Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.Jeff Sessions Becomes Attorney General
Alabama US senator Jeff Sessions have been confirmed as attorney general, by a vote of 52–47 in the Senate. "Denigrating people who disagree with us, I think, is not a healthy trend for our body," he said in a speech, referring to intense Democratic opposition to his confirmation. Sessions now has authority to oversee key issues like marijuana legalization, police reform, transgender rights, and the status of sanctuary cities.—CBS News / VICE NewsSupreme Court Nominee Says Trump Attacks 'Demoralizing'
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Alabama US senator Jeff Sessions have been confirmed as attorney general, by a vote of 52–47 in the Senate. "Denigrating people who disagree with us, I think, is not a healthy trend for our body," he said in a speech, referring to intense Democratic opposition to his confirmation. Sessions now has authority to oversee key issues like marijuana legalization, police reform, transgender rights, and the status of sanctuary cities.—CBS News / VICE NewsSupreme Court Nominee Says Trump Attacks 'Demoralizing'
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Neil Gorsuch, Trump's Supreme Court nominee, has called the president's swipes at the judiciary "demoralizing" and "disheartening." Gorsuch's remarks were revealed by Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, after the pair spoke on Wednesday. They were then confirmed by Gorsuch's spokesman. It follows Trump's dismissive tweets about "so-called judge" James Robart, who blocked his travel ban.—CNNAlmost 150 Inauguration Protestors Indicted for Rioting
Grand jurors in Washington, DC, Superior Court have indicted 146 people who protested in the US capital on Inauguration Day, slapping them with felony rioting charges. This brings the total number of people facing charges relating to the protests to 209. Felony rioting charges come with the potential for a $25,000 fine and a maximum prison sentence of ten years.—NBC NewsUS Stops Screening Refugees on Nauru
US officials have ceased vetting refugees on the island Nauru, where they are detained by Australia. It follows a dispute over a deal made by the Obama administration to accept 1,250 refugees, an arrangement described by President Trump as "dumb." Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Department of Homeland Security officials had left Nauru, but he expects US vetting to resume "in due course."—CNBC NewsExplosion, 'Intoxication' at French Nuclear Power Plant
An explosion and fire at EDF's Flamanville nuclear power plant in northern France on Wednesday morning reportedly left several people "intoxicated" but uninjured. Olivier Marmion, a senior local official, said it was "a significant technical event, but it is not a nuclear accident." Local fire services also said the explosion happened away from the plant's nuclear zone.—Sky NewsRed Cross Aid Suspended in Afghanistan After Six Killed
The International Committee of the Red Cross is putting relief work in Afghanistan on hold after an ambush attack on a convoy left six of its aid workers dead and two missing. The Red Cross condemned Wednesday's attack in the Jowzjan Province as "despicable." Local police believe ISIS militants carried out the attack.—BBC News
Grand jurors in Washington, DC, Superior Court have indicted 146 people who protested in the US capital on Inauguration Day, slapping them with felony rioting charges. This brings the total number of people facing charges relating to the protests to 209. Felony rioting charges come with the potential for a $25,000 fine and a maximum prison sentence of ten years.—NBC NewsUS Stops Screening Refugees on Nauru
US officials have ceased vetting refugees on the island Nauru, where they are detained by Australia. It follows a dispute over a deal made by the Obama administration to accept 1,250 refugees, an arrangement described by President Trump as "dumb." Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Department of Homeland Security officials had left Nauru, but he expects US vetting to resume "in due course."—CNBC News
International News
An explosion and fire at EDF's Flamanville nuclear power plant in northern France on Wednesday morning reportedly left several people "intoxicated" but uninjured. Olivier Marmion, a senior local official, said it was "a significant technical event, but it is not a nuclear accident." Local fire services also said the explosion happened away from the plant's nuclear zone.—Sky NewsRed Cross Aid Suspended in Afghanistan After Six Killed
The International Committee of the Red Cross is putting relief work in Afghanistan on hold after an ambush attack on a convoy left six of its aid workers dead and two missing. The Red Cross condemned Wednesday's attack in the Jowzjan Province as "despicable." Local police believe ISIS militants carried out the attack.—BBC News
