International News
Former UK consulate officer accuses Chinese police of torture
Al Jazeera
A former officer at the United Kingdom's consulate in Hong Kong accused Chinese secret police of torturing him in an effort to extract information about the UK's role in massive anti-government protests in the semi-autonomous city.
Simon Cheng, a Hong Kong citizen, said he was hooded, beaten, deprived of sleep and chained to an x-shaped frame by plain-clothes and uniformed agents for 15 days in August.
Sydney smoke: Australia fires send haze over Sydney and Adelaide
BBC World News
In Sydney, locals woke on Thursday to smoke which appeared worse than a fire-driven haze that was seen on Tuesday.
Health officials issued warnings as air quality surpassed "hazardous" levels and some residents donned face masks.
Fire conditions classified as "severe" or higher have affected all six states in the past week. Several states have faced "catastrophic" levels of danger.
Fake doctors, pilfered medical records drive Oxy China sales
AP News
SHANGHAI (AP) — Thousands of lawsuits across the United States have accused a drug company owned by the billionaire Sackler family of using false claims to push highly addictive opioids on an unsuspecting nation, fueling the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history.
US News
Naperville Central freshman, 14, charged with hate crime in ‘Slave for sale’ Craigslist posting
Chicago Tribune
A Naperville Central High School freshman appeared in DuPage County juvenile court Wednesday on charges that he posted a photo of a black student with the caption “Slave for sale” on Craigslist.
The 14-year-old, who is white, is charged with two counts of committing a hate crime and one count of disorderly conduct. He was in court with his parents but did not speak during the hearing
Arizona border activist acquitted of harboring immigrants
AP News
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — An activist was quickly acquitted Wednesday on charges he illegally harbored two Central American immigrants at a southern Arizona camp operated by a humanitarian group.
The verdict by a jury in U.S. District Court came after jurors deliberated for about two hours in what was the second trial for Scott Warren. A mistrial was declared last June after a jury deadlocked on harboring charges.
Uber to allow audio recording of rides, aiming to launch feature in US
The Guardian
Uber will allow passengers and drivers in Brazil and Mexico to record audio of their rides as it attempts to improve its safety record and image, and eventually it hopes to launch the feature into other markets including the United States.
“It’s Hilarious. It Looks Ridiculous.”
An interview with the woman who strongly needed her coffee during a live impeachment hearing.
Slate
Tuesday’s award for the most amusing diversion from the minutia of the impeachment hearings goes to McClatchy congressional reporter Emma Dumain, who went minorly viral for chugging coffee with great enthusiasm in the background as Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified. It really was some chug!
Science/Environment News
Ford's electric horse: US carmaker bets big on new Mustang
Al Jazeera
The Mustang Mach E electric sport utility vehicle Ford Motor Co unveiled in Los Angeles is more than another car for the storied United States automaker.
The Mach E has become within Ford a high-profile test for a restructuring that has been marred by profit warnings, costly quality problems and the troubled launch this year of another important vehicle, the Ford Explorer sport utility.