Morning Must Reads: September 29

Hong Kong Braces for Clashes

Demonstrations have grown at a speed that seems to have surprised protesters and police alike, with crowds continuing to mass around key areas of the city. The ground situation remains fluid, but here are five takeaways from Hong Kong’s season of unrest

Obama: ISIS Surprised Us

President Barack Obama said in a new interview that the U.S. underestimated the threat that Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria posed in the region

Assange Hologram Speaks Out

The face of WikiLeaks spoke about Google, martyrs and political asylum as he was beamed in from the Ecuadorian embassy in London

Wake Up! Today Is National Coffee Day

Fake marketing holiday or not, Monday is being celebrated as National Coffee Day, and that means free (or nearly so) coffee can be had at several donut, fast food and coffee specialists around the U.S. Here’s where to score an extra jolt of caffeine on the cheap

New Afghan President Sworn In After Disputed Vote

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was sworn in Monday as Afghanistan’s new President, replacing Hamid Karzai in the country’s first democratic transfer of power since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban

Jeter Leaves Baseball With 9-5 Win Over Red Sox

Three days after an emotional farewell in New York City, pinstripe-wearing fans filled Boston’s Fenway Park for Jeter’s finale, chanting for him and the visiting Yankees and standing for each of his at-bats. The final hit raised Jeter’s lifetime batting average to .310

California Adopts ‘Yes Means Yes’ Sex-Assault Rule

Gov. Jerry Brown announced Sunday that he signed a bill that makes California the first in the nation to define when “yes means yes” and adopt requirements for colleges to follow when investigating reports of sexual assault

The Simpsons Kills Off Character in Season Premiere

“The most respected man” in the community, voiced by comedian Jackie Mason, was killed off the show’s first episode of its 26th season. But this wasn’t a surprise, as a producer said last year that a character would meet his maker in the premiere

Tobacco Companies Step Up E-Cigarette Warnings

When it comes to e-cigarettes, large tobacco companies are suddenly stepping up warnings about their own products, in some cases using more than 100 words to warn smokers of nicotine’s ill effects. Experts say the move is merely corporate image enhancement

India’s Modi Comes Full Circle at Madison Square Garden

Tens of thousands of Indian-Americans turned out to welcome the visiting leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. His entrance after a series of musical and dance warm-up acts sent the audience into a frenzy

How Secret Service Bungled White House Shooting in 2011

A new report shows that the Secret Service bungled its response to a shooting outside the White House in 2011, taking four days to realize that shots had actually hit the building. An Idaho man fired at least seven bullets into the house’s upstairs residence

Ukrainian Protesters Topple Massive Lenin Statue

Ukrainian protesters in Kharkiv, a city in the nation’s restive east, toppled a prominent statue of Soviet icon Vladimir Lenin late on Sunday. Police did not intervene as thousands celebrated the statue’s fall and raced to the wreckage to collect makeshift souvenirs

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