AC360 411: Heroin’s grip on America
Editor’s Note: Join us for the latest developments in Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death investigation on AC360° at 8 p.m. ET.
Four people believed to be connected to the heroin found in actor Philip Seymour Hoffman’s apartment have been arrested in New York. The suspects range in age from 22 to 57. According to a law enforcement official, one of the suspects had Hoffman’s phone number stored on his cell phone. When Hoffman’s body was found on Sunday inside his fourth-floor Manhattan apartment, the 46-year-old actor was lying on a bathroom floor with a syringe in his arm, law enforcement sources said. Investigators found about 50 envelopes of what they believed was heroin, the sources added.
The number of heroin users is on the rise and abusers can pay a deadly price. Here’s the AC360 411 on heroin in America:
Heroin addicts in 2012: 467,000. A 56% increase in 10 years, according to a federal government study on drug use.
About 4.6 million people reported using heroin at some point in their lives that same 2012 survey.
The age of the average first-time heroin user: 23
Approximately 23% of people who use heroin become dependent on it.
Heroin is made from morphine, which naturally occurs in opium poppy plants.
Heroin can be injected, inhaled by snorting or sniffing, or smoked.
Medications for treating heroin addiction include buprenorphine and methadone.
Naloxone is sometimes used as an emergency treatment to counteract the effects of heroin overdose.
Street names for heroin include: Big H, Dead on arrival, Hell dust, Smack
Heroin is a “downer” or depressant that affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with the brain’s ability to perceive pain.
Heroin is a white to dark brown powder or tar-like substance.
1895: Heinrich Dreser, working for the Bayer Company in Germany, synthesized heroin.
1898: Bayer began to marketing the drug, calling it a “wonder drug.”
One in 10 heroin overdoses ends in death.
Most people die from heroin overdoses when their bodies forget to breathe.
Heroin overdose can also cause your blood pressure to dip significantly and cause your heart to fail.
The price of one heroin capsule: $6, according to police in Delray Beach, Florida.
The price of a multiple-dose supply: $45 to $60, officials tell the Washington Times.
AC360 411: Remembering Nelson Mandela
Editor’s Note: We’ll look back at the remarkable life of Nelson Mandela tonight on AC360° at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president who led the nation out of apartheid, has died at the age of 95. The announcement came in a late-night address to the nation by current President Jacob Zuma. “Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” said Zuma. “We saw in him what we seek in ourselves,” he added. Zuma ordered all flags in the nation to fly at half-staff through Mandela’s state funeral. In recent months, Mandela battled a recurring lung infection that led to several hospitalizations. Here’s the AC360 411 on Nelson Mandela:
27
The number of years Mandela endured in prison from 1963 to 1990.
1993
The year Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with his former enemy, the apartheid leader F.W. de Klerk.
1994 to 1999
The years Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president, four years after he was freed from prison.
1918
The year Mandela was born in Mvezo, Transkei, South Africa.
3
The number of names he had over the years. His birth name was Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela. However, he was also called Madiba, his traditional clan name. And he was given the name Nelson by a school teacher.
1944
Mandela joins the African National Congress and helps create the ANC Youth League.
1952
Mandela opens the first black law partnership in South Africa.
December 5, 1956
57 years ago today, Mandela was among 156 resistance leaders arrested and charged with high treason.
March 21, 1960
69 people peacefully protesting apartheid laws are killed by police in what became known as the Sharpeville massacre.
April 8, 1960
The apartheid regime bans the ANC.
March 29, 1961
Mandela and all co-defendants are found not guilty of treason.
June 1961
Mandela begins organizing the armed struggle against apartheid. He travels in Africa and Europe studying guerrilla warfare.
August 5, 1962
Mandela was arrested on charges of inciting workers to strike and leaving the country without valid travel documents. Mandela represents himself at trial.
November 7, 1962
Mandela is sentenced to five years hard labor.
May 27, 1963
Mandela arrives on Robben Island as a prisoner for the first time.
June 12, 1964
Mandela is sentenced to life in prison linked to four counts of sabotage.
18
The number of years Mandela spent in a prison on Robben Island, off Cape Town.
1982
Mandela is transferred to Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison.
1988
Mandela is transferred to Victor Verster Prison.
1989
F.W. de Klerk becomes president of South Africa and begins dismantling apartheid.
December 13, 1989
Mandela and de Klerk meet for the first time.
February 11, 1990
Nelson Mandela is released from prison at the age of 71.
3
The number of times Nelson Mandela was married.
6
The number of children Mandela fathered. Only three, his daughters, are alive.
1994
The year his autobiography the “Long Walk to Freedom” is published.
2010
Mandela last appeared in public during the World Cup hosted by South Africa.
