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Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.Trump Claims Wolff Book Is 'Full of Lies'
The president continued to attack former strategist Steve Bannon and Michael Wolff’s new book that covers their work together, released ahead of schedule Friday despite an effort to block its publication. “Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist,” Trump tweeted. “Look at this guy’s past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!”—The Washington PostTrump Administration Freezes Pakistan Funding
The State Department moved to suspend financial aid to Pakistan’s military after President Trump accused the country of providing “safe haven to the terrorists” on Twitter. The department said money would remain frozen until Pakistan took “decisive action” against the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has suggested the sum withheld totals about $255 million.—NBC NewsSessions Allowing Feds to Intervene in Legal Weed States
Jeff Sessions reversed an Obama-era policy regarding federal prosecution for “marijuana activities” in states where weed has been legalized. The Justice Department handed US attorneys new discretion to prosecute pot cases, a move it describes as “a return to the rule of law.” The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws's executive director said the decision “flies in the face of sensible public policy.”—VICE NewsApple Says Chip Defects Leave All Devices Vulnerable
The company announced that the so-called Meltdown and Spectre security flaws found in computer chips affect its full range of Mac and iOS products, but no known data breaches have yet taken place. Apple said a recent update should help alleviate the Meltdown problem, while an upcoming Safari update would do the same for Spectre.—BloombergNorth and South Korea Agree to Talks
North Korean officials will sit down with their South Korean counterparts in the village of Panmunjom on January 9 to discuss the North’s possible participation in the Winter Olympics. A South Korean government official said “discussions related to improving South-North ties” would be tacked onto dialogue about the Games.—VICE NewsKabul Bomb Attack Leaves at Least 11 Dead
At least 11 people were killed and 25 were wounded Thursday when a suicide bomber blew up next to a team of security officials in Kabul, Afghanistan. Both security officials and civilians were among the casualties. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.—Al JazeeraNGO Predicts Almost 50,000 Births in Rohingya Camps
Save the Children estimated Rohingya women will give birth to 48,000 babies in refugee settlements in Bangladesh this year. The aid agency said poor sanitation could lead to diphtheria, cholera, and measles. “Simply, this will be disastrous and terrible for us… my brain does not actually know how to deal with this,” a deputy director of Bangladesh’s social services said.—APOne Tourist Killed in Egyptian Balloon Crash
A hot air balloon carrying some 20 passengers crashed in the mountains near the city of Luxor on Friday. One South African tourist was killed and several other people were wounded, with two of them reportedly in rough shape. Both Egyptian and international tourists were on board the balloon.—BBC NewsJustin Timberlake Drops New Single
The artist has shared “Filthy,” the first release from his forthcoming album Man of the Woods. The video for the electro-funk track features Timberlake, dressed up like Steve Jobs, unveiling a dancing robot at a tech event.—Noisey‘Star Wars’ Is Losing the Battle for Chinese Box Office
Chinese comedy The Ex-File 3: The Return of the Exes earned $11.6 million during the initial phase of its Friday debut, far more than the $5 million taken in by Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The Star Wars flick's midnight previews earned only $560,000 in the country.—The Hollywood ReporterAlex Trebek Recovering from Brain Surgery
The Jeopardy! host revealed he underwent surgery to remove blood clots in his brain just before Christmas. Despite a hiatus in filming, Trebek said he was recovering at home and anticipated being back in the studio “very, very soon.”—NBC NewsSerena Williams Withdraws from Australian Open
The US tennis star decided against playing in the tournament, explaining she needed more time to recover after giving birth to her daughter in September. “Although I am super close, I’m not where I personally want to be,” Williams said.—The Sydney Morning HeraldRoy Moore Accuser Sues for Defamation
Leigh Corfman, one of the women who accused the Republican of molesting her during her teens, filed a lawsuit against him for defamation. Moore had called Corfman’s claims “malicious” and “politically motivated.”—VICE NewsMake sure to check out the latest episode of VICE's daily podcast. Today we're sitting down with Molly Crabapple to hear about her art, writing, and activism.
