Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by VICE.Trump Pledges Report on Hacking Within 90 Days
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged that his "people" will issue a "full report" on Russian hacking within 90 days. In a series of tweets early Friday morning, Trump also insisted the claims made in a dossier alleging Russia held compromising personal information about him "were put together by my political opponents and a failed spy."—BBC NewsSpeaker Ryan Says GOP Not Focused on Mass Deportation
House Speaker Paul Ryan says a new government force focused on mass deportation of illegal immigrants is "not happening." President-elect Donald Trump has teased reversing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that has granted temporary protection to more than 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the US in their childhood. But Ryan said deportation of all DACA immigrants "was not the focus," at least in Congress, and that Trump wanted to deport violent criminals.—CNN / AP
US News
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged that his "people" will issue a "full report" on Russian hacking within 90 days. In a series of tweets early Friday morning, Trump also insisted the claims made in a dossier alleging Russia held compromising personal information about him "were put together by my political opponents and a failed spy."—BBC NewsSpeaker Ryan Says GOP Not Focused on Mass Deportation
House Speaker Paul Ryan says a new government force focused on mass deportation of illegal immigrants is "not happening." President-elect Donald Trump has teased reversing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that has granted temporary protection to more than 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the US in their childhood. But Ryan said deportation of all DACA immigrants "was not the focus," at least in Congress, and that Trump wanted to deport violent criminals.—CNN / AP
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Obama Ends Special Status of Cuban Arrivals
President Obama has ended the so-called wet-foot, dry-foot policy that allowed Cubans coming to the US without a visa permanent residency after a year. In exchange for a tightening of the rules, Cuba has agreed to accept its own citizens who return from abroad after a longer period of time. Obama said the US would now treat Cubans "the same way we treat migrants from other countries."—The Washington PostC-SPAN Broadcast Interrupted by Russia Today Network
C-SPAN is investigating how a live, online broadcast of a hearing in the House of Representatives was interrupted by RT (Russia Today) for around ten minutes. C-SPAN said the problem was more likely an "internal routing error" rather than the result of hacking. Representative Maxine Waters, who had been speaking about Russian hacking at the time of the interruption, said she found it "strange."—VICESyria Accuses Israel of Rocket Attack Near Damascus
Syria has accused Israel of firing rockets at a military airbase in Mezzeh, west of Damascus. The activity was reported on Syrian state television and Bashar al Assad's military warned Israel of "the repercussions of the flagrant attack." Israeli forces declined to not comment.—ReutersAustralian Health Minister Resigns Over Expenses Scandal
Australia's health minister, Sussan Ley, has quit following the discovery she used trips to Queensland's Gold Coast funded by taxpayers to buy an apartment. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said a new independent body will be set up to scrutinize expenses claimed by ministers and MPs.—The Australian
President Obama has ended the so-called wet-foot, dry-foot policy that allowed Cubans coming to the US without a visa permanent residency after a year. In exchange for a tightening of the rules, Cuba has agreed to accept its own citizens who return from abroad after a longer period of time. Obama said the US would now treat Cubans "the same way we treat migrants from other countries."—The Washington PostC-SPAN Broadcast Interrupted by Russia Today Network
C-SPAN is investigating how a live, online broadcast of a hearing in the House of Representatives was interrupted by RT (Russia Today) for around ten minutes. C-SPAN said the problem was more likely an "internal routing error" rather than the result of hacking. Representative Maxine Waters, who had been speaking about Russian hacking at the time of the interruption, said she found it "strange."—VICE
International News
Syria has accused Israel of firing rockets at a military airbase in Mezzeh, west of Damascus. The activity was reported on Syrian state television and Bashar al Assad's military warned Israel of "the repercussions of the flagrant attack." Israeli forces declined to not comment.—ReutersAustralian Health Minister Resigns Over Expenses Scandal
Australia's health minister, Sussan Ley, has quit following the discovery she used trips to Queensland's Gold Coast funded by taxpayers to buy an apartment. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said a new independent body will be set up to scrutinize expenses claimed by ministers and MPs.—The Australian
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China State Media Issues Warnings Over South Sea Islands
