Hello! Here’s what you need to know on Wednesday.

1. North Korea just showed it had a missile that can hit the US or Australia and it has prompted the US to say the era of “strategic patience” had ended and that “all options,” including military strikes, were on the table for reeling back the rogue state.

2. The US and South Korea have fired missiles as a “show of force” in response to the North. The missiles with “deep strike precision capability” were fired to emphasis the solidarity between the US and the South.

3. The reaction from the US and the South came just hours after China and Russia urged both parties to cease military exercises on the Korean Peninsula. The two countries have joined diplomatic forces in an attempt to defuse ongoing tensions in the region.

4. The Reddit user who created a GIF of US president Donald Trump body slamming and punching CNN’s logo has apologised for racist and anti-Semitic comments he made in the past. “I am in no way this kind of person. I love and accept people of all walks of life and have done so my entire life,” the user said.

5. Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet for the first time this week and while their meeting has “no specific agenda”, the pair will have lots to discuss.

6. The UAE is still waiting for Qatar’s response to its demands. The Gulf countries are boycotting Qatar over its alleged support for terrorism were still awaiting a response to their demands via mediator Kuwait.

7. Cycling’s most popular rider, Peter Sagan, kicked off the Tour de France after he was involved in a nasty crash that sent sprint rival Mark Cavendish flying into a crowd barrier and onto the ground at high speed. Cavendish, the sport’s greatest sprinter, has been forced to withdraw with a broken shoulder.

8. Emirates says the laptop ban on US flights has been lifted “effective immediately”. According to a statement from the airline, it has been working in coordination with various aviation stakeholders and the local authorities to implement heightened security measures and protocols that meet the requirements of the US Department of Homeland Security’s new security guidelines.

9. Volvo says all its cars launched from 2019 will be fully electric or hybrids. It is the first major traditional automaker to set a date for the complete phase-out of combustion-engine-only vehicles.

10. Someone just bought $800 million in Australian government bonds in a single trade. It’s the largest ever purchase by one bidder, based on auction records that date back to 1982.

And finally…

Bill Gates made these 15 predictions in 1999 — and it’s scary how accurate he was

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