Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.VP Pence to Shorten Asia Trip With Budget Crisis Looming
Vice President Mike Pence is returning to Washington early from a major tour of Asia to help the Trump administration with a possible budget showdown. President Trump wants Republicans in Congress to use the prospect of the government closing to force through funding of a US-Mexico border wall before Friday's deadline. Experts estimate the wall could cost $21.6 billion.—Reuters/The Washington PostWatchdog Reports Rise in Anti-Semitic Incidents
The number of anti-Semitic incidents across the US rose some 86 percent in the first three months of this year, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Of the 541 anti-Semitic events reported, there were 161 bomb threats. ADL chief executive Jonathan A. Greenblatt said there had been "a significant, sustained increase in anti-Semitic activity since the start of 2016" and called the spike "concerning." Meanwhile, a fair number of dubious bomb threats have been connected by police to an Israeli American teenager.—NBC News
US News
Vice President Mike Pence is returning to Washington early from a major tour of Asia to help the Trump administration with a possible budget showdown. President Trump wants Republicans in Congress to use the prospect of the government closing to force through funding of a US-Mexico border wall before Friday's deadline. Experts estimate the wall could cost $21.6 billion.—Reuters/The Washington PostWatchdog Reports Rise in Anti-Semitic Incidents
The number of anti-Semitic incidents across the US rose some 86 percent in the first three months of this year, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Of the 541 anti-Semitic events reported, there were 161 bomb threats. ADL chief executive Jonathan A. Greenblatt said there had been "a significant, sustained increase in anti-Semitic activity since the start of 2016" and called the spike "concerning." Meanwhile, a fair number of dubious bomb threats have been connected by police to an Israeli American teenager.—NBC News
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Apple Reportedly Told Uber to Stop 'Fingerprinting' iPhones
Apple CEO Tim Cook apparently threatened to remove Uber from the App Store if the company did not stop tagging iPhones with digital ID even after users deleted the Uber app. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick backed down after the tense meeting with Cook in 2015.—The New York TimesTrump Least Popular New President in Decades, Polls Say
President Trump has the worst numbers of any new president in recent history, according to two new polls. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll has his approval rating at 40 percent, while a poll for the Washington Post/ABC found 42 percent approve of his job performance. The same poll, however, revealed remarkable loyalty among supporters. Ninety-six percent of Trump voters do not regret doing so.—VICE NewsMacron and Le Pen Go Head to Head for French Presidency
Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron will face far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the May 7 runoff vote to become the next French president. Macron won slightly more than 23 percent of votes in the election held Sunday, while Le Pen garnered 21 percent.—APAfghan Defense Officials Quit After Attack on Military Base
After the reported death of some 140 soldiers in a Taliban attack on an Afghani base last week, two of the top military officials in the country are out. A spokesman for Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani said the resignations of the defense minister and army chief of staff were a direct result of the attack in Mazar-i-Sharif.—Deutsche Welle
Apple CEO Tim Cook apparently threatened to remove Uber from the App Store if the company did not stop tagging iPhones with digital ID even after users deleted the Uber app. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick backed down after the tense meeting with Cook in 2015.—The New York TimesTrump Least Popular New President in Decades, Polls Say
President Trump has the worst numbers of any new president in recent history, according to two new polls. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll has his approval rating at 40 percent, while a poll for the Washington Post/ABC found 42 percent approve of his job performance. The same poll, however, revealed remarkable loyalty among supporters. Ninety-six percent of Trump voters do not regret doing so.—VICE News
International News
Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron will face far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the May 7 runoff vote to become the next French president. Macron won slightly more than 23 percent of votes in the election held Sunday, while Le Pen garnered 21 percent.—APAfghan Defense Officials Quit After Attack on Military Base
