The VICE Morning Bulletin
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The VICE Morning Bulletin

The VICE Morning Bulletin

Trump tweets about sharing classified info with Russians, experts find possible WannaCry link to North Korea, Clinton launches political nonprofit, and more.

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

US News

Trump Shared Highly Classified Information with Russian Officials
President Trump divulged highly classified information to Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office last week, according to anonymous US officials. The intel about ISIS had come from a US ally, and was reportedly "code word" information the ally had not given permission to share with Russia. For his part, national security adviser H.R. McMaster called reports of the intel sharing "false," Republican senator Bob Corker said the administration was in a "downward spiral," and Trump himself early Tuesday tweeted he had the right to share what he wanted.—The Washington Post/VICE News

Hackers Threaten to Release Disney Movie if Ransom Not Paid
Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger said hackers have demanded a shitload of cash in Bitcoin or they will release one of the studio's forthcoming movies. Iger said the studio was refusing to pay, despite the hackers threatening to release the initial five minutes and then 20-minute sections until they receive payment.—The Hollywood Reporter

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Clinton Launches Political Nonprofit
Hillary Clinton has officially launched her new political organization Onward Together. The 501(c)4 nonprofit will support grassroots campaigns and candidate-recruitment groups. In an email to supporters, Clinton said it would be "dedicated to advancing the progressive vision that earned nearly 66 million votes in the last election."—NBC News

Israeli PM Denies Advising Trump Against Embassy Move
Israeli prime Mminister Benjamin Netanyahu denied claims that he's tried to persuade President Trump not to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Netanyahu called a FOX News reporter's tweet suggesting the Israeli leader had urged Trump against doing so "a lie." Netanyahu also published a transcript of a meeting with Trump that showed him backing the controversial change.—The Hill

International News

Experts Find Possible WannaCry Link to North Korea
Experts claim to have found evidence linking North Korea with the WannaCry ransomware attack that has hit more than 300,000 computers around the world. Researchers at Google, Kaspersky Lab, Symantec, and South Korea's Hauri Labs said some of the same code had appeared in WannaCry software and software used by the Lazarus Group, a suspected North Korean hacking group operating in China.—BBC News / Reuters

Turkey Arrests 85 Government Ministry Staff
Eighty-five employees at the Turkish government ministries of energy and education have been arrested, part of an ongoing crackdown on suspected supporters of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen following a failed coup attempt last year. Roughly 50,000 people have been arrested in connection with the probe of the US-based cleric.—Reuters

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Mexican Journalist Killed in Sinaloa
Mexican journalist Javier Valdez Cárdenas has been fatally shot in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa State, according to his publication Riodoce. Valdez, a winner of the Committee to Protect Journalists' Press Freedom Award for his work on drug gangs, is the fifth journalist killed this year in Mexico.—CNN

Thai Internet Providers Win Beef with Facebook
Facebook remained online in Thailand Tuesday after the government called for the removal of 131 deemed insulting to the monarchy. A shutdown threat was apparently enough to make the internet giant begin the process of removing the offensive pages.—The Guardian

Everything Else

Chelsea Manning to be Released Tomorrow
Imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning is set to be released Wednesday after President Obama commuted her sentence during his final weeks in office. The former Army intelligence analyst said: "For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea."—TIME

Logic Bumps Kendrick Lamar from No.1 Spot
Maryland rapper Logic has shifted Kendrick Lamar from the top of the Billboard 200 album chart after three weeks at No.1 for DAMN. Logic's album Everybody, a follow-up to Bobby Tarantino, sold 247,000 equivalent units.—Billboard

Katy Perry Drops Album Title, Tour Dates
Katy Perry has revealed her new album title is Witness, and announced dates for a North American tour starting September 7 in Columbus, Ohio. Perry is also reportedly in talks to join American Idol as a judge next year.—Los Angeles Times

Debbie Harry Reveals She Was Stalked
Blondie singer Debbie Harry has revealed she was plagued by "several" stalkers. She told VICE she had to hand over one fan's letters to a police, and said she also had "a couple of ex-boyfriends who didn't understand the 'ex.'"—VICE

'Stranger Things' Star Drops New Order Cover
Young actor Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike in Stranger Things, has unveiled his band's latest cover version of punk and new wave classics. Finn's band performed the English band New Order's 1983 anthem Age of Consent at a Los Angeles benefit show.—i-D