US News
House Votes to Limit Online Privacy Protections
The House voted 215 to 205 Thursday, on a largely partisan basis, to allow internet providers to sell customers’ browsing histories and other personal data without their consent. Privacy groups and the Democratic minority leader, Nancy, Pelosi attacked the GOP for the move. “The American people do not agree with Republicans that this information should be sold, and it certainly should not be sold without your permission,” she said. The repeal of an Obama-era regulation, having already passed the US Senate, goes to President Trump for his signature.—AP/Motherboard
Nunes Says He’ll ‘Never’ Reveal Source for Surveillance Claim
Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has refused to reveal his source of evidence for claims regarding the “incidental” surveillance of President Trump’s transition team. When questioned by a reporter about documents he reportedly viewed on White House grounds, Nunes said: “We will never reveal those sources and methods.” On Tuesday, Representative Walter Jones became the first Republican in Congress to call on Nunes to step aside from the Russia investigation.—Reuters/The Hill
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Army General Says US ‘Probably’ Behind Deadly Mosul Strike
Lieutenant General Stephen J. Townsend says US-led coalition forces “probably had a role” in collapsing a building that killed dozens of civilians in Mosul. The commander said there was “a fair chance” a US airstrike helped topple the structure, but that “the munition that we used should not have collapsed an entire building.” Estimates for the number of casualties vary from 61 people up to 150.—The New York Times
Wells Fargo on the Hook for $110 Million to Settle Phony Account Suit
Wells Fargo has agreed to shell out $110 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over roughly 2 million phony bank and credit card accounts opened in customers’ names without their knowledge. Chief executive Tim Sloan said the settlement was “another step in our journey to make things right with customers and rebuild trust.”—Los Angeles Times
International News
British Prime Minister Triggers Brexit
Prime Minister Theresa May signed a letter Wednesday cementing the UK’s formal exit from the EU, nine months after the country voted narrowly in favor of the move. The letter, to be delivered to the EU Council president, Donald Tusk, explains the UK’s intention to leave under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and will launch a two-year process.—Reuters
Wife of French Presidential Candidate Under Investigation
French authorities are now openly probing presidential candidate François Fillon’s wife as their “fake jobs” scandal deepens just weeks before the election. Penelope Fillon is being investigated for several possible offenses, including embezzlement of public funds. The candidate himself is also under investigation over similar allegations.—CNN
Evacuation Deal Made for Besieged Villages in Syria
Around 60,000 residents of four besieged villages in Syria will be allowed to evacuate under a deal negotiated by Iran and Qatar. Residents in the government-held villages of Foah and Kefraya, and residents in the rebel-held villages of Madaya and Zabadani, are expected to be evacuated within the next week or so.—BBC News
UN Workers Found Dead in DRC Congo
Two UN researchers and their interpreter have been found dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo two weeks after they went missing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said there will now be an investigation into the deaths of US citizen Michael Sharp, Swedish national Zaida Catalan, and Congolese interpreter Betu Tshintela.—Al Jazeera
Everything Else
Legendary NWA Album Added to Library of Congress
N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton and Talking Heads’ Remain in Light are among 25 albums and songs to have been added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. They were all considered to be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”—TIME
Tinder Makes Desktop Version of App
Tinder is launching a desktop version of its dating app. Users will be able recreate the left-swipe/right-swipe experience by dragging their mouse or clicking on arrows when Tinder Online hits the US later this year. But the idea is to make the new iteration more about chatting and less about relentless swiping—Wired
Bob Dylan Archive Opens Up to Researchers
An archive dedicated to the work of Bob Dylan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been opened, but only to verified researchers who apply to study it. A portion of the 6,000 artifacts will be on view for the public at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa’s Brady Arts District.—Rolling Stone
Danny Brown Drops Jonah Hill–Directed Video
Rapper Danny Brown released a surreal, blood-splattered new video for his track “Ain’t It Funny.” Directed by Jonah Hill, the video features Brown in a 1980s sitcom spoof in which he battles with a massive pill and a bottle of cough syrup.—Noisey
Apple Removes App Tracking US Drone Strikes
Apple has banned a third-party app called Metadata that tracks US drone strikes around the world. It is the 13th time the company has removed the app from its App Store, even though it displays no graphic content.—Motherboard
Man Finds Giant ‘Blunt’ on Daytona Beach
A Florida man discovered five pounds of weed inside an 18-inch package wrapped like a huge blunt while picking up trash on Daytona Beach, Florida. Volusia County Beach Safety said it had likely been smeared with blood to throw drug-sniffing dogs off the scent.—VICE
