Hello! Here’s what’s happening on Thursday.
1. US President Donald Trump revoked former CIA director John Brennan’s security clearance. Brennan said Trump’s decision was “part of a broader effort … to suppress freedom of speech & punish his critics.”
2. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway disclosed that President Trump has affected her marriage. Conway’s husband George has not been shy about his public criticism of the president.
3. The US slapped sanctions on Chinese and Russian entities for helping North Korea earn billions from smuggling banned substances. The US Treasury said North Korea’s illegal cigarette trade netted over $1 billion per year.
4. Puerto Rico finally restored power to the entire island - nearly a year after Hurricane Maria hit. The hurricane killed over a thousand people and plunged 1.5 million homes and businesses in the dark for months.
5. China plans to launch satellites for daily monitoring over the South China Sea. Tensions have heightened over China's construction of artificial islands equipped with military facilities in the region.
6. The two women charged with murdering North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half brother will remain in custody. The court ruled that the prosecution had enough evidence to mount a case against them.
7. New Zealand is banning foreigners from buying property on its islands. Many overseas investors have been snapping up real estate in the secluded country in preparation for "doomsday."
8. Italy's deputy prime minister blamed the EU for the deadly bridge collapse that killed at least 39 people. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the Tuesday morning disaster.
9. Facebook admitted it was "too slow" to fight hate speech in Myanmar. The public statement followed a Reuters investigation on how the company failed to prevent abusive posts against the minority Rohingya.
10. China says it will launch two robots to the far side of the moon in an unprecedented lunar mission. The robots will study the geology and chemistry of the moon's most ancient and mysterious rocks.
And finally ...
Dramatic satellite images of Europe show how this summer's heatwave scorched entire countries