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Two Dead in Gaza Tunnel Bombing
The Gaza Health Ministry has blamed Israel for a pre-dawn bombing of a tunnel near the border with Egypt, killing two Palestinians. An Israeli military spokeswoman denied knowledge of any strike. Several rockets had earlier been fired at the Israeli city of Eilat from Egypt, but there were no casualties.—ReutersNew Zealand to Clear Criminal Records for Gay Sex
Legislation will be introduced to wipe decades-old convictions related to consensual gay sex in New Zealand before it was decriminalized in 1986. Around 1,000 men are expected to be eligible if the legislation passes, which seems likely.—The Sydney Morning HeraldLeBron James Attacks Trump's Travel Ban
NBA star LeBron James has denounced President Trump's travel ban. Complaining that it "does not represent what the United States is all about, the Cleveland Cavaliers player said, "I am not in favor of this policy or any policy that divides and excludes people." —The Hollywood ReporterEcuadorian Opposition Leader Wants Assange Out
Guillermo Lasso, leader of Ecuador's right-wing Creo-Suma party, has threatened to remove WikiLeaks' Julian Assange from the country's London embassy if he wins the February 19 presidential election. "We will cordially ask Señor Assange to leave within 30 days," Lasso pledged.—The GuardianGrey Gardens Mansion Up for Sale
The East Hampton mansion once inhabited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's aunt and cousin, made famous by the 1975 documentary Grey Gardens, is on the market for $19.995 million. The real estate company describes it as "American folklore."—NewsdayFormer NSA Contractor Indicted for Data Theft
The Department of Justice has indicted former NSA contractor Harold Thomas Martin III with "willful retention of national defense information." He is allegedly behind one of the biggest-ever thefts of US government information.—MotherboardBorder Agents Discover Weed Disguised as Limes
The US Customs and Border Patrol has revealed its agents discovered nearly 4,000 pounds of marijuana at the Texas-Mexico packaged to look like 34,000 limes. The drug shipment was estimated to be worth nearly $800,000.—VICEKate McKinnon Signs Up for 'Magic School Bus' Reboot
The Netflix reboot of 90s TV classic The Magic School Bus, called Magic School Bus Rides Again, will feature SNL's Kate McKinnon as the voice of teacher Ms. Frizzle. The 26 half-hour episodes will include updated tech, like robotics and wearables.—VICE
The Gaza Health Ministry has blamed Israel for a pre-dawn bombing of a tunnel near the border with Egypt, killing two Palestinians. An Israeli military spokeswoman denied knowledge of any strike. Several rockets had earlier been fired at the Israeli city of Eilat from Egypt, but there were no casualties.—ReutersNew Zealand to Clear Criminal Records for Gay Sex
Legislation will be introduced to wipe decades-old convictions related to consensual gay sex in New Zealand before it was decriminalized in 1986. Around 1,000 men are expected to be eligible if the legislation passes, which seems likely.—The Sydney Morning Herald
Everything Else
NBA star LeBron James has denounced President Trump's travel ban. Complaining that it "does not represent what the United States is all about, the Cleveland Cavaliers player said, "I am not in favor of this policy or any policy that divides and excludes people." —The Hollywood ReporterEcuadorian Opposition Leader Wants Assange Out
Guillermo Lasso, leader of Ecuador's right-wing Creo-Suma party, has threatened to remove WikiLeaks' Julian Assange from the country's London embassy if he wins the February 19 presidential election. "We will cordially ask Señor Assange to leave within 30 days," Lasso pledged.—The GuardianGrey Gardens Mansion Up for Sale
The East Hampton mansion once inhabited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's aunt and cousin, made famous by the 1975 documentary Grey Gardens, is on the market for $19.995 million. The real estate company describes it as "American folklore."—NewsdayFormer NSA Contractor Indicted for Data Theft
The Department of Justice has indicted former NSA contractor Harold Thomas Martin III with "willful retention of national defense information." He is allegedly behind one of the biggest-ever thefts of US government information.—MotherboardBorder Agents Discover Weed Disguised as Limes
The US Customs and Border Patrol has revealed its agents discovered nearly 4,000 pounds of marijuana at the Texas-Mexico packaged to look like 34,000 limes. The drug shipment was estimated to be worth nearly $800,000.—VICEKate McKinnon Signs Up for 'Magic School Bus' Reboot
The Netflix reboot of 90s TV classic The Magic School Bus, called Magic School Bus Rides Again, will feature SNL's Kate McKinnon as the voice of teacher Ms. Frizzle. The 26 half-hour episodes will include updated tech, like robotics and wearables.—VICE