The Smoke Signal

By Staff Writers Anagha Mandayam & Maggie Zhao

Local — Uber Driver Arrested in Palo Alto
An Uber driver was arrested for stalking and sexual battery in Palo Alto on Sunday, October 30. The suspect was identified as 35-year-old Pedro Liborio-Anorve and the victim was a woman in her 40s. After her ride, the woman called Liborio-Anorve after realizing she had left her phone in the car, asking him to bring the phone back. Police reported that when she went back to the car to retrieve her phone, the suspect assaulted her. The woman immediately called the police, but by the time the police arrived, Liborio-Anorve had driven away. Police tracked him down and arrested him at around 4 a.m. and took him to the Santa Clara County Main Jail. Uber later released a statement apologizing for the incident.

National — Bus Collision Kills Six in Baltimore
A collision between a school bus and a transit bus resulted in the death of six passengers on Tuesday, November 1 in Baltimore, Maryland. The school bus driver was on his way to pick up students when he hit a Mustang and veered off, crashing into the left side of the transit bus. The school bus driver and five transit passengers were killed and many more passengers were injured. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said, “Our deepest condolences go out to the victims and their families … We will continue to pray for those who were injured, as well as the first responders who worked swiftly and continue to care for the injured.”

International — Gambia Breaks Ties to International Criminal Court
The African country, Gambia, announced it would be leaving the International Criminal Court on October 25. In 1998, 124 nations across the globe formed the International Criminal Court (ICC) with the purpose of prosecuting serious crimes against humanity, such as genocide and war crimes. Following the departure of South Africa and Burundi this last month, Gambia decided to leave the ICC as well, after citing that the ICC disproportionately charges African nations with war crimes. Gambia, South Africa, and Burundi’s decisions have generated disapproval from other nations, who claim these countries are leaving in order to commit crimes without penalty.

Quirky — Fresh Air Becomes a Commodity
In many polluted cities across the world, businesses are now marketing bottled air. Companies encapsulate fresh air from pristine mountain ranges or beaches and then sell the containers of air in polluted cities. One British company, Aethaer, sells glass jars holding roughly a pint of air from Wales, priced at nearly a hundred dollars. Bottled air is gaining popularity in countries like China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries, where pollution is a prevalent issue in everyday life.

Photos by montrealgazette.com, nydailynews.com, cctv.africa.com, askmen.com