The VICE Morning Bulletin

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

US News

Senators Strike Bipartisan Deal to Save Obamacare Subsidies
The Republican senator Lamar Alexander and Democratic colleague Patty Murray floated a plan to maintain federal payments to insurers providing coverage under the Affordable Care Act. President Trump, who last week claimed the government could not "lawfully" keep offering the subsidies, gave a cautious welcome to the deal Tuesday, but called it "a short-term solution."—The New York Times

Bob Weinstein Accused of Sexual Harassment
Amanda Segel, an executive producer for the Spike TV show Mist, alleged Harvey Weinstein's brother Bob propositioned her last year, compelling her to reject his advances repeatedly. Bob Weinstein's lawyer denied the accusation. Actress Jaime King also said Bob Weinstein threatened her after she refused to pose for Maxim.—VICE News

Russian Opposition Figure Accuses Putin of US Election Meddling
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the wealthy exiled critic of Vladimir Putin, said the chances the Russian president tried to collude with the Trump campaign last year were "nine out of ten." Khodorkovsky, who spent a decade in prison for tax evasion, said a Russian banker who met Jared Kushner in December 2016 would not have been there "on his own behalf."—NBC News

Trump Accused of 'Crazy' Call to Military Widow
Representative Frederica Wilson said she overheard a call from the president to the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, one of four US servicemen killed in Niger earlier this month, and that Trump told Johnson's wife that her husband "knew what he signed up for," a remark Wilson described as "so insensitive." Trump denied the allegation on Twitter, but the man's mother later confirmed it.—CNN/Washington Post

International News

President Xi Jinping Claims Chinese Exceptionalism
The Chinese leader vowed not to "mechanically copy the political systems of other countries" as he kicked off the Communist Party Congress, a major political session that only occurs twice a decade. Jinping also said "socialism with Chinese characteristics has crossed the threshold into a new era." The party selects the next Politburo at the end of the gathering.—Reuters

Bombing Kills at Least Seven in Pakistan
At least six police officers and one civilian were killed Wednesday when a suicide bomber in a car struck a police force truck in Quetta. At least 22 others were injured in the explosion. No group has yet claimed to have carried out the attack.—Al Jazeera

Kenyan Electoral Official Leaves the Country
Roselyn Akombe quit her post on Kenya's electoral commission and fled for the US. Kenya is set to hold a rerun of a disputed presidential election next week, but Akombe said the commission was in disarray and "can surely not guarantee a credible election... I do not want to be party to such a mockery to electoral integrity."—Bloomberg

Explosion Rocks Swedish Police Station
A station building in the city of Helsingborg was badly damaged when a bomb went off in the early hours of Wednesday morning. No one was injured. Police chief Dan Eliasson described it as "an attack against society," but the bombing was not yet being treated as a terrorist incident.—AP

Everything Else

Top Amazon Studios Executive Quits
The network's head of programming Roy Price quit after a series of allegations of sexual harassment were leveled at him. Executive producer Isa Hackett said Price told her she would "love my dick."—VICE News

George Saunders Wins Man Booker Prize
The American writer won the nearly $66,000 British book award for his debut novel Lincoln in the Bardo, accepting the prize from the Duchess of Cornwall. It marks the second successive year an American author has triumphed after Paul Beatty won in 2016.—The Guardian

French Women Speak Out Against 'Pigs'
The social media campaign #BalanceTonPorc—"expose your pig"—has taken off in France, with women sharing their experiences of sexual harassment. Four French actresses have made misconduct claims against Harvey Weinstein.—TIME

Cardi B Gets Major Record Deal
Having made it to the top of the Hot 100 with her solo track "Bodak Yellow," the rapper has signed an international music publishing contract with Sony / ATV Music. She said her hit track was "only the beginning and we're just getting started."—Billboard

Cory Booker Says Weed Legalization Has 'Momentum'
The New Jersey senator told VICE his Marijuana Justice Act, which seeks to decriminalize weed federally, is part of a push to be on "the right side of history." Booker said: "I think the momentum for our movement is going to continue."—VICE

Ivanka Trump Says She Had a 'Punk Phase'
The president's daughter shared details of her allegedly rebellious youth in her mother Ivana's new book Raising Trump. Ivanka said she once died her hair blue, wore flannel shirts, and was very upset when Kurt Cobain died.—Noisey

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