Photo by STR/AFP/Getty Images
Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.US Considers Preemptive Strike Against North Korea, Report Says
A preemptive strike is a serious option under consideration for the US military, should it become clear North Korea intends to launch another nuclear weapon test, anonymous intelligence officials said. The US has two destroyers in the region primed to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles, but North Korea warned Thursday of a "merciless retaliatory strike" if the US does strike.âNBC NewsCIA Director Attacks WikiLeaks as 'Hostile' Intelligence Service
CIA Director Mike Pompeo branded WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service" and said it had been assisted by Russia. "It overwhelmingly focuses on the US, while seeking support from anti-democratic countries and organizations," said Pompeo. WikiLeaks responded by reposting a since-deleted tweet by Pompeo from July in which he directed people to WikiLeaks's release of DNC emails.âCBS News / The HillReport Reveals Decades of Alleged Sex Abuse at Connecticut School
A prestigious Connecticut boarding school has released a report revealing several decades of alleged sexual abuse by faculty members. An independent investigator's report on Choate Rosemary Hall includes testimony of 24 former students who allege a range of abuse between 1963 and 2010, including "forced or coerced intercourse."âNBC NewsSecret Service Agents Fired Following White House Fence Jump
The Secret Service has dropped two officers over an incident last month in which a man jumped a White House fence and walked the grounds unnoticed for 15 minutes. According to law enforcement, the Uniformed Division officers had worked for the Secret Service for less than a year.âCNN36 ISIS Militants Killed in US MOAB Strike
The Afghan defense ministry has announced 36 ISIS militants were killed in Thursday's US strike in Nangarhar province by a 21,000 pound missile known as the "mother of all bombs" or massive ordinance air blast (MOAB). The ministry said the bomb, the most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever used by the US, destroyed an ISIS base but no civilians were hurt. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai criticized the bombing as "inhuman."âReutersNATO Sends Troops to Border Near Russian Seaport
NATO has begun sending a force of more than 1,100 troops to Poland's northern border region to guard against potential threats from Russia. Around 900 soldiers from the US, 150 from the UK and 120 from Romania will be stationed in Orzysz, 35 miles south of Russia's Baltic seaport of Kaliningrad. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said the deployment "sends a clear message to any potential aggressor."âAl JazeeraEvacuations of Besieged Towns in Syria Under Way
An operation to move more than 30,000 people in four besieged Syrian towns is under way, after the government and rebel groups agreed on an evacuation deal. People from the government-held towns of Foah and Kefraya have reportedly arrived in safety in Rashideen, and the rebel-held town of Madaya is now being evacuated.âBBC NewsFifth Person Killed in Venezuelan Protests
Venezuela's public prosecutor is set to investigate the death of protestor Miguel Colmenares, 36, the fifth person killed during a wave of anti-government protests over the past two weeks. Thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of the capital Caracas Thursday, part of nationwide protests against Nicolas Maduro's government.âAPTrudeau Launches Bill to Legalize Recreational Weed
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced a bill to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Under the proposed Cannabis Act, those 18 or older could possess up to 30 grams of cannabis legally, but selling to a minor could land you up to 14 years in jail.âVICEKendrick Lamar Drops 'DAMN.'
Kendrick Lamar has finally released DAMN., his fourth studio album. After a week-long delay, the follow-up to 2015's To Pimp a Butterfly appeared on streaming services shortly after midnight. It features collaborations with U2 and Rihanna.âNoiseyThe Roots Partners with Amazon on Children's Shows
The Roots are working on two children's shows for Amazon, including an animated series called South Street Sounds about friends who form a band. MC Tarik Trotter said they wanted to "inspire a generation of future artists, musicians, and music fans."âDeadlineNintendo Discontinues NES Classic Edition
Nintendo of America has announced it is discontinuing the NES Classic Edition. The company apologized that the mini version of the console had proved "difficult for many consumers to find," but said April's shipments would be the last in 2017.âTIMEAmazon Employees Urge Bosses to Pull Ads from Breitbart
Hundreds of Amazon employees have co-signed an email to CEO Jeff Bezos and SVP Jeff Blackburn urging the company to pull advertising from Breitbart News. The email, signed by 564 staffers, included objections to Breitbart News as a "hate site."âBuzzFeed NewsFour Cryptic Twin Peaks Trailers Released
Showtime has released four cryptic teaser trailers for the new season of Twin Peaks, starting May 21. The puzzling YouTube videos feature rotating letters set to the music of Angelo Badalamenti, and spurred a number of fan theories.
