Monday Scoop: Breaking the Silence

Welcome to the Morning Scoop for August 20, 2018. We’re up early to catch you up on the big stories from the weekend. 

Our big story is the CMN music journalism program, designed to help students get ahead in reporting what’s happening in hip-hop, rock, pop, and every other scene you can imagine. 


Pope Breaks Silence on Pennsylvania Abuse Report

Pope Francis sent an open letter to all the world’s Catholics this morning. (Image: Wikimedia)

In the wake of a shocking report on decades of abuse by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania, Pope Francis published a letter to Catholics this morning, saying no effort will be spared to prevent abuse and its cover up.

The Pennsylvania investigation, which found that more than 300 priests had abused up to 1,000 children over a period of decades, is the largest-ever investigation of sex abuse in the US Catholic Church.

“We have realized that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death,” the Pope wrote.


Brennan may Take Trump to Court Over Security Clearance

Former C.I.A director John Brennan said he is considering taking President Trump to court after the president revoked Brennan’s security clearance last week.

CNN reports, “Trump revoked Brennan’s security clearance Wednesday, saying Brennan’s history ‘calls into question his objectivity and credibility.’ Trump later connected his decision to revoke Brennan’s clearance with the former CIA director’s involvement in the Russia investigation, The Wall Street Journal reported.”

Brennan, a harsh critic of Trump, still stands by his comments, including when he called Trump’s actions in a news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin “nothing short of treasonous.”


Weekend White House Roundup

Reports have surfaced that White House counsel Don McGahn has given more than 30 hours of testimony to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, throwing President Trump into a Twitter frenzy. That may continue when a verdict is reached in Paul Manafort’s trial. The jury continues deliberations this morning.

Meanwhile, Trump’s former personal lawyer Micheal Cohen is likely to face formal charges soon, and his current lawyer has clarified everything by declaring that “truth isn’t truth.” 

To top it off, the president had to cancel the military parade he planned for the fall. The price tag was even too high for him. 


Today in a Tweet

Preview of American Horror Story: Apocalypse featuring a certain music legend

Last But Not Least: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ had a big Weekend

The first major Hollywood film since 1993’s ‘The Joy Luck Club’ to feature an all-Asian cast, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ topped all films over the weekend in a major victory for the film. It has pulled in about $34 million since it’s opening late Thursday.

Meanwhile, ‘Billionaire Boys Club,’ the last movie disgraced actor Kevin Spacey worked on before being swept in up a sexual abuse scandal, set a box office record as well, making just $126 over the weekend.


Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Natalia Kolenko and the CMN Staff. Anyone else ready for a little more sleep on this Monday morning? 

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