The VICE Morning Bulletin

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The VICE Morning Bulletin

This morning, Barack Obama will make an 'historic' visit to Cuba, Turkey has vows to retaliate after a car bomb killed 28 people in Ankara, Nike dumps Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao for being a homophobe, and more.

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

US News

Obama to Visit Cuba
President Obama will visit Cuba in the coming weeks, making him the first US president to travel to the island since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Republicans say it should not happen while the Castro family is in power, and Ted Cruz has accused the president of being "an apologist."—ABC News

Hospital Gave Hackers Ransom Money in Bitcoin
A hospital in Los Angeles paid $17,000 in Bitcoins to hackers who had disabled its computer network. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center CEO Allen Stefanek said paying the ransom was "the quickest and most efficient way to restore our systems."—CBS Los Angeles

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Snowden and Google Back Apple
Both Edward Snowden and Google boss Sundar Pichai have backed Apple's refusal to comply with a federal court order to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters. Forcing companies to hack would "compromise users' privacy," said Pichai.—The Guardian

Military Failing Troops With PTSD
The US military is failing to provide adequate therapy for thousands of active-duty troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study concludes. The RAND study found only a third of troops with PTSD receive the minimum amount of therapy.—USA Today

International News

Turkey Vows Revenge After Bomb Attack
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed his "determination to retaliate" after a car bomb close to military headquarters in Ankara left at least 28 people dead. A pro-government newspaper claims a Syrian national, identified from fingerprints, was behind the attack.—AP

Radioactive Material Stolen in Iraq
Iraq is searching for "highly dangerous" radioactive material stolen last year, raising fears it could be used as a weapon if acquired by the Islamic State. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iraq reported the theft in November last year.—Reuters

Aid Arrives in Besieged Syrian Towns
Aid convoys have reached four besieged areas of Syria: two rebel-held areas near Damascus, and two pro-government villages in the north. The UN deliveries are part of an agreement world powers still hope might lead to a "cessation of hostilities" by Friday.—Al Jazeera

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Australia Hit By Hairy Panic
A fast-growing tumbleweed called "hairy panic" is clogging up homes in the Australian town of Wangaratta. Caused by dry weather, residents are forced to clear the weeds for several hours every day, with piles of hairy panic reaching roof height in some places.—BBC News

Everything Else

Nike Dumps Manny Pacquiao
The sportswear giant has terminated its contract with Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao after he said gay people were "worse than animals." Nike said it found the comments "abhorrent."—ESPN

Kanye Rages at SNL Staff
An audio clip of Kanye West yelling at SNL staffers backstage has appeared online. "Don't fuck with me," Kanye shouts, before claiming to be "50 percent more influential" than Stanley Kubrick and Pablo Picasso.—Page Six

El Chapo Says Prison Making Him a Zombie
Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's lawyer says prison guards are turning him into a "zombie" by refusing to let him sleep for more than two hours at a time. Attorney Juan Pablo Badillo called it "physical and mental torture."—CNN

Islamic State Blamed On Sun Storms
One Oakland University professor thinks electromagnetic cues from sun storms are capable of making us more violent. It revives the research of Russian scientist Alexander Tchijevsky, who thought armed conflicts ebbed in accordance with solar events.—Motherboard

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