After the reported death of some 140 soldiers in a Taliban attack on an Afghani base last week, two of the top military officials in the country are out. A spokesman for Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani said the resignations of the defense minister and army chief of staff were a direct result of the attack in Mazar-i-Sharif.—Deutsche Welle
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Dozens Killed in Mexican Drug Gang Battles
Nearly three dozen people were killed in drug gang–related violence in Mexico over the weekend, according to officials. Nine were killed in shootout between opposing gangs in a village in Michoacán State on Sunday. Another 12 were killed in Sinaloa State, where violence has spiked since the arrest of cartel boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzman.—ReutersWildlife Collector Escapes Colombian Captors in Jungle
A Russian Armenian wildlife collector has escaped from his captors, the ELN militant group, in the Colombian jungle. The rebel group said it was in negotiations with the Russian embassy over the release of Voskanya Arcen Levoni, a man they found collecting frogs in Choco Province six months ago. But the ELN said Arcen Levoni escaped after wounding five rebel fighters (and sustaining injury himself) and fleeing into the jungle.—BBC NewsKendrick Lamar Album Has Highest-Selling Week of 2017
Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. enjoyed the best-selling week of any album in 2017, moving 603,000 units. Lamar's third straight No.1 album on the Billboard 200 beat the first week total for Drake's More Life.—BillboardAiles, Hannity Face Fresh Accusations from FOX News Employee, Guest
Former FOX News host Alisyn Camerota, now at CNN, has accused former FOX News CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment and claimed there was "a lot of suffering in silence" at the network. Ailes's attorney called the allegations "unsubstantiated and false." Meanwhile, Sean Hannity was accused by former guest Debbie Schlussel of inviting her back to his hotel room multiple times in the same night before not being asked to return to the network. Hannity denied the accusation as a "complete fabrication."—CNN/The Daily BeastFrank Ocean Drops Two Versions of New Song
Frank Ocean dropped a new song, "Lens," on his Beats 1 show Blonded Radio, before sharing a second version of the track—a remix featuring Travis Scott. The artwork for the song appears to be inspired by the work of painter Kerry James Marshall.—NoiseyYoung Thug Releases Daps-Directed Video
Young Thug has released brand-new song "All the Time" exclusively on YouTube. The video's director Daps, a frequent Migos collaborator, said at least one setup in the production was inspired by Chinese artist and photographer Ren Hang.—i-D
Nearly three dozen people were killed in drug gang–related violence in Mexico over the weekend, according to officials. Nine were killed in shootout between opposing gangs in a village in Michoacán State on Sunday. Another 12 were killed in Sinaloa State, where violence has spiked since the arrest of cartel boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzman.—ReutersWildlife Collector Escapes Colombian Captors in Jungle
A Russian Armenian wildlife collector has escaped from his captors, the ELN militant group, in the Colombian jungle. The rebel group said it was in negotiations with the Russian embassy over the release of Voskanya Arcen Levoni, a man they found collecting frogs in Choco Province six months ago. But the ELN said Arcen Levoni escaped after wounding five rebel fighters (and sustaining injury himself) and fleeing into the jungle.—BBC News
Everything Else
Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. enjoyed the best-selling week of any album in 2017, moving 603,000 units. Lamar's third straight No.1 album on the Billboard 200 beat the first week total for Drake's More Life.—BillboardAiles, Hannity Face Fresh Accusations from FOX News Employee, Guest
Former FOX News host Alisyn Camerota, now at CNN, has accused former FOX News CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment and claimed there was "a lot of suffering in silence" at the network. Ailes's attorney called the allegations "unsubstantiated and false." Meanwhile, Sean Hannity was accused by former guest Debbie Schlussel of inviting her back to his hotel room multiple times in the same night before not being asked to return to the network. Hannity denied the accusation as a "complete fabrication."—CNN/The Daily BeastFrank Ocean Drops Two Versions of New Song
Frank Ocean dropped a new song, "Lens," on his Beats 1 show Blonded Radio, before sharing a second version of the track—a remix featuring Travis Scott. The artwork for the song appears to be inspired by the work of painter Kerry James Marshall.—NoiseyYoung Thug Releases Daps-Directed Video
Young Thug has released brand-new song "All the Time" exclusively on YouTube. The video's director Daps, a frequent Migos collaborator, said at least one setup in the production was inspired by Chinese artist and photographer Ren Hang.—i-D