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Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.Trump Declares State of Emergency in Florida, US Territories
President Trump has approved state of emergency declarations for Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands as Hurricane Irma continues to barrel through the Caribbean. The Category 5 storm was set to hit Puerto Rico Wednesday, with the US National Hurricane Center reporting wind speeds as high as 185 mph. In Florida, the mayor of Miami-Dade County said some evacuations might start later Wednesday, although the scale of potential impact on the state was not yet clear.—APAppeals Court Allows Texas to Adopt Controversial Voter ID Law
Federal appeals court judges have decided Texas can proceed with its contentious SB5 law, allowing the state to ask voters for photo identification at elections taking place this November. The panel suspended a previous injunction blocking the law, allowing SB5 to stand until the appeals court "can consider arguments on the merits" at a later date. People will apparently be allowed to vote without ID if they sign a statement affirming they were impeded from obtaining one. —CBS NewsObama Calls Decision to End DACA 'Cruel' and 'Wrong'
Former President Barack Obama criticized the Trump administration's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program Tuesday as "cruel" and "wrong." In a Facebook post, Obama said the move was "contrary to our spirit." Demonstrations took place in cities across the US following Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement, with 34 protestors arrested near Trump Tower in Manhattan.—VICE / ABC NewsAmericans Not Very High on America, Poll Finds
A new NBC News / Wall Street Journal poll has found many Americans in a dispirited mood, with only 28 willing to described the US as the "single best place to live in the world." Only 14 percent rated the US "national character" as strong, with 34 percent rating it "weak." The poll also revealed 80 percent of Americans believes the country to be divided.—NBC NewsSuu Kyi Dismisses 'Misinformation' About Violence in Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's ruling party, has condemned "misinformation" about violence inside her country. Without addressing the army's alleged crackdown on Rohingya Muslims or the exodus of the minority group to Bangladesh, she said the authorities would ensure "all the people in our country are entitled to protection of their rights." According to anonymous government sources in Bangladesh, Myanmar has begun placing land mines near the border.—BBC News / ReutersEx-Presidents of Brazil Charged with Criminal Corruption
Former Brazilian presidents Dilma Rousseff and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have been officially charged with illegally siphoning money from the state-owned oil giant Petrobras. The country's chief prosecutor Rodrigo Janot unveiled corruption charges against Lula, Rousseff, and six other members of the Workers Party, alleging they took $475 million in bribes.—Al JazeeraCambodian Government Warns of Ban for Opposition Party
A Cambodian government spokesman has threatened to ban the official opposition party from taking part in elections if it fails to appoint a new leader. Kem Sokha, leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), has been arrested and stands accused of treason. Government spokesman Phay Siphan said: "If they don't comply with the law, they will not exist and have no right to political activity."—ReutersNorth Korea Threatens More Nuclear Tests
North Korea's ambassador to the UN has warned of more "gift package" actions to antagonize the US. Speaking at a conference in Geneva, Han Tae-song described Sunday's nuclear test as a "self-defense" measure and a "gift package" aimed at the US. "The US will receive more 'gift packages'… as long as it relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on [North Korea]," he said.—The GuardianMartin Shkreli Puts Wu Tang Album on eBay
Martin Shkreli has put the one-of-a-kind Wu Tang Clan album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin up for sale on eBay. Shkreli, found guilty of securities fraud last month, purchased it for $2 million. He claimed 50 percent of the money raised will go to "medical research."—Page Six
Colin Trevorrow No Longer Directing Future 'Star Wars' Movie
Lucasfilm and director Colin Trevorrow have "mutually chosen to part ways" on Star Wars: Episode IX, the company has announced. The Lucasfilm statement revealed only that "our visions for the project differ," with no word of a replacement.—Rolling StoneA$AP Rocky Gets His Own Vape Pen
A$AP Rocky now has his very own line of vape pens, the Flacko Jodye Collection, despite the fact that the artist isn't known for vaping. KandyPens revealed the rapper's pen on Instagram.—NoiseyMichael Jackson Accounts Tease 'Scream' Project
Official social media accounts for Michael Jackson teased a forthcoming project entitled Scream. Fans of the late singer have speculated it could be unreleased music, but his estate's co-executors would not confirm it's an album.—i-DPolice Find 'IT'-Style Red Balloons Tied to Sewer Grates
Police in Lititz, Pennsylvania, discovered a series of red balloons attached to the town's sewer grates this week. After mentioning a "certain movie" coming out Friday, the department said: "We want the local prankster to know that we were completely terrified…we respectfully request they do not do that again."—VICE