US News
A preemptive strike is a serious option under consideration for the US military, should it become clear North Korea intends to launch another nuclear weapon test, anonymous intelligence officials said. The US has two destroyers in the region primed to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles, but North Korea warned Thursday of a "merciless retaliatory strike" if the US does strike.âNBC NewsCIA Director Attacks WikiLeaks as 'Hostile' Intelligence Service
CIA Director Mike Pompeo branded WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service" and said it had been assisted by Russia. "It overwhelmingly focuses on the US, while seeking support from anti-democratic countries and organizations," said Pompeo. WikiLeaks responded by reposting a since-deleted tweet by Pompeo from July in which he directed people to WikiLeaks's release of DNC emails.âCBS News / The Hill
Advertisement
A prestigious Connecticut boarding school has released a report revealing several decades of alleged sexual abuse by faculty members. An independent investigator's report on Choate Rosemary Hall includes testimony of 24 former students who allege a range of abuse between 1963 and 2010, including "forced or coerced intercourse."âNBC NewsSecret Service Agents Fired Following White House Fence Jump
The Secret Service has dropped two officers over an incident last month in which a man jumped a White House fence and walked the grounds unnoticed for 15 minutes. According to law enforcement, the Uniformed Division officers had worked for the Secret Service for less than a year.âCNN
International News
The Afghan defense ministry has announced 36 ISIS militants were killed in Thursday's US strike in Nangarhar province by a 21,000 pound missile known as the "mother of all bombs" or massive ordinance air blast (MOAB). The ministry said the bomb, the most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever used by the US, destroyed an ISIS base but no civilians were hurt. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai criticized the bombing as "inhuman."âReutersNATO Sends Troops to Border Near Russian Seaport
NATO has begun sending a force of more than 1,100 troops to Poland's northern border region to guard against potential threats from Russia. Around 900 soldiers from the US, 150 from the UK and 120 from Romania will be stationed in Orzysz, 35 miles south of Russia's Baltic seaport of Kaliningrad. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said the deployment "sends a clear message to any potential aggressor."âAl Jazeera
Advertisement
An operation to move more than 30,000 people in four besieged Syrian towns is under way, after the government and rebel groups agreed on an evacuation deal. People from the government-held towns of Foah and Kefraya have reportedly arrived in safety in Rashideen, and the rebel-held town of Madaya is now being evacuated.âBBC NewsFifth Person Killed in Venezuelan Protests
Venezuela's public prosecutor is set to investigate the death of protestor Miguel Colmenares, 36, the fifth person killed during a wave of anti-government protests over the past two weeks. Thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of the capital Caracas Thursday, part of nationwide protests against Nicolas Maduro's government.âAP
Everything Else
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced a bill to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Under the proposed Cannabis Act, those 18 or older could possess up to 30 grams of cannabis legally, but selling to a minor could land you up to 14 years in jail.âVICEKendrick Lamar Drops 'DAMN.'
Kendrick Lamar has finally released DAMN., his fourth studio album. After a week-long delay, the follow-up to 2015's To Pimp a Butterfly appeared on streaming services shortly after midnight. It features collaborations with U2 and Rihanna.âNoiseyThe Roots Partners with Amazon on Children's Shows
The Roots are working on two children's shows for Amazon, including an animated series called South Street Sounds about friends who form a band. MC Tarik Trotter said they wanted to "inspire a generation of future artists, musicians, and music fans."âDeadlineNintendo Discontinues NES Classic Edition
Nintendo of America has announced it is discontinuing the NES Classic Edition. The company apologized that the mini version of the console had proved "difficult for many consumers to find," but said April's shipments would be the last in 2017.âTIMEAmazon Employees Urge Bosses to Pull Ads from Breitbart
Hundreds of Amazon employees have co-signed an email to CEO Jeff Bezos and SVP Jeff Blackburn urging the company to pull advertising from Breitbart News. The email, signed by 564 staffers, included objections to Breitbart News as a "hate site."âBuzzFeed NewsFour Cryptic Twin Peaks Trailers Released
Showtime has released four cryptic teaser trailers for the new season of Twin Peaks, starting May 21. The puzzling YouTube videos feature rotating letters set to the music of Angelo Badalamenti, and spurred a number of fan theories.