AC360 411: Typhoon death toll rises
The official death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan has topped 3,000. But that number could rise. There’s been conflicting reports on the number of people killed in the storm. Anderson will be reporting live from Manila tonight with the latest developments. We’ll get an update from the shattered city, Tacloban. We’ll also show you how the aid effort is proceeding, eight days after the typhoon hit the island nation. Plus, we’ll have one family’s emotional reunion and much more. Here’s the AC360 411 on the disaster:
3,631
The official death toll, according to the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
12,487
The number of people wounded.
At least 1,179
The number of people missing after the typhoon.
9 million
The number of people affected by the storm.
44
The number of provinces impacted by the typhoon.
55
How many cities in the Philippines are affected by the tragedy.
536
The number of municipalities in the Philippines facing destruction.
Nearly 2 million
The number of people displaced after the typhoon and in need of food.
400,000
How many people are now at evacuation centers.
4 million
The number of children affected by the typhoon, according to the U.N.
40
The number of corpses each five-person team will be required to handle starting Saturday in the Philippines, as part of an effort to identify and bury the dead, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
801
The official death toll in hard-hit Tacloban, but thousands are feared dead in the city.
3,000
The number of Tacloban survivors who were evacuated and arrived in Cebu Friday aboard a Philippine naval ship.
220,000
The population of Tacloban before the storm.
5,500
The size of the U.S. military crew aboard the USS George Washington, which has arrived in Philippine waters. Eight other smaller ships traveled with the aircraft carrier, and together they have 80 aircraft, including 21 helicopters that can deliver supplies to survivors.
300
The number of U.S. Marines already on the ground in the Philippines helping relief efforts.
900
How many additional U.S. Marines are expected to arrive next week aboard the USS Germantown and USS Ashland.
$26+ million
How much money Americans have donated to the relief effort, so far.
15 feet
The height of the storm surge in some places.
195 mph – 235 mph
The sustained winds and how powerful the wind gusts were when Super Typhoon Haiyan hit.
3.5 times
The typhoon winds were more than three times as strong as Hurricane Katrina here in the U.S.
AC360° 411: End in sight, waiting for votes on Capitol Hill
Editor’s Note: Anderson Cooper will be reporting live from Capitol Hill tonight as the Senate and House get ready to vote on the new deal to end the partial government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. Do both chambers have enough votes to get it passed? Join us at 8 and 10 p.m. ET for our breaking news coverage.
AC 360 411: Bikers vs. SUV clash, off-duty cop charged
Editor's Note: We'll have the latest developments in this case on Anderson Cooper 360 at 8 p.m. ET and on AC 360 Later at 10 p.m. ET
A New York undercover detective is charged with two felonies, first-degree gang assault and first-degree assault, in connection with the beating of an SUV driver on September 29. Wojciech Braszczok also faces third-degree criminal mischief. Braszczok was riding with his motorcycle club at the time of incident. Prosecutors say the 32-year-old detective was part of the biker mob that beat Alexian Lien, after he was dragged from his Range Rover. However, Braszczok never hit him, his attorney claimed today. Here's the AC 360 411 on the incident:
7
The number of bikers charged so far in the case, including the off-duty detective.
0
The number of charges SUV driver Alexian Lien faces.
2
The number of passengers in the SUV: Alexian Lien's wife and young daughter. Both were not hurt.
2
The age of Lien's daughter.
2
The number of black eyes the SUV driver got, as well as cuts to his face and side, needing stiches, according to police.
3
The number of bikers Lien ran over, including Edwin Mieses who is critically injured.
1%
The percentage chance Mieses will walk again. That's what Mieses’ wife says doctors told her.
500
The total number of bikers who took part in last month's ride, according to New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat.
1:55 p.m.
When the SUV driver called police reporting a gang of motorcyclists driving erratically.
3
The number of additional 911 calls placed from the SUV by the driver's wife
20 to 30
The number of bikers on who surrounded the SUV on New York City's West Side Highway and Henry Hudson Parkway.
50
The number of blocks the bikers chased the SUV.
178th
The street in Manhattan where the altercation ended, with the SUV driver assaulted, according to police.
1
The number of water bottles allegedly thrown by the SUV driver from his sunroof toward the bikers, according to an attorney for the biker who shot the edited video of the incident on his helmet camera.
7+ million
The number of YouTube views of that viral video of the incident.
AC360 411: Washington Navy Yard Shooting Spree
One suspected gunman is dead, another may be at large, after the deadly shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard. According to the FBI, the dead suspect has been identified by fingerprints and photo ID as 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, a military contractor. His last known address was in Fort Worth, Texas.
We’re digging into Alexis’s background and we’ll have more details on him tonight on 360°. Meanwhile, police have cleared a third man who was originally thought to also be a suspect. Pres. Obama called the shooting a “cowardly act” that targeted civilians and military members serving on the home front. “We don’t know what the motive was at this stage,” Mayor Vincent C. Gray said at a news conference late this afternoon. Here’s the AC360 411 on the shooting spree:
13
The number of people killed in the shooting spree at Washington’s Navy Yard, including the dead suspect.
