Gabbard says she met with Assad ADVERTISING Gabbard says she met with Assad WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, says she met with Syrian President Bashar Assad during a recent trip to the war-torn country. Appearing on CNN, the
Gabbard says she met with Assad
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, says she met with Syrian President Bashar Assad during a recent trip to the war-torn country.
Appearing on CNN, the Gabbard said there is no possibility for a viable peace agreement in Syria unless Assad is part of the conversation.
Gabbard said, “Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria.”
Gabbard, a major in the Army National Guard, met last November with Donald Trump shortly after the presidential election. She backed Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent.
She said she took the meeting with Trump because of concern that a wing of the Republican Party known as the neocons will grow in influence now that Trump’s in office. She fears that could push the U.S. more deeply into Syria.
Officials propose stricter rules for state harbors
HONOLULU (AP) — Officials are proposing several rule changes for state harbors in response to ongoing concerns, including limitations on alcohol consumption and a ban on feeding wildlife and feral animals.
Residents will have a chance to comment on the proposed changes during public hearings in March.
Under one proposed rule, the state wants to confine alcohol consumption to boats and prevent drinking in other parts of the harbors. The regulations would be similar to county laws regarding open alcohol containers.
Another proposed rule would prohibit people from feeding non-domesticated animals in hopes of curbing a feral cat problem. The Hawaiian Humane Society opposes that proposed ban and called it “inhumane” and “ineffective.”
The state also is looking to address concerns that boaters are skirting rules on how long they can be anchored in certain areas.
The current rules allow boaters to drop anchor anywhere in state waters for up to 72 hours before they have to move.
New regulations would require boaters to leave their anchoring area entirely before being allowed another 72 hours.
Hawaii company to export biofuel to South Korea
HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii renewable energy company is planning to export biofuels to a South Korean company that supplies electricity to the island nation.
Lamplighter Energy announced an agreement with Hanbo Energy Korea on Tuesday at the Capitol in Honolulu.
Lamplighter CEO Andre De Rosa said the company will export biofuel in pellet form. He said the pellets will provide enough biofuel to continuously power 320,000 homes in South Korea.
De Rosa said Hawaii utilities aren’t ready to buy that much biofuel right now but could purchase some in the future.
Hawaiian Electric CEO Alan Oshima said the company will eventually expand the small amount of biofuel it’s using. He said he’s open to any source or technology to help the utility meet the goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.
Shark attacks drop in 2016
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Unprovoked shark attacks dropped last year after a record-breaking number in 2015.
The International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida said Tuesday that there were 81 unprovoked attacks last year, a sharp decrease from the 98 attacks a year earlier. Four of last year’s attacks were fatal, with two in Australia and two in the French territory of New Caledonia.
File curator George Burgess said 58 percent of the attacks worldwide involved board sports. He said surfing, bodyboarding and paddle boarding produce the kind of water disturbance that can draw a shark.
The U.S. led the globe with 53 total attacks. Florida had 32 attacks, 15 of which were in Volusia County. Hawaii had 10, California had four, North Carolina had three, South Carolina had two and Texas and Oregon each had a single attack.
