Thursday Scoop: Deadliest Drug

The big story…

The Deadliest Drug in the U.S. is Fentanyl

U.S. federal health officials announced on Wednesday that fentanyl has overtaken heroin as the country’s deadliest drug. The synthetic opioid caused 29 percent of all overdose deaths — meaning more than 18,000 deaths — in 2016. The use of fentanyl exponentially increased from 2013 to 2016, along with the rise in drug overdoses. A new study says that illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl are a leading cause in accidental deaths, while prescription drug overdoses tend to be involved in intentional deaths, meaning suicide.

In court…

Michael Cohen Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

President Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday for his role in the hush-money deal to buy the silence of two women who claim that they had affairs with Trump. Read more in Britney Hoobraj’s report for CMN.

In the U.K…

Theresa May Survives Confidence Vote

British Prime Minister Theresa May survived her no confidence vote in Parliament yesterday, meaning she had enough votes from MP’s to continue her tenure as PM. Unfortunately, this day-long distraction has done nothing to further the country’s Brexit deal, which is still embroiled in controversy.

In Turkey…

Train Crash in Turkey Leaves 9 Dead, 47 Injured

A train crash in Ankara, Turkey that took place early this morning has left 9 dead and 47 others injured out of the 206 passengers on board the train. This incident follows another crash that took place in the country in July, killing 24 people.

In Brazil… 

Brazilian Spiritual Leader Implicated in Major #MeToo Scandal

Brazilian spiritual leader João Teixeira de Faria was accused of sexual abuse by four women in a television broadcast on Friday. Since then, more than 200 women have stepped forward with allegations of sexual assault and rape. De Faria, famous for his healing ceremonies and “spiritual surgeries,” has made a name for himself not just in Brazil but also around the world — he was even interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 2012.

In tech…

Apple to Add Locations and Jobs Across the Country

Apple announced today that the company will be building a $1 billion dollar campus in Austin, Texas and adding smaller facilities in Seattle, San Diego, and Culver City. Initially, these locations will be providing 8,000 total jobs. The company is also planning to expand its locations in Pittsburgh, New York, and Colorado over the next few years. According to the company itself, Apple is on track to create 20,000 U.S. jobs by 2023. The company’s announcement is a stark contrast to what some are calling the ridiculous pageantry that went on in the search for Amazon’s HQ2.

In music…

Taylor Swift Concert Security Includes Facial Recognition

A kiosk at a Taylor Swift concert that played footage of the singer’s rehearsal was also secretly monitoring onlookers’ faces, using facial recognition software in order to identify Swift’s stalkers. The legality of this technology, which has been used before, is unclear, but many think that this is the future of large event security.

In finance…

The Boy Scouts of America Consider Bankruptcy Filing

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Boy Scouts of America are considering filing for bankruptcy to halt the wave of sexual misconduct lawsuits that the organization is facing.

In California…

The Golden State Debates Taxing Text Messages

The state of California already has a tax on phone calls and wants to extend that tax to include text messages. Telecom companies are not happy. 

Trending today…

Skyping With Your Parents

One of the perks of being home for winter break? No more intense eye contact interrogations over Skype.

Last but not least…

Ambani-Piramal Wedding Celebrations Include Beyoncé and Hillary Clinton

Isha Ambani, the daughter of India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, chair of multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries, weds businessman Anand Priamal on Wednesday at the Ambani residence in Mumbai, India. Guests include Bollywood superstars, the Clintons, John Kerry, Ariana Huffington, and newlyweds Priyanka and Nick Jonas. Read more in Britney Hoobraj’s report for CMN.

Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Britney Hoobraj and the CMN Staff. The Geminid meteor shower will peak tonight around midnight local time. NASA says that people in areas without a lot of light pollution will be able to see as many as 120 meteors per hour. Happy stargazing CMNers!