The VICE Morning Bulletin

FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

News

The VICE Morning Bulletin

Clint Eastwood backs Trump for president, the Supreme Court allows a school to impose the trans bathroom bill, and more.

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

US News

DOJ Objected to Cash Payment for Iran
Senior officials at the Department of Justice objected to a plan to fly a jet with cash to Iran at the same time that four American hostages were released in January, fearing it would create a bad impression. They were overruled by the State Department.—The Wall Street Journal

Phoenix Serial Killer Still a Threat
Police hunting a serial killer in Phoenix, Arizona, have now added a ninth attack to his suspected crimes: a July 11 incident in which the wanted gunman fired at a man and a 4-year-old boy sitting in a car. Investigators previously thought his string of crimes had ended in June. "The threat is still alive," said Police Sgt. Jonathan Howard.—NBC News

Advertisement

Clint Eastwood Backs Trump for President
Clint Eastwood said he supports Donald Trump's bid for the presidency and defended the Republican's offensive remarks. "He's said a lot of dumb things… Just fucking get over it," he said. The actor-director also attacked a "pussy generation" obsessed with political correctness. "Everybody's walking on eggshells."—Esquire

SCOTUS Allows School to Impose Trans Bathroom Ban
The Supreme Court says a Virginia school board can block a transgender teenager from using the boys' bathroom at his school until it decides whether to take up the case. The court order allows Gloucester County school board to bar 17-year-old Gavin Grimm from the bathroom matching his current gender identity.—CBS News

International News

Syrian Government Forces Strike Back in Aleppo
Syrian government forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, have recaptured hills and villages from rebel fighters on the outskirts of Aleppo. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 40 civilians have now been killed since the rebel offensive began on Sunday.—Al Jazeera

Knife Attack in London Leaves One Dead, Five Injured
One woman has been killed and five others injured by a man who attacked them with a knife in London. Police say the attack in Russell Square could be linked to terrorism, but mental illness is also being investigated. Officers used an electric-shock gun to arrest the 19-year-old suspect.—The Guardian

Advertisement

Australia Accused of Allowing Asylum Seeker Abuse
The Australian government has "strongly" denied claims it deliberately ignores abuse of asylum seekers. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International released a report criticizing conditions at the detention center on the island of Nauru and concluded the government intentionally allows abuse to deter asylum seekers.—BBC News

Campaigners Urge Thais to Vote in Crucial Referendum
Around 3,000 students and civil servants have gathered on the streets of Bangkok to encourage Thai peoople to vote in a crucial constitutional referendum this weekend. Thailand will decide on Sunday whether to accept a military-backed constitution, one that could give the generals a permanent role overseeing the country's development.—Reuters

Everything Else

Private Moon Mission Approved for 2017
A California-based company called Moon Express is set to launch the first private mission to the moon after various branches of the federal government, including NASA, gave their approval. Its first lunar landing is scheduled for late 2017.—VICE News

'Suicide Squad' Fans Want to Shut Down Rotten Tomatoes
Fans of Suicide Squad have launched a petition on change.org to close movie-review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes after the blockbuster received a series of bad reviews. The petition has gained more than 17,500 signatures.—Variety

Bitcoin Value Falls After Hackers Steal $65 Million
The value of Bitcoin plunged after one of the world's largest Bitcoin exchanges confirmed it had been hacked. Bitfinex in Hong Kong said 119,756 Bitcoins, worth $65 million, had been stolen.—Bloomberg

Daisy Ridley Quits Instagram
Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley has deleted her Instagram account, reportedly due to online abuse. She attracted negative comments for posting about meeting young people affected by gun violence and using the hashtag #stoptheviolence.—Vanity Fair

Massachusetts Passes Equal Pay Law
It will be illegal for companies in Massachusetts to ask prospective employees about their current or former salaries, due to new legislation signed into law this week. It is seen as a major step toward equal pay for women.—VICE News

Internet Guy Covers Pokémon Song in 20 Different Styles
A guy named Anthony Vincent has covered the Pokémon anime theme song in the style of 20 different musical acts of the late 1990s, including Destiny's Child, Blink-182, Radiohead, and Ricky Martin.—Noisey