TransAsia plane crash near Taipei
Rescuers carry out a rescue operation after a TransAsia Airways plane crash-landed in a river in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Feb. 4, 2015. Reuters/Pichi Chuang

In developing news overnight, TransAsia Airways Flight 235, or GE235, crashed just after takeoff in Taiwan. The plane was carrying 58 people, and, according to the latest reports, 23 were killed. Jordan executed two al Qaeda prisoners after the Islamic State group released a video purportedly showing a Jordanian fighter pilot being burned alive. In addition to the TransAsia and Jordan developments, here are a few stories you should follow today.

Good News About Secondhand Smoke

Smoking Laws By State
The CDC provided this graphic on smoking laws across the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new report regarding secondhand-smoke exposure. In 2011-2012, there were 58 million nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke, roughly 1 in 4 Americans, but that proportion has been cut in half from 1999-2000 when 1 in 2 nonsmokers were exposed to secondhand smoke.

Vodka Is Not Having A Moment

There have been numerous trend pieces declaring whiskey is “having a moment.” Whether it’s increased consumption by millennials or a general change in taste, whiskey sales have increased drastically during the past few years. While whiskey has been on the rise, vodka has remained king of the spirits, but Wednesday’s news may be a bit troubling for its manufacturers. Vodka sales have slowed in the last two years in the U.S. and Western Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported. While its sales have climbed, they have lagged the growth of the spirits industry -- a 1.9 percent boost in vodka sales, compared with a 2.7 percent hike in overall industry sales.

Pot Vending Machines Come to Washington

You knew this was going to happen sooner or later. There are now weed-vending machines in Washington, NBC News reported. Offered by American Green Inc., ZaZZZ machines were rolled out to medical-marijuana dispensaries Tuesday. Each location requires a medical-marijuana card that verifies the age and identity of the individual consumer. Using a touch screen, a customer can access information on the available strands or play games. Vending machines have been around in Colorado, but they only sold edibles. The new machines in Washington sell the flowering buds. Due to federal regulations, the pot-vending machines only accept cash or bitcoin.