FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Entertainment

The VICE Morning Bulletin

Trump's lawyer admits paying porn star, Israeli police want Netanyahu indicted, ICE lawyer charged in identity theft scheme, and more.
Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images

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

US News

Stormy Daniels Got Money Directly from Trump Attorney, He Says
Michael Cohen revealed he gave Stormy Daniels $130,000 of his own money shortly before the 2016 election. “Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” said Cohen. He did not explain why he paid her the sum.—[The New York Times ](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/us/politics/stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-trump.html)Democrat Wins Special Election in Florida
Margaret Good beat Republican James Buchanan by seven points in the contest for a state legislative seat in the 72nd district—an area that favored Donald Trump in 2016. The victory marks the 36th time a state seat has changed from red to blue since Trump was elected. Good said people “still have hope that there’s going to be something better than our current administration."—The Washington Post

ICE Lawyer Charged in Identity Theft Scheme
Raphael A. Sanchez, the just-resigned chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Seattle, has been indicted on identity theft and wire fraud charges. Sanchez was accused of using names or documents (or both) belonging to at least seven immigrants to swipe money from credit card companies.—AP

Advertisement

Intelligence Chiefs Warn of Russian Threat to Midterms
The director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, and other US spy chiefs told the Senate Intelligence Committee the Russians will likely meddle in this year’s congressional elections. Coats said he expected the Kremlin to use “social media, false flag personas," and "sympathetic spokesmen” to try to “exacerbate social and political fissures in the United States.”—CNN

International News

Netanyahu Faces Possible Charges in Corruption Probe
Investigators are gunning for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust charges against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming they've dredged up “sufficient evidence” of corruption. Israeli’s attorney general will now decide whether to indict Netanyahu, who insists there is “nothing” in the claims. He is accused of accepting expensive gifts and conspiring with a newspaper editor to thwart a rival publication.—VICE News

French President Threatens Airstrikes in Syria
Emmanuel Macron said he would authorize strikes on Syrian facilities provided there is clear evidence Bashar al Assad’s forces continue to use chemical weapons against civilians. The threat came amid reports that the regime used chlorine gas to attack the fading rebellion over the past two months.—BBC News

South African Police Raid President's Business Associates
Three people were arrested after officers searched the Johannesburg home of the Gupta family, who are closely tied to embattled President Jacob Zuma. Police confirmed the raid on the Gupta home—as well as that of the managing director of one of the family’s companies—were linked to a corruption investigation.—The Guardian

Advertisement

Dozens of Immigrants Killed or Hurt in Libya Truck Crash
At least 19 people were killed and 78 others injured when a truck packed with immigrants rolled over about 50 miles outside Bani Walid. The Libyan town is known to be a focal point for human traffickers and African immigrants attempting to reach Europe.—Reuters

Everything Else

Shaun White Wins Landmark Gold Medal, Blows Off Harassment Question
The US snowboarder came out on top in the halfpipe at the Olympics in Pyeongchang, becoming the first male athlete to win three golds in snowboarding events. It’s also the 100th gold medal claimed by the US in the history of the winter games. But sexual harassment allegations against the athlete stemming from a 2016 suit loomed over the accomplishment.—NBC News/AP

Minnie Driver Resigns as Oxfam Ambassador
The actress cut ties with the NGO amid a scandal over staffers patronizing young sex workers in Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Driver said she was “horrified” by the allegations and disappointed by the “abhorrent mistakes of a troubling organization.”—CNN

The Lonely Island Sign Up for Clusterfest 2018
The trio will perform live at the Comedy Central festival in San Francisco this summer. Jon Stewart, Desus & Mero, and Tiffany Haddish are also set to appear at the three-day event in June.—Pitchfork

‘Atlanta’ Debuts a New Trailer
The FX network dropped a full-length trailer for the second season of Donald Glover’s acclaimed show. In it, Paper Boi moves up in his rap career, Earn gets his hands on some cash, and Darius warns that “robbin’ season” is in full swing.—[VICE ](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/zmwm5a/the-new-atlanta-trailer-gives-us-a-taste-of-robbin-season-vgtrn)New Kendrick Lamar Collaboration Out
The rapper features on a new track by Nipsey Hussle called “Dedication,” which premiered on Beats 1 radio Tuesday. The song is off the Californian artist’s upcoming album, _Victory Lap_.—Noisey

Transgender Player Accepted into Australian Football League Endures Online Scorn
The Australian Football League approved Hannah Mouncey to play in the women’s league at least at the state level, having blocked her entirely last year because she is trans. Mouncey was hit with a barrage of abusive online messages in the wake of the decision.—VICE

Make sure to check out the latest episode of VICE's daily podcast. Today we'll hear about five powerful black women who are creating spaces for other women and people of color across a range of industries.

Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of VICE delivered to your inbox daily.