News summary for Monday, July 31, 2017

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By BNO NEWS

A quick look at the most important news of the last 24 hours:

  • President Donald Trump has ousted Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, just over a week after the former New York financier was named to the position. The abrupt removal followed a week of infighting at the White House, which led to the resignation of White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

  • North Korea has yet to master the technology to shield a nuclear warhead from the rigors of re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, a missile expert says, citing footage from Friday’s long-range missile test. Also on Monday, CNN reported that North Korea has carried out another test of a missile component that is critical to the development of submarine launch capabilities.

  • The U.S. has slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, condemning him as a “dictator” after Sunday’s disputed election to rewrite the constitution. The sanctions freeze all of Maduro’s assets which are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits American citizens from doing business with him.

  • Playwright, director, and actor Sam Shepard has died at the age of 73. He passed away at his home in Kentucky as a result of complications from ALS. Shepard wrote more than 40 plays, won the Pulitzer Prize for “Buried Child,” and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1983 film “The Right Stuff.”

  • Paris will host the 2024 Olympic Games after Los Angeles agreed to host the 2028 edition. Both cities had sought to host the 2024 event but a deal was agreed to on Monday.

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law banning tools that allow people to use the internet anonymously, including Tor and virtual private networks (VPNs). He also signed a second law that requires people to provide their phone number when signing up for online messaging services. Human rights groups have condemned the bill for infringing on civil liberties.

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