The VICE Morning Bulletin
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The VICE Morning Bulletin

The VICE Morning Bulletin

Trump set to gut environmental protections, white supremacist slapped with terrorism charges in New York, and more.

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

US News

Trump Poised to Gut Environmental Protections
President Trump is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday aimed at scrapping many of the Obama administration's most significant environmental regulations. Trump's order would undermine Obama's Clean Power Plan by directing the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider limits on carbon emissions at power plants. The order also apparently seeks to lift a ban on coal-mining leases and ease the way toward fracking on public land, and ax federal officials' obligation to weigh the "social cost" of carbon emissions.—VICE News

Giuliani Working for Businessman Accused of Violating Sanctions
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is now providing legal counsel to a Turkish businessman accused of violating US sanctions against Iran. Reza Zarrab is suspected of setting up front companies to fool US financial institutions into conducting transactions with Iran. Giuliani met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss the case, according to an anonymous source briefed on the meeting.—The New York Times

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Army Veteran Given Upgraded Terrorism Charges
James Harris Jackson, the US Army veteran and white supremacist who allegedly stabbed 66-year-old Timothy Caughman to death in New York City last week, has been hit with more scathing charges of murder as an act of terrorism. "His intent was to kill as many black men here in New York as he could," said Manhattan assistant district attorney Joan Illuzzi.—CBS News

Michigan to Replace Flint's Contaminated Water Lines
The state of Michigan and the feds will pay for the replacement of 18,000 water lines in Flint, according to court documents outlining a proposed settlement to address lead contamination that came to light in 2015. Dimple Chaudhary, an attorney representing residents, called the tentative deal a "win for the people of Flint."—AP

International News

Cyclone Hits Australia's Queensland Coast
Cyclone Debbie hit the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and gusts of wind traveling at up to 163 miles per hour. It was downgraded from a category four to category two storm as it moved inland. At least one person has been seriously injured, and tens of thousands of homes have been left without power.—BBC News

Russian Protest Leader Sentenced to 15 Days in Prison
The Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been given a 15-day prison sentence and fined just over $350 for defying cops and helping organize Sunday's street protests. Navalny tweeted a selfie from court with the message: "The time will come when we will have them on trial (but honestly)."—The Guardian

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Anti-Apartheid Dissident Ahmed Kathrada Dies, Aged 87
Ahmed Kathrada, the anti-apartheid activist who was imprisoned for a stretch alongside Nelson Mandela, has died at 87 following complications with blood-clotting in his brain. The dissident spent 26 years behind bars before being released in 1989 and later became a member of parliament. South Africa's tourism minister, Derek Hanekom, paid tribute to the man he said "gave his entire life to the liberation struggle in our country."—AP

Police Shooting of Chinese Man Sparks Protests in Paris
French cops are probing the police shooting death of a man at his home in Paris, following protests in the city's Chinatown Monday night. China's foreign ministry said it had summoned a French diplomat to explain Sunday's shooting, which cops said came after the 56-year-old Chinese man attacked officers with scissors. His family reportedly denied the claim.—Reuters

Everything Else

Pharrell to Produce Movie Based on His Early Years
Pharrell Williams will co-produce a movie inspired by his childhood and formative years in Virginia. Fox has picked up the project, entitled Atlantis, reportedly a musical to be directed by Broadway veteran Michael Mayer.—The Hollywood Reporter

Drake Cancels Amsterdam Show Following Illness
Drake pushed his Monday night show in Amsterdam back to Wednesday, citing an illness. Fans were already inside the Ziggo Dome arena when a promoter announced that "Drake got sick." It's the third time his Amsterdam shows have been rescheduled this year.—Billboard

Treasury Secretary's Lego Batman Plug Called Into Question
Senator Ron Wyden has called on the Office of Government Ethics to investigate a comment made by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin about The Lego Batman Movie. "I'm not allowed to promote anything that I'm involved in," Mnunchin said. He later added, "But you should send all your kids to Lego Batman."—TIME

Medellín Mayor Chides Wiz Khalifa for Visiting Escobar's Grave
The mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutierrez, has called Wiz Khalifa "a scoundrel" for visiting the grave of Pablo Escobar during a trip to Colombia. The Pittsburgh rapper was seen smoking next to the drug lord's grave in photos posted on Instagram.—Noisey

Milo Claimed No Speaking Fee On College Campus Tour
Documents relating to Milo Yiannopoulos's tour of college campuses over the last year show the alt-right provocateur was not actually paid for speaking. The company behind his tour—Glittering Steel LLC—received $950,090 from super PAC "Make America Number 1."—Motherboard

DEA Deems Synthetic Marijuana Less Harmful Than Real Weed
The DEA has announced that Syndros, a synthetic marijuana liquid, will be federally classified as a schedule II controlled substance, a less restrictive category of drugs than real weed. Marijuana, meanwhile, is still lumped in with heroin in the schedule I category.—VICE News