BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING

In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: In Bangladesh, a 10-year-old’s communication app is creating a big buzz. Since Saturday 10,500 people have already downloaded the app. 

Prince Harry has broken his silence since it was announced him and Meghan are to lose their HRH titles and step down from all royal duties.

A trove of documents recently published show how Africa’s richest woman stole her fortune from her country.

In China, a mysterious virus has spread beyond the city it was first reported in. Over the weekend 139 new cases were reported. One person has already died because of the virus.

In Lebanon, the anti-government protests have turned violent, leaving scores of people wounded. 

Entertainment, Folk singer David Olney has died on stage in Florida at the age of 71. 

All this and more in today’s news briefing – A daily roundup of all the news headlines that you need to know, summarised as part of WTX News Briefing.

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10-year-old Bangladeshi’s communication app creates buzz

Arab News reports a 10-year-old Bangladeshi’s communication app – Lita Free Video Calls and Chat – has created a huge buzz among local internet users. A massive 10,500 people have already downloaded the app from the Google Play Store since Saturday. 

Ayman Al-Anam submitted the app to Google on Dec.27 and by Dec.31 Google uploaded the app to its Play Store. 

“Currently, Bangladeshi internet users are most dependent on apps like WhatsApp, Viber and Imo for communication overseas,” Al-Anam told Arab News. 

“I thought we should have something of our own, which inspired me to start working on my communication app.”

Read the full story on Arab News

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Prince Harry: No other option but to step back

BBC News says Prince Harry has said he is “taking a leap of faith” in stepping back from being a senior royal, saying “there really was no other option.” 

Speaking at an event on Sunday, he said he and Meghan had hoped to keep serving the Queen, but without public funding. 

The prince said he wanted to make it clear he and Meghan were “not walking away.”

“The UK is my home and a place that I love, that will never change,” he said.

Read the full story on BBC News

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Documents reveal how ‘Africa’s richest woman’ stole her fortune from her country

France24 says a trove of files were published on Sunday allegedly showing how Africa’s richest woman syphoned hundreds of millions of dollars of public money into offshore accounts. 

The New York-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIL) worked with newspapers such as Munich’s Suddeutsche Zeitung to reveal the “Panama Papers” tax haven scandal in 2016.  

Its latest series called “Luanda Leaks” zeros in on Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of former Angola president Jose Eduardo dos Santos. 

Angola’s prosecutors froze the bank accounts and assets owned by Isabel Santos last month. She described the act as a groundless political vendetta. 

Read the full story on France24

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Coronavirus spreads to Beijing as China confirms 139 new cases over the weekend

CNN says China has reported 139 cases of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus, including a third death, as the outbreak spreads beyond the city.

Health authorities confirmed two new cases in Beijing on Monday, while Guangdong authorities reported one case in Shenzhen — the first confirmation from authorities that the mysterious virus has spread domestically beyond the central city of Wuhan.  

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission announced Monday that 139 new patients were diagnosed with the virus. Of those, one person has died, two are in a critical condition and 33 are in a serious condition.

Read the full story on CNN

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Scores wounded as Lebanon’s anti-gov’t protests turn violent

Aljazeera News says scores of people have been wounded in Beirut after security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds of anti-government protesters. 

The protesters were heading to Martyrs’ Square – the hub of a months-long protest movement calling for changes to the country’s political and financial systems. 

“Over 65 people … have been taken to nearby hospitals and over 100 people have been treated at the scene,” a spokesman said. 

“A direct and violent confrontation is taking place with anti-riot police at one of the entrances to parliament,” the Internal Security Forces said on Twitter.

Read the full story on Aljazeera

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Nashville folk singer David Olney dies on stage

Sky News says the Nashville folk singer David Olney has died on stage during a performance in Florida, a statement on his website confirmed.

Amy Rigby and Scott Miller, musicians who were performing with Olney, have both said the songwriter apologised to the crowd before closing his eyes. 

The 71-year-old died after suffering a heart attack during the show in Santa Rosa Beach on Saturday.

Read the full story on Sky News

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