At least 3
The number of people hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
8:20 a.m. ET
The Navy confirms on its Twitter page that shots were fired at the headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command, Building 197.
3,000
The number of people who work at the headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command at Washington’s Navy Yard.
60,000
The worldwide workforce for the command, including civilian, military and contract support personnel. They engineer, buy and maintain the Navy’s fleet and their combat systems, according to the U.S. military.
$30 billion
The annual budget for the command, making up 25% of the Navy’s entire budget.
1799
The year the Yard was created by an act of Congress, making it the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. It was initially intended as a shipbuilding facility and once serviced the Navy's most famous vessels, including the USS Constitution.
1-800-CALL-FBI
The phone number to call if you have any information on the shooting rampage and/or dead suspected gunman.
AC360 411: MLK’s “dream” remembered 50 years later
Editor’s Note: Tonight on AC360° Anderson talks with poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Angelou served as King’s first Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
On the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom thousands of people once again gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. President Obama praised King for giving a “mighty voice to the quiet hopes of millions” back in 1963. Five decades ago, few thought there would be an African-American president in the White House today.
“To secure the gains this country has made, requires constant vigilance, not complacency, “ said Pres. Obama.
Two former presidents also spoke at today’s event. King and his fellow civil rights crusaders “opened minds, they melted hearts and they moved millions including a 17-year-old boy watching alone in his home in Arkansas,” said former president Bill Clinton of the impact the 1963 march had on his life. While former president Jimmy Carter called on everyone to hold true to King’s message of non-violence. “The crucial question of our time is how to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence.”
Democratic U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the sole surviving speaker from 1963, said King’s dream is still alive. “The scars and stains of racism still remain deeply embedded in American society, whether it is 'stop-and-frisk' in New York, or injustice in the Trayvon Martin case in Florida.”
Here’s the AC360 411 on Rev. King and his “Dream” speech:
FULL POST
AC360 411: Salad sickness linked to Mexican farm
The bagged salad mix blamed for a nasty stomach bug outbreak in Nebraska and Iowa was supplied by a farm in Mexico, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this afternoon.
The salad mix is blamed for cyclospora infections and came from Taylor Farms de Mexico, according to the FDA.
The federal agency said it traced the illnesses to salad eaten by diners at two popular chain restaurants, and it doesn’t believe the bagged salad was ever sold in U.S. grocery stores.
More than a dozen other health departments across the country are dealing with cyclospora outbreaks. The FDA and CDC are trying to determine if the salad mix from Mexico is to blame in those cases, as well.
Here’s the AC360 411 on the cyclospora outbreak:
146
The number of people with cyclospora infections in Iowa since June, the most of any state.
84
The number of people who’ve gotten sick in Nebraska.
4
The number of restaurants the FDA traced the outbreak to in Nebraska and Iowa, identified as Red Lobster and Olive Garden. However, exact locations were not given.
At least 400
The total number of cyclospora infections across the country since mid-June.
17
The number of health departments dealing with this outbreak: Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, New York City, Georgia, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio.
22
The number of people reportedly hospitalized in five states.
1 week
The typical time between becoming infected and becoming sick.
2
The recommended treatment is a combination of two antibiotics, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, also known as Bactrim, Septra or Cotrim.
AC360 411: Meet Britain’s new prince
New parents Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have taken their new son on his first road trip. Prince George of Cambridge is spending quality time with his grandparents, Carole and Michael Middleton. The royal family left Kensington Palace on Wednesday after announcing the official name of their son and are in Bucklebury, visiting Catherine’s parents. Here’s the AC360 411 on the new prince:
8 lbs. 6 oz.
The weight of royal baby at birth.
3
The number of first names for the royal baby: George Alexander Louis.
4
The number of first names Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Charles each have. William’s full name is William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor. Harry is Henry Charles Albert David Windsor and Charles’ name is Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor.
3
Prince George of Cambridge is third in line to the throne after his grandfather Prince Charles and his father, Prince William.
7
If Prince George of Cambridge takes the throne one day he may or may not be King George VII. His grandpa may choose that name for himself.
15
The number of years the last King George (VI) reigned . He was Queen Elizabeth’s father and his story was famously depicted in the Oscar-winning movie “A King’s Speech” (2010).
31
The age of both Prince William and Duchess Catherine when their son was born.
3
The number of great-grandchildren Queen Elizabeth now has with the birth of William and Catherine’s baby. Her other great-grandchildren are Savannah (2010) and Isla (2012) who are the children of her grandson Peter Phillips and his wife, Autumn.
2,013
The number of silver pennies coined by the Royal Mint, to be given to UK babies who are born on the same day as the royal baby.
$380 million
The estimated economic boost for the UK economy due to “royal baby mania” - linked to souvenir sales and much more.
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