BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING
In today’s briefing update, world leaders are reacting to the US air attacks on Shia militia.
Thousands of tourists and locals are trapped on an Australian beach as the raging fires, which have turned the sky red, continue.
A Romanian woman has died after being set on fire during surgery.
In the UK, the National Living Wage is set to rise by 6.2% in April. The massive rise has been met with backlash.
Entertainment, Sharon Stone appeals to dating app Bumble after her account was closed as people thought it was fake.
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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US attacks Shia militia: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Russia, Israel react
Aljazeera reports the US carried out attacks on the Shia armed group Kataiab Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria, killing at least 25 fighters, the US Pentagon said on Sunday. 
According to Iraqi security and militia sources, at least 55 fighters were wounded in the air attacks.
Iraq’s PM Adel Mahdi condemned the US air-strikes and said the attack would have “dangerous” consequences.
Russia’s foreign ministry on Monday described the “exchange of strikes” between Hezbollah and US forces in Iraq as “unacceptable”, and called for restraint from both sides.
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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‘Utterly surreal’. Thousands trapped on an Australian beach by a massive fire, turning skies red
RT News reports a raging fire has trapped up to 4,000 people on a beach at a popular tourist resort in Australia, turning the sky red and raining ember storms. 
Near to the seaside town of Mallacoota early on Tuesday, the inferno has left thousands of tourists and locals stranded with no route of escape, as officials warn of extreme fire-induced thunderstorms and “ember attacks” in the area.
Three “strike teams” of emergency workers have been sent to watch over the thousands of people trapped on the beach.
Read the full story on RT News
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Romanian woman dies after being set on fire during surgery
Fox News says a Romanian woman with pancreatic cancer has died after she was apparently set on fire last week
during a surgical procedure, according to reports.
Surgeons at a Bucharest hospital had treated the 66-year-old patient with an alcohol-based disinfectant on Dec. 22 before using an electric scalpel that caused combustion and the patient ignited “like a torch”, wrote Romanian politician Emanuel Ungureanu on his Facebook page.
Read the full story on Fox News
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UK: National living wage to rise by 6.2% in April
BBC News says the national living wage is to rise by 6.2 % in what the government says is “the biggest cash increase ever.” 
It is more than four times the rate of inflation and takes hourly pay for people over 25 to £8.72 from April.
Boris Johson said: “For too long, people haven’t seen the pay rises they deserve.”
But businesses warned the sharp increase in wages would put pressure on companies and urged the government to reduce costs elsewhere for firms.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Sharon Stone appeals to dating app Bumble after being kicked off the platform
ITV News says actress Sharon Stone has appealed to dating app Bumble after her account on the platform was 
removed.
The matchmaking site said Stone’s account had been removed after it received reports it could be fake, according to a statement on Twitter.
Bumble said her profile looked “too good to be true” but has now made sure she won’t be blocked again.
Read the full story on ITV News
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