady Columbia in Punchbowl.

A former Republican who supported Biden over Trump, Djou was appointed to the job about two years ago. But he said why isn’t clear to him.

“The short answer is, I don’t know. I mean, all political points are a little bit of a black box, no matter where you get appointed,” he said.

No matter how it came about, he says the job suits him.

“I love telling the story of American history,” he said in an interview with Hawaii News Now. “I believe in our country, and I believe in American honor, and this agency has this just amazing job to present the history of America and American service. And so for me, it’s, it’s humbling and exceptionally rewarding.”

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Because he actively campaigned against Trump four years ago, Djou doesn’t expect to keep the job long if the president isn’t re-elected. But for a 54-year-old who’s been in Congress, the Legislature and the City Council, he’s accustomed to changing careers.



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Hawaii

College football's Hawaii Bowl highlights slowest sports day of 2024

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College football's Hawaii Bowl highlights slowest sports day of 2024


Sports fans can breathe easy on Christmas Eve as there will only be one game played on Tuesday before a full buffet of games on Christmas Day.

College football aficionados will be happy to know there is one bowl game on the slate. The Hawaii Bowl between South Florida and San Jose State. The game will start at 8 p.m. ET.

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South Florida Bulls quarterback Israel Carter runs the ball against the Florida Atlantic Owls at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, Nov. 1, 2024. (Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images)

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The Bulls finished 6-6 on the season and earned a second straight bowl game under head coach Alex Golesh. They had the same record last season before entering and winning the Boca Raton Bowl over Syracuse, 45-0.

The Spartans finished the season 7-5 overall in Ken Niumatalolo’s first season at the helm. The team is on a three-bowl-game losing streak. They lost the Hawaii Bowl last season and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2022. The Spartans also lost the Arizona Bowl in 2020.

San Jose State hasn’t won a bowl game since the 2015 Cure Bowl under Ron Caragher.

Ken Niumatalolo coaches

San Jose State Spartans head coach Ken Niumatalolo after their win over the Stanford Cardinal at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, California, Nov. 29, 2024. (Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)

TEXAS FOOTBALL MASCOT BEVO BARRED FROM SIDELINES OF UPCOMING CFP GAME, ORGANIZERS SAY

Sports fans looking for some action should take it all in and be able to get some sleep before opening presents and starting Christmas Day at noon ET with NBA games.

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The NFL also has games on Christmas Day for the second straight year – a two-game menu featuring the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET and the Houston Texans hosting the Baltimore Ravens at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Patrick Mahomes tackled

Browns defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. and linebacker Devin Bush rush Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Dec. 15, 2024. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)

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College football will return on Dec. 26 and the NHL will be back on Dec. 27.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Nebraska tops Hawaii 69-55, will play Oregon State in title game of Diamond Head Classic

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Nebraska tops Hawaii 69-55, will play Oregon State in title game of Diamond Head Classic


Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Brice Williams matched his career high with 32 points and Juwon Gary scored a season-high 21 to lead Nebraska to a 69-55 victory over Hawaii on Monday night, sending the Cornhuskers to the title game of the Diamond Head Classic.

Nebraska (9-2) will play Oregon State on Christmas Day for the championship of the eight-team tournament. Hawaii (7-4) will play Oakland for third place, also on Wednesday.

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Williams made 10 of 18 shots with four 3-pointers and all eight of his free throws for the Cornhuskers (10-2), who have won three in a row and will play for their first tournament title since the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic. Gary buried 8 of 10 shots with three 3-pointers and both of his foul shots.

Williams had 11 points and Gary scored eight to help Nebraska take a 29-27 lead into halftime. Marcus Greene had nine points to keep Hawaii close.

Williams and Gary combined to score 34 of the Cornhuskers’ 40 points in the second half. The senior duo combined to make 13 of 18 shots while their teammates made 3 of 9.

The Rainbow Warriors scored the first four points of the second half to grab the lead. Williams answered with a layup and a 3-pointer and Nebraska never trailed again.

Greene led Hawaii with 11 points. Kody Williams and Akira Jacobs both scored 10.

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Nebraska has won 34 in a row when holding its opponent to 70 points or less.

Hawaii leads the series 7-3 with all 10 games being played in Honolulu. The two teams had not met since the 2014 event.

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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, spewing columns of lava

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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, spewing columns of lava


One of the world’s most active volcanoes sprang into life again Monday, spewing columns of lava 80 meters above Hawaii, U.S. vulcanologists said.

Images showed enormous fissures in the caldera of Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, spraying jets of molten rock into the air.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began just after 2 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) in the southwestern section of the caldera.

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“At 4:30 a.m., lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80 meters [262 feet],” the agency said.

“Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the winds on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim.”

The eruption was also sending matter much higher into the atmosphere.

“The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level … and winds are transporting it to the southwest,” the observatory said.

The observatory said sulfur dioxide emanating from the fissure would react with other gases in the atmosphere.

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So-called vog — volcanic smog — can affect people and animals, as well as crops.

Kilauea has been very active since 1983 and erupts relatively regularly, including most recently in September.

It is one of six active volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands, which include Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world, though Kilauea is far more active.



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