The VICE Morning Bulletin

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The VICE Morning Bulletin

This morning, US Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel made history in Rio, the Trump campaign will meet with the RNC to try and plot a turnaround, Russia launches war games in the Black Sea, and more.

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

US News

Trump Team Meets RNC to Plot Turnaround
Donald Trump's campaign team and the Republican National Committee will meet in Orlando, Florida today in an attempt to repair his floundering campaign. One Republican strategist described it as an "emergency" gathering. Another said: "They finally realize they need the RNC for their campaign."—Politico

African American Swimmer Makes History in Rio
Simone Manuel became the first African American woman to win an individual event in Olympic swimming, taking gold in the 100-meter freestyle in Rio. "It means a lot, especially with what is going on in the world today, some of the issues of police brutality. This win hopefully brings hope and change," she said following her race.—The Washington Post

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Turbulent JetBlue Flight Leaves 24 Injured
A JetBlue flight from Boston to Sacramento hit severe turbulence Thursday evening, causing injuries to 22 passengers and forcing an emergency landing in Rapid City, South Dakota. The 22 passengers and two crew members were taken to a local hospital, treated, and released, all suffering minor injuries.—ABC News

International News

Explosions Across Thailand Leave Four Dead
A series of coordinated explosions across tourist towns in Thailand has left four people dead and dozens more injured. Two people were killed in Hua Hin, 125 miles south of Bangkok, where four blasts took place. Police said links to Thai insurgents remain unclear, but international terrorism had been ruled out.—BBC News

Power Plant Blast in China Kills 21
An explosion at a power plant in the central Chinese province of Hubei has killed at least 21 people and injured five others, according to state media. A government rescue team rushed the injured to the hospital, after a high-pressure steam pipe burst at the power plant.—CNN

Venezuela and Colombia to Reopen Border
Venezuela and Colombia have agreed to reopen border crossings, a year after Venezuela closed the frontier in a dispute over smuggling. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has agreed to open five pedestrian crossings for 15 hours a day, to help struggling Venezuelans access food and medicine.—Al Jazeera

Russia Launches War Games in the Black Sea
The Russian Navy has announced the start of military exercises in the Black Sea, a day after Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of trying to provoke conflict over Crimea, the territory Russia annexed in 2014. Ukraine has dismissed Putin's accusations it had sent saboteurs into Crimea as false.—Reuters

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Everything Else

New Star Wars Trailer Released
A two-minute trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story dropped late Thursday evening. Darth Vader is seen in the final frames, confirming he will appear in the new movie, which details events occurring just before Star Wars: Episode IV.—Vulture

Mysterious Object Found Beyond Neptune
An unknown object has been discovered just beyond Neptune's orbit, moving in the opposite direction of everything else in the solar system. Scientists have named the new object Niku, meaning "rebellious" in Chinese.—The Huffington Post

Bollywood Superstar Detained at LAX
Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has tweeted about his frustration at being detained by US authorities at Los Angeles International Airport. "To be detained at US immigration every damn time really really sucks."—The Times of India

Obama Drops His Summer Playlist
President Obama has shared his 2016 summer playlist, with both "daytime" and "nighttime" collections available to stream on Spotify. It features Chance the Rapper, D'Angelo, Jay Z, Nina Simone, and Courtney Barnett.—Noisey

Gay Sex No Longer Illegal in Belize
Belize's supreme court has ruled to decriminalize gay sex in the tiny Central American nation. The criminal code that sets a ten-year sentence for convictions for "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" was ruled unconstitutional.—VICE News

Subway Employee Put Meth in Cop's Lemonade
A subway employee in Utah was arrested for putting meth and THC into a lemonade he served the local police sergeant. Police say a surveillance video shows the "surreptitious" drugging take place behind the counter.—Munchies