The VICE Morning Bulletin
Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto and Luis Videgaray, Mexico's minister of foreign affairs. Photo by Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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The VICE Morning Bulletin

Trump revokes protective guidelines for trans students, top White House officials to meet Mexican president, new space discovery said to be our best bet for alien life, and more.

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

US News

Top Trump Officials to Meet Mexican President
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security boss John Kelly will meet President Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico Thursday to discuss the Trump administration's new deportation measures. Mexican foreign minister Luis Videgaray condemned a provision to return undocumented immigrants to Mexico who have entered the US via the southern border, regardless of their country of origin. "We are not going to accept it," he said.—The Guardian

Trump Administration Revokes Protection Guidelines for Trans Students
The White House has revoked the Obama administration's guidance to schools asserting the right of transgender students to equal protection under education nondiscrimination laws, most visibly in terms of which bathroom they use. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, despite reportedly disagreeing with the move, said it was "an issue best solved at the state and local level."—VICE News

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Dream Act Applications Fall Amid Immigration Fears
The number of California students applying for help under the state's Dream Act has tanked, with officials blaming uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration's immigration policies. Applications by undocumented students to receive financial help have plummeted 60 percent so far this year compared with 2016.—USA Today

Anti-Pipeline Protest Camp Goes Up in Flames  
Anti-Dakota Access pipeline activists set fire to some remnants of the protest camp at Standing Rock in North Dakota as part of a farewell ceremony. Protesters left arm in arm, singing and playing drums, before a Wednesday afternoon deadline set by the US Army Corps of Engineers for clearance of the camp.—AP

International News

Iraq Retakes Mosul Airport from ISIS
Government armed forces have seized Iraq's Mosul airport from ISIS, part of an operation to remove the militant group from its stronghold in the city's west. Iraqi troops are also fighting to retake the nearby the al Ghazlani military complex.—BBC News

Shopping Complex Bomb Kills Eight in Pakistan
A bomb attack at a shopping complex in the Pakistani city of Lahore has killed at least eight people and left another 30 injured. Initially, local officials indicated the explosion was caused by an electrical generator, but Punjab police later said there had been a "planted bomb." There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack.—The Independent

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Security Official Accused of Leaking Info on Polarizing Dutch Politician
Police have detained a security official responsible for protecting far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, accusing him of sharing sensitive details. Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party, has been under 24-hour police protection for more than ten years because of his controversial deeply anti-immigrant views.—AP

Syrian Opposition Wants Direct Contact at Peace Talks
UN-sponsored peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition representatives begin in Geneva Thursday, and the opposition has asked for direct negotiation, rather than requiring UN mediator Staffan de Mistura to move between two rooms. "It would save time and be proof of seriousness," said an opposition spokesman.—Al Jazeera

Everything Else

Rihanna Named Humanitarian of the Year
Harvard University has named Rihanna as its 2017 Humanitarian of the Year. The singer paid for a new specialist breast cancer treatment center in Barbados and started a scholarship program for students from the Carribean.—Noisey

Jay-Z Makes Songwriters Hall of Fame
Jay-Z will be the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at a ceremony in June. Other 2017 inductees include Taylor Swift collaborator Max Martin and Motown founder Berry Gordy.—Billboard

Bowie's Son Collects BRIT Award
David Bowie's son Duncan Jones collected the late singer's album of the year prize for Blackstar at the BRIT Awards. Jones said the award was "for all the kooks." Michael C. Hall, who starred in Bowie musical Lazarus, collected his prize for best male solo artist.—Rolling Stone

Louis C.K. Brings Two Specials to Netflix
Louis C.K. has agreed a deal with Netflix to bring two new stand-up specials to the streaming service. The first is entitled 2017 and will be available in April. The comedian is also working on an animated series for TBS called The Cops.—Variety

TRAPPIST-1 Discovery Our Best Bet for Aliens
The star system TRAPPIST-1, 39 light years away, has been found to host seven Earth-sized planets, NASA announced Wednesday. Astronomer Brice-Olivier Demory said the system "is probably our best bet" for finding alien life.—Motherboard