US News
President Trump has approved state of emergency declarations for Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands as Hurricane Irma continues to barrel through the Caribbean. The Category 5 storm was set to hit Puerto Rico Wednesday, with the US National Hurricane Center reporting wind speeds as high as 185 mph. In Florida, the mayor of Miami-Dade County said some evacuations might start later Wednesday, although the scale of potential impact on the state was not yet clear.—APAppeals Court Allows Texas to Adopt Controversial Voter ID Law
Federal appeals court judges have decided Texas can proceed with its contentious SB5 law, allowing the state to ask voters for photo identification at elections taking place this November. The panel suspended a previous injunction blocking the law, allowing SB5 to stand until the appeals court "can consider arguments on the merits" at a later date. People will apparently be allowed to vote without ID if they sign a statement affirming they were impeded from obtaining one. —CBS News
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Former President Barack Obama criticized the Trump administration's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program Tuesday as "cruel" and "wrong." In a Facebook post, Obama said the move was "contrary to our spirit." Demonstrations took place in cities across the US following Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement, with 34 protestors arrested near Trump Tower in Manhattan.—VICE / ABC NewsAmericans Not Very High on America, Poll Finds
A new NBC News / Wall Street Journal poll has found many Americans in a dispirited mood, with only 28 willing to described the US as the "single best place to live in the world." Only 14 percent rated the US "national character" as strong, with 34 percent rating it "weak." The poll also revealed 80 percent of Americans believes the country to be divided.—NBC News
International News
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's ruling party, has condemned "misinformation" about violence inside her country. Without addressing the army's alleged crackdown on Rohingya Muslims or the exodus of the minority group to Bangladesh, she said the authorities would ensure "all the people in our country are entitled to protection of their rights." According to anonymous government sources in Bangladesh, Myanmar has begun placing land mines near the border.—BBC News / ReutersEx-Presidents of Brazil Charged with Criminal Corruption
Former Brazilian presidents Dilma Rousseff and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have been officially charged with illegally siphoning money from the state-owned oil giant Petrobras. The country's chief prosecutor Rodrigo Janot unveiled corruption charges against Lula, Rousseff, and six other members of the Workers Party, alleging they took $475 million in bribes.—Al Jazeera
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A Cambodian government spokesman has threatened to ban the official opposition party from taking part in elections if it fails to appoint a new leader. Kem Sokha, leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), has been arrested and stands accused of treason. Government spokesman Phay Siphan said: "If they don't comply with the law, they will not exist and have no right to political activity."—ReutersNorth Korea Threatens More Nuclear Tests
North Korea's ambassador to the UN has warned of more "gift package" actions to antagonize the US. Speaking at a conference in Geneva, Han Tae-song described Sunday's nuclear test as a "self-defense" measure and a "gift package" aimed at the US. "The US will receive more 'gift packages'… as long as it relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on [North Korea]," he said.—The Guardian
Everything Else
Martin Shkreli has put the one-of-a-kind Wu Tang Clan album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin up for sale on eBay. Shkreli, found guilty of securities fraud last month, purchased it for $2 million. He claimed 50 percent of the money raised will go to "medical research."—Page Six
Lucasfilm and director Colin Trevorrow have "mutually chosen to part ways" on Star Wars: Episode IX, the company has announced. The Lucasfilm statement revealed only that "our visions for the project differ," with no word of a replacement.—Rolling StoneA$AP Rocky Gets His Own Vape Pen
A$AP Rocky now has his very own line of vape pens, the Flacko Jodye Collection, despite the fact that the artist isn't known for vaping. KandyPens revealed the rapper's pen on Instagram.—NoiseyMichael Jackson Accounts Tease 'Scream' Project
Official social media accounts for Michael Jackson teased a forthcoming project entitled Scream. Fans of the late singer have speculated it could be unreleased music, but his estate's co-executors would not confirm it's an album.—i-DPolice Find 'IT'-Style Red Balloons Tied to Sewer Grates
Police in Lititz, Pennsylvania, discovered a series of red balloons attached to the town's sewer grates this week. After mentioning a "certain movie" coming out Friday, the department said: "We want the local prankster to know that we were completely terrified…we respectfully request they do not do that again."—VICE