Any attempt to block China from accessing artificial islands constructed in the South China Sea would likely lead to confrontation, according to editorials in Chinese state media outlets. The warnings came after secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson said the US should stop China's access to the islands. The China Daily stated that "it would set a course for devastating confrontation."—BBC NewsPalestinians Protest Over Power Cuts in Gaza
About 10,000 Palestinians protested in the streets of the Gaza Strip over ongoing electricity cuts Thursday, an unusual public show of frustration with the Hamas leadership who control the territory. Security officers fired into the air to disperse a huge crowd outside the electricity company, where some threw stones and set tires on fire.—The New York TimesAssange Agrees to Extradition if Manning Granted Clemency
Julian Assange says he would agree to extradition to the US if President Obama grants Chelsea Manning—who provided the documents that got Assange's WikiLeaks international attention—clemency before he leaves office. Even so, Assange continues to insist on the "clear unconstitutionality" of American criminal allegations.—TIMEBo Jackson Would Not Have Played Football if He Had Known Risks
Former football and baseball star Bo Jackson says he "would never have played football" if he knew about "all of those head injuries." Jackson notes concerns about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) mean he would never let his kids play football today, either.—USA TodayDead Whale Washes Ashore in NYC
A dead minke whale has been discovered washed ashore in Flushing Bay near one of LaGuardia Airport's runways in New York City. The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation wants to remove and examine the 15-foot whale.—ABC NewsCMT Host Cody Alan Comes Out as Gay
Country Music Television host Cody Alan came out in a Facebook post, becoming the channel's first openly gay presenter. "I hope this news won't change how you see me," he wrote. "I'm still the same Cody I always was."—NoiseyNintendo Reveals Zelda and Mario Games for Switch
Nintendo has revealed release details for the Switch console at an event in Tokyo. Costing $299.99, it will be released worldwide March 3 along with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. A new Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey, is also on the way.—MotherboardBaltimore Unveils New Rules for City Cops
Baltimore and the federal government unveiled the terms of a new consent decree for the city's police force Thursday. The 227-page document includes details of a new a community-oversight task force. The reforms still require the approval of a judge.—VICE
Any attempt to block China from accessing artificial islands constructed in the South China Sea would likely lead to confrontation, according to editorials in Chinese state media outlets. The warnings came after secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson said the US should stop China's access to the islands. The China Daily stated that "it would set a course for devastating confrontation."—BBC NewsPalestinians Protest Over Power Cuts in Gaza
About 10,000 Palestinians protested in the streets of the Gaza Strip over ongoing electricity cuts Thursday, an unusual public show of frustration with the Hamas leadership who control the territory. Security officers fired into the air to disperse a huge crowd outside the electricity company, where some threw stones and set tires on fire.—The New York Times
Everything Else
Julian Assange says he would agree to extradition to the US if President Obama grants Chelsea Manning—who provided the documents that got Assange's WikiLeaks international attention—clemency before he leaves office. Even so, Assange continues to insist on the "clear unconstitutionality" of American criminal allegations.—TIMEBo Jackson Would Not Have Played Football if He Had Known Risks
Former football and baseball star Bo Jackson says he "would never have played football" if he knew about "all of those head injuries." Jackson notes concerns about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) mean he would never let his kids play football today, either.—USA TodayDead Whale Washes Ashore in NYC
A dead minke whale has been discovered washed ashore in Flushing Bay near one of LaGuardia Airport's runways in New York City. The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation wants to remove and examine the 15-foot whale.—ABC NewsCMT Host Cody Alan Comes Out as Gay
Country Music Television host Cody Alan came out in a Facebook post, becoming the channel's first openly gay presenter. "I hope this news won't change how you see me," he wrote. "I'm still the same Cody I always was."—NoiseyNintendo Reveals Zelda and Mario Games for Switch
Nintendo has revealed release details for the Switch console at an event in Tokyo. Costing $299.99, it will be released worldwide March 3 along with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. A new Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey, is also on the way.—MotherboardBaltimore Unveils New Rules for City Cops
Baltimore and the federal government unveiled the terms of a new consent decree for the city's police force Thursday. The 227-page document includes details of a new a community-oversight task force. The reforms still require the approval of a judge.—VICE