Author: WTX News

Authorities in Bangladesh are still waiting for permission from UN inspectors to start the controversial relocation of 100,000 Rohingya refugees to a newly built $275 million island camp.  No relocation date has been given just yet, as, despite the tiny island being ready for families to move onto, UN technical experts still need to carry out health and safety checks.  “Although everything is ready on the ground, we are yet to fix a date to begin the relocation process,” Shah Kamal, senior secretary of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, told Arab News.  A UN visit to the…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: Lebanon has formed a new government after months of mass protests and financial crisis. But the new government is unlikely to satisfy the demonstrators.  KFC Australia’s newest advert has caused an online backlash and has been labelled as ‘sexist’, but one publication asks if it was all just a clever PR stunt? In Baghdad, the latest clash between protesters and security forces has claimed one life and wounded dozens more after Iraqi forces fired live rounds and tear gas.  DAVOS 2020, President Trump’s keynote speech was not what…

A senior leader of India’s government has said the BJP will deport 10 million Muslims. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) announced that the government of India is working full throttle in implementing and executing the nationwide National Register of India and announced that the government will send back at least 10 million Bangladeshi Muslims living in the West Bengal state illegally. They have been classified as illegal because they have failed to provide accurately held identity documents, despite having lived in the country for generations. Such are the strict guidelines of the National Register defined by the Citizenship Amendment…

China: Top officials have warned lower-level officials not to cover up the spread of a new coronavirus that has now infected nearly 300 people.  The warning came as state media confirmed six people have now died from the virus, which causes a type of pneumonia. And it has been confirmed the virus can pass from person to person.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) will consider declaring an international public health emergency – as it did with swine flu and Ebola. If this declaration is made it will be seen as an urgent call for a coordinated international response.  So far…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: The Republicans plans for a quick impeachment trial for President Donald Trump has drawn out anger. Davos 2020 will see Climate Change take centre stage – President Trump is to give the first keynote speech at the meeting. Climate activist Greta Thunberg will also attend a meeting at the forum.  In the US, a pro-Second Amendment rally – a rally against new anti-gun measures in Virginia was not ‘extremist’ as the media and Hollywood would have you believe.  In Baghdad, anti-government protests have left 3 dead after clashes…

Three men have died in a stabbing in east London.  Police were called at about 19:40 GMT on Sunday to reports of a disturbance in Elmstead Road in Seven Kings, Ilford.  Three men in their 20s or 30s were found by emergency services with apparent stab wounds, the Met Police have said. The three men were pronounced dead at the scene. And no arrests have been made yet, the Met added.  Police are in the process of formally identifying the victims and informing the next of kin.  Ch Supt Steve Clayman said: “While inquiries into this tragic incident are at…

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…

Brief. BrIEf.Me In today’s briefing update, the Sunday papers focus on the recent royal news – a deal has been reached for Meghan and Harry. They will stop all royal duties and give up their HRH titles.  In our special feature, we take a look at the Harvey Weinstein trial – ‘Bias, big-data and likes’  ……………………………………………………. Freedom at a price “Freedom… at a price” says the Sunday Express as news Prince Harry and Meghan will no longer use their HRH titles and will not receive public funds. They will now be known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess…

Growth in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to rise to 2.9 per cent in 2020. According to the World Bank on Tuesday in its January 2020 Global Economic Prospect report. The bank cited improved investor confidence in some large economies, easing of energy hurdles, a rise in oil production, which led to a recovery in oil exporters, as indicators. It also mentioned robust growth among agricultural commodity exporters within the region. https://twitter.com/WorldBankAfrica/status/1217861870817808387 This is a weaker forecast than previously expected. And it reflects a softer demand from key trading partners, lower commodity prices and adverse domestic developments in several countries. In…

New York State’s financial regulator has proposed a new plan that would allow licensed virtual currency firms that have already received approval for digital coin listings to introduce new coins without additional permission. The announcement was made earlier this week on Wednesday and The plan would impose certain conditions on New York- licensed virtual currency firms that want to offer new coins without the regulator’s preapproval. New crypto framework The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) is asking for the public’s input about the plan, which the regulator said stems from a review of its current virtual currency…

WeWork’s leasing activity plunged 93% in the fourth quarter after a failed IPO attempt. Total space leased dropped to 184,022 square feet from an average of 2.54 million square feet over the previous four quarters. The company signed only four new leases covering 184,022 square feet of space in the last three months of 2019, marking a 93% drop from an average of 2.54 million square feet over the previous four quarters. Newly leased space in the flexible office leasing market plummeted 75% in the fourth quarter to just under 1 million square feet from 3.95 million in the prior…

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said President Donald Trump is a “clown” who only pretends to support the Iranian people, referring to the US President’s comical twitter messages in Farsi, and will “push a poisonous dagger” into their backs, in his Friday sermon. https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1216503368715309057 In his first sermon in eight years the Supreme leader responded to the recent missile attack on U.S. troops in Iraq led to “American humiliation,” and said “They stealthily and cowardly assassinated General Soleimani in a terrorist fashion. This resulted in a disgrace for America.” The Ayatollah was addressing huge crowds that had gathered in…

