Hawaii news roundup: child torture suspects plead not guilty, primary results, Iran standoff

Aug 11, 2026

A packed Hawaii news day, dominated by a disturbing child abuse case and messy primary election results, with mostly bad news across the board.

  • A Honolulu mother and stepfather pleaded not guilty to torturing and imprisoning a 13-year-old boy for years; he escaped and told a neighbor, and he and two younger siblings are now in protective custody.
  • On Maui, two men were charged with murdering a 71-year-old man over a dispute about bright headlights, and Honolulu police are hunting three suspects in an Eva Beach shooting.
  • Hawaii's primary is settled at the top — Governor Josh Green and Congresswoman Jill Tokuda cruised — but several state legislative races are down to a handful of votes, with one House seat separated by a single vote.
  • Trump says the U.S. is in talks with Iran but wants war reparations of its own, as Iran demands sanctions relief and payment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices up.
  • More than 40 large wildfires are burning across the U.S. West and 100-plus in western Canada, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate, while a Taylor Farms recall and a flesh-eating bacteria warning add to a rough summer for food and water safety.

Outlook: A developing central Pacific cyclone, possibly named Lala, could hit Hawaii with strong winds and heavy rain starting Friday, and the razor-thin legislative races may drag toward recounts or special elections.

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