The VICE Morning Bulletin

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The VICE Morning Bulletin

This morning, former attorney general Eric Holder says Edward Snowdon performed a "public service," airstrikes kill at least 23 in Syria, Cincinnati Zoo defends its decision to kill an endangered gorilla, and more.

Edward Snowden.(Photo by The Guardian via Getty Images)

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

US News

Obama Condemned for Slow Progress on Syrian Refugee Pledge
President Obama has been criticized by advocacy groups and allies in Congress for lack of progress in admitting Syrian refugees to the US. Nearly eight months since he launched an effort to welcome 10,000 Syrians, more than 2,500 have made it in. Democratic lawmakers have written to Obama to say his administration "should do much more." —The New York Times

Snowden Performed 'Public Service' Says Former Attorney General
Former Attorney General Eric Holder says NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden "performed a public service" by starting a debate about government surveillance. But Holder still believes Snowden acted illegally, and should return to the US to face trial. "I think there has to be a consequence for what he has done," he said. —CNN

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Midwest Prepares for Severe Storms
Severe thunderstorms are forecast for states across the Midwest during Tuesday following funnel clouds and twisters that swept through Nebraska and Colorado late Monday. At least nine people in Texas have died in the storms. —NBC News

Alligators Found Eating Human Body in Florida
Police officers in Florida have recovered a human body after two alligators were found eating the corpse in a canal in Southwest Ranches. A dive team was called to the scene, and an alligator trapper from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped police recover the body, as yet unidentified. —Miami Herald

International News

At Least 23 Killed in Airstrikes in Syria
At least 23 people were killed in airstrikes overnight in the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Seven children were among the dead. It is the heaviest bombardment of Idlib, a stronghold for rebel groups, since a cessation of hostilities was agreed back in February. Russia was accused of carrying out the attack, but denied it as of Tuesday morning. –Al Jazeera

Second Minister in Brazil Forced to Resign
Brazil's anti-corruption minister Fabiano Silveira has resigned after a recording suggested he tried to prevent an investigation into state oil company Petrobras. Silveira is the second minister in the interim government to quit, coming a week after the planning minister stepped down following the release of a similar recording. —The Guardian

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Indian Army Depot Fire Kills 17 Soldiers
Seventeen Indian soldiers have died in a huge fire at an army ammunition depot in the western state of Maharashtra. The fire in the depot triggered a series of explosions and led to the evacuation of people from neighboring villages. Firefighters are still trying to put out the blaze. —Al Jazeera

North Korean Missile Launch Fails
North Korea attempted to fire a ballistic missile from its east coast early Tuesday, but the launch appears to have failed, according to South Korean officials. It is unclear what type of missile was tested this time, but it follows three failed tests of the medium-range "Musudan" missile during April. —BBC News

Everything Else

Snoop Calls for Boycott of 'Roots'
Snoop Dogg advised his Instagram followers not to watch the new Roots miniseries, railing against TV shows about slavery. "They just want to keep showing the abuse that we took hundreds and hundreds of years ago… Fuck that old shit." —Noisey

Zoo Boss Defends Gorilla Killing
The Cincinnati Zoo director, Thane Maynard, has defended the decision to kill an endangered gorilla, following criticism about whether the animal had to be shot when a four-year-old child fell into the enclosure. "We saved that little boy's life," said Maynard. —CBS News

Stephen Hawking Calls Trump a Demagogue
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has revealed the mystery that puzzles him the most: Donald Trump. Asked to explain the Trump phenomenon, Hawking said: "I can't. He's a demagogue who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator." —The Guardian

Second Airline Suspends Flights to Venezuela
Latin America's largest airline, LATAM, has suspended its flights to Venezuela, citing the country's "complex macroeconomic scenario." It follows a similar announcement by Lufthansa as Venezuela endures looting, food shortages, and power cuts. —VICE News

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