Wolf Cukier, 17, made quite the impression during the third day of his NASA internship.  The teen was helping out at the space agency in the United States and was checking images from its super-strength satellite when he noticed something strange.  It was a new planet, 1,300 light-years away from Earth, NASA has confirmed. Wolf is now back at high school in New York but took some time to chat to Radio 1 about his discovery.  The teen explained he got the two-month placement with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre last summer. He was given the job of examining…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: The Australian Tourism board has called on the government to lure visitors back after bushfires cost tourism A$1 billion.  In the US, despite repeatedly saying no there was no US causalities during last week’s attack on an Iraq base housing US troops – the US now says 11 troops were hurt.  ‘No Arabs Please’ said a job rejection email at a prestigious architect firm in Germany. A screenshot of the email has gone viral and ignited outrage online.  Christopher Tolkien, the son of “Lord of the Rings “…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: TV cameras will soon be allowed into Crown Court for serious high-profile criminal cases. But only the Judges comments during sentencing will be filmed, not the trial itself. Popular site Reddit went down in parts of the United States and Europe, many users took to Twitter to vent their frustrations. Thousands of problems were registered within just a couple of hours. In France, a former Catholic priest who is on trial for sexually abusing children has blamed the Church for failing to help him. The former priest said…

Extreme weather has claimed the lives of more than 70 people in Pakistan-administred Kashmir and neighbouring Afghanistan, as heavy snowfall triggers avalanches.  55 people in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and 15 people in Afghanistan have died, officials said on Tuesday.  The latest deaths raise the two countries’ overall death toll from the severe weather to 126 since Sunday. From the snowy Alps, this may not seem very extreme. However, both Pakistan and Afghanistan are not prepared for such cold or extreme weather, so the slightest increase in extremity severely affects the region.  https://twitter.com/PakistanVisit1/status/1217108523970187265 The Himalayan region of Kashmir was the worst-affected area,…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: Israeli jets strike Syria – Syrian military has said Israeli jets have struck airbases in Homs. They say their air defence intercepted several missiles.  A ‘staggering number’ of human rights activists were killed last year in Colombia according to the UN.  In the UK, the government has struck a deal to save regional airline Flybe. The Democrats have released new documents on the eve of President Trump’s impeachment trial. In Pakistan, extreme weather has claimed the lives of at least 73 people – ten people are still missing. …

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, the Canadian prime minister has said further talks over Harry and Meghan’s move to Canada are needed. He said the shape and cost of the move have yet to be discussed.  A third day of protesting in Iran after public anger boils over downed Ukrainian passenger plane.  An 11-year-old in Mexico shot and killed his teacher and injured 6 others. The boy has also been confirmed dead. Authorities say they believe the school shooting was influenced by a video game.  The US has warned the potential rollout of Huawei 5G in…

A volcano in the Philippines has started spewing red-hot lava, and authorities have warned of “an imminent hazardous eruption.” Multiple sources have predicted the volcano will erupt within a matter of hours.  The Taal Volcano in Batangas province, South of the capital Manila, began to erupt in the early hours of Monday after blasting steam and rock up to 15,000 metres into the air on Sunday.  Clouds of ash travelled more than 62 miles north to Manila and forced a partial shutdown of the country’s main airport. The ash clouds have led to more than 240 international and domestic flights…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, the Queen will meet with senior royals at Sandringham today to discuss the future of the Sussexes’ – and hopes for it to be sorted within a matter of days. A second day of protesting in Iran following the accidental downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane. Iranians have taken to the streets to demand senior leaders resign. A Russian soldier who is accused of a mass shooting at a military garrison in Serbia has claimed he is the victim of hazing. In the US, Secretary of Defence Mark Esper says he…

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed Zac Goldsmith in the House of Lords, much to the disapproval of Labour and Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). His appointment allows him to keep his ministerial job despite losing his seat in the election. The election was the second time Goldsmith was ousted by the Liberal Democrats in Richmond Park. But now he’s been made a life peer and reappointed as environment minister by the PM. Labour has accused the prime minister of presiding over “government-appointed jobs for mates.” Goldsmith just happens to be friends with Johnson and his partner. The MCB says…

Brief. BrIEf.Me In today’s briefing update, the Sunday papers focus on the recent royal news – Prince William has expressed his “sadness” over broken bond with his brother and the Queen is holding a royal meeting on Monday. In our special feature, we take a look at why Meghan and Harry have stepped down as senior royals, and what happens next. …………………………………………………….Historic Royal Meeting: Showdown at SandringhamThe Sunday Express declares a “showdown at Sandringham”, ahead of the meeting the Queen will hold with Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Prince William. Meghan is expected to join via conference call from Canada. Read the full…

In 2018, on average a woman reported a rape every 15 minutes in India, according to government data. The data reflects India’s reputation of being one of the worst places in the world to be for a female.  The highly publicised and horrific gang rape and murder of a woman on a bus in New Dehli in 2012 bought tens of thousands onto the streets across India. It sparked outrage from leading film stars and politicians, leading to harsher punishments and new fast-track courts.  The violence continues Women reported almost 34,000 rapes in 2018, which had barely changed from the…

BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING In today’s briefing update, the Duchess of Sussex has returned to Canada while discussions continue over the role she and Prince Harry will play.  Iran warns of ‘dangerous response’ if the US attacks again. On Wednesday, Trump said it appeared Iran was standing down. In Australia, nearly half a million people have been told to evacuate ahead of a heatwave and high winds. The current weather warning brings fears the winds will fan the existing fires causing them to spread. The world’s worst case of measles has killed more than 6,000 people in the Democratic…

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they are to step back as “senior” royals and split their time between the UK and North America. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they plan to carve out a “progressive new role” in the Royal Family and intend to “work to become financially independent.” How has it come about? The royal couple said after months of reflection and internal discussion, they reached the decision. The pair have faced months of intense scrutiny at the hands of the media. Prince Harry has previously said: “I lost my mother and now I watch my…