US News
The president continued to attack former strategist Steve Bannon and Michael Wolff’s new book that covers their work together, released ahead of schedule Friday despite an effort to block its publication. “Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist,” Trump tweeted. “Look at this guy’s past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!”—The Washington PostTrump Administration Freezes Pakistan Funding
The State Department moved to suspend financial aid to Pakistan’s military after President Trump accused the country of providing “safe haven to the terrorists” on Twitter. The department said money would remain frozen until Pakistan took “decisive action” against the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has suggested the sum withheld totals about $255 million.—NBC News
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Jeff Sessions reversed an Obama-era policy regarding federal prosecution for “marijuana activities” in states where weed has been legalized. The Justice Department handed US attorneys new discretion to prosecute pot cases, a move it describes as “a return to the rule of law.” The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws's executive director said the decision “flies in the face of sensible public policy.”—VICE NewsApple Says Chip Defects Leave All Devices Vulnerable
The company announced that the so-called Meltdown and Spectre security flaws found in computer chips affect its full range of Mac and iOS products, but no known data breaches have yet taken place. Apple said a recent update should help alleviate the Meltdown problem, while an upcoming Safari update would do the same for Spectre.—Bloomberg
International News
North Korean officials will sit down with their South Korean counterparts in the village of Panmunjom on January 9 to discuss the North’s possible participation in the Winter Olympics. A South Korean government official said “discussions related to improving South-North ties” would be tacked onto dialogue about the Games.—VICE NewsKabul Bomb Attack Leaves at Least 11 Dead
At least 11 people were killed and 25 were wounded Thursday when a suicide bomber blew up next to a team of security officials in Kabul, Afghanistan. Both security officials and civilians were among the casualties. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.—Al Jazeera
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Save the Children estimated Rohingya women will give birth to 48,000 babies in refugee settlements in Bangladesh this year. The aid agency said poor sanitation could lead to diphtheria, cholera, and measles. “Simply, this will be disastrous and terrible for us… my brain does not actually know how to deal with this,” a deputy director of Bangladesh’s social services said.—APOne Tourist Killed in Egyptian Balloon Crash
A hot air balloon carrying some 20 passengers crashed in the mountains near the city of Luxor on Friday. One South African tourist was killed and several other people were wounded, with two of them reportedly in rough shape. Both Egyptian and international tourists were on board the balloon.—BBC News
Everything Else
The artist has shared “Filthy,” the first release from his forthcoming album Man of the Woods. The video for the electro-funk track features Timberlake, dressed up like Steve Jobs, unveiling a dancing robot at a tech event.—Noisey‘Star Wars’ Is Losing the Battle for Chinese Box Office
Chinese comedy The Ex-File 3: The Return of the Exes earned $11.6 million during the initial phase of its Friday debut, far more than the $5 million taken in by Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The Star Wars flick's midnight previews earned only $560,000 in the country.—The Hollywood ReporterAlex Trebek Recovering from Brain Surgery
The Jeopardy! host revealed he underwent surgery to remove blood clots in his brain just before Christmas. Despite a hiatus in filming, Trebek said he was recovering at home and anticipated being back in the studio “very, very soon.”—NBC NewsSerena Williams Withdraws from Australian Open
The US tennis star decided against playing in the tournament, explaining she needed more time to recover after giving birth to her daughter in September. “Although I am super close, I’m not where I personally want to be,” Williams said.—The Sydney Morning HeraldRoy Moore Accuser Sues for Defamation
Leigh Corfman, one of the women who accused the Republican of molesting her during her teens, filed a lawsuit against him for defamation. Moore had called Corfman’s claims “malicious” and “politically motivated.”—VICE NewsMake sure to check out the latest episode of VICE's daily podcast. Today we're sitting down with Molly Crabapple to hear about her art, writing, and activism.