QUICK HITS

1 Senators want facial recognition tech usage at airports:

A bipartisan group of senators wants restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration. In a letter Thursday, 14 lawmakers are calling on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration to limit use of the technology so Congress can put in place some oversight. TSA has been rolling out the technology at select airports in a pilot project. The agency says the system improves accuracy of identity verification without slowing passenger speeds at checkpoints. Passengers can opt out.

2 Judge hears arguments in South Carolina abortion case:

South Carolina’s ban on abortions after roughly six weeks is back in court and centered on the definition of fetal heartbeat. A state circuit judge on Thursday began considering Planned Parenthood’s request to block the new law until courts can decide. A ruling is expected in a few weeks. The state contends heartbeat occurs around six weeks when an ultrasound detects cardiac activity. But the law also mentions when the major parts of the heart come together, often around nine weeks.

Judge declares mistrial in suit filed 3 by former Abu Ghraib prisoners:

A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after a jury said it was deadlocked and could not reach a verdict in the trial of a military contractor accused of contributing to the abuse of detainees at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq two decades ago. The eightmember civil jury in Alexandria deadlocked on accusations the civilian interrogators who were supplied to the U.S. Army at Abu Ghraib in 2003 and 2004 had conspired with soldiers there to abuse detainees as a means of“softening them up”for questioning.

Death toll rises in highway collapse 4 in China:

A section of a highway collapsed after heavy rains in a mountainous area in southern China, sending cars tumbling down a slope and leaving at least 36 people dead. The Meizhou city government said 23 vehicles have been found after a section of the highway gave way Wednesday. Thirty other people had injuries.