The VICE Morning Bulletin

Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.

US News

Trump Accuses Obama of Being 'Behind' Protests
President Trump believes Barack Obama and "his people" may be organizing the outbreak of angry town hall protests across the country. In a pre-taped interview for Fox News, Trump said, "I think President Obama is behind it because his people certainly are behind it." Trump also suggested Obama's allies are behind White House leaks to the press, adding, "Some of the leaks possibly come from that group."—CNN

Wilbur Ross Confirmed as Commerce Secretary
Billionaire Wilbur Ross has been confirmed as the Trump administration's commerce secretary following a vote of 72-27 in the Senate. Although Ross faced no serious opposition from Democrats, Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed out his "extensive ties to Russia" and described him as "practically a cartoon stereotype of a Wall Street fat cat."—AP

Feds Drop Opposition to Texas Voter ID Law
The Department of Justice has dropped its objection to a pivotal part of a controversial voter ID law passed by Texas in 2011. Under Barack Obama, DOJ had argued that the law—which among forms of ID often possessed by Republicans allows gun permits but not college IDs at polling places—was intended to discriminate against minority voters.—The New York Times

No Significant Intelligence Gathered in Yemen Raid, Officials Say
President Trump's Navy SEAL raid in Yemen did not lead to any "significant" new intelligence despite 25 civilian deaths along with that of a SEAL, according to multiple US officials. Although the White House press secretary claimed "an unbelievable amount of intelligence" was gathered, most officials say they have seen no evidence of it, other than an old bomb-making video.—NBC News

International News

Women Will Be Charged with Killing of Kim Jong-nam
Two women will be formally charged with the murder of the North Korean leader's half-brother Kim Jong-nam this Wednesday: Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, and Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, face a mandatory death penalty if convicted, according to Malaysia's attorney general.—Al Jazeera

At Least 12 Officers Killed at Afghan Police Station
At least a dozen policemen in Afghanistan's Helmand province are dead after a militants assaulted their headquarters. According to a police source, an infiltrator is believed to have allowed Taliban militants inside the police station in Lashkar Gah Sunday night, before fleeing with the militants after the killing of the officers.—BBC News

Australian Man Charged with Aiding ISIS Missile Efforts
An Australian citizen has been arrested and charged with terrorism offenses, suspected of giving ISIS advice on developing "high-tech weapons capability," according to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Police will allege that Haisem Zahab, 42, was offering "fairly sophisticated" guidance, federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said.—The Guardian

Samsung Chief Charged with Bribery and Embezzlement
Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee and four other top Samsung executives will be charged with bribery, embezzlement, and, in a few cases, hiding assets overseas by South Korea's special prosecutor. The charges were announced on the last day of the probe that has rocked the national political scene.—Reuters

Everything Else

Tourists Sign Up for SpaceX Moon Mission
SpaceX has announced that two paying customers will take a trip around the Moon in late 2018. Founder Elon Musk did not reveal the identity of the pair who paid a "significant deposit," but did reveal "it's nobody from Hollywood."—USA Today

Jackie Evancho's Sister Wins Bathroom Case
Jackie Evancho's sister Juliet and two other transgender students in Pennsylvania have won the right to use school bathrooms matching their gender identity after a federal judge ruled in their favor. Jackie Evancho sang at President Trump's inauguration, and her sibling's lawsuit will continue making its way through the courts.—Billboard

Lorde Teases Fans with New Video Clip
Lorde has dangled what seems to be a clip of her new single, out in two weeks, in a TV ad shown in New Zealand. The artist is seen in the back seat of car hurtling down a tunnel in the clip, which also features a snippet of new music.—Noisey

Internet of Things Teddy Bear Exposed Two Million Recordings
Spiral Toys, makers of the "smart" teddy bears that allow parents and kids to exchange messages, apparently left two million recordings exposed online. Naturally, hackers appear to have attempted to hold the data for ransom, according to security researchers.—Motherboard

Spain Appoints Sex Commissioner
Spain has appointed a sex tsar to come up with a strategy to get more people making babies, in order to combat the country's low birth rate. Edelmira Barreira's official title is "commissioner for the demographic challenge."—VICE

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