BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING

In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: the death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 106 and now has over 4000 confirmed cases. The update comes as the US and Canada issued travel warnings. 

Iraqi protesters in Baghdad remain defiant despite popular Shia leader withdrawing his support for the protests. Clashes between the anti-government protesters and security forces have entered their third day. 

Prince Andrew has not cooperated with the United States over attempts to interview him regarding Jeffery Epstein. In November, the prince said he would cooperate fully with US officials if required. 

Questions over the UK government’s ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ campaign have risen after a spending watchdog said the £46m campaign had little impact. 

Entertainment, the BAFTA’s are running the risk of losing credibility because of its lack of diversity according to the UK’s Time’s UP CEO. 

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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China says death toll from coronavirus rises to 106, and confirmed cases hit 4,515

Arab News says the death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 106 as the US warned against travel to China on Monday. 

In Canada, travel warnings have also been issued to avoid the spreading of the virus. Tens of millions find themselves stranded during the biggest holiday of the year and global markets are rattled. 

Global stocks fell, oil prices hit three-month lows and China’s yuan dipped to its weakest level since 2009 as investors fretted about damage to the world’s second-biggest economy from travel bans and the Lunar New Year holiday. 

The health commission of China’s Hubei province confirmed on Tuesday that 106 people have died from the coronavirus as of Jan 27. The number of confirmed cases in the province also rose to 4,515.

Read the full story on Arab News

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‘Doesn’t affect us’: Iraq’s Tahrir Square on Sadr pulling support

Aljazeera reports anti-government protesters in Iraq have struck a defiant tone at their main sit-in encampment in the capital after popular Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr’s withdrawal from the protests. 

Clashes with security forces have continued for the third day. Two protesters were killed on Monday in Nasiriya after unknown gunmen in pick-up trucks shot at them. 

On Saturday, clashes came shortly after influential Shia leader Muqtada-al-Sadr, who also heads the largest bloc in Parliament, announced he is withdrawing his support to the protests.

Read the full story on Aljazeera

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Prince Andrew has not cooperated with attempts to interview him about Jeffery Epstein, US Attorney says

CNN says the FBI and prosecutors with the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York contacted Prince Andrew’s lawyer to interview the prince about Jeffery Epstein, but have had “zero” cooperation.

Prince Andrew had previously said he was “willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations if required” after his disastrous BBC interview where he was questioned about his friendship with Epstein and alleged sexual encounters with an underage girl. 

“It’s fair for people to know whether Prince Andrew has followed through with that public commitment,” US Attorney Geoffery Berman said at a news conference Monday. 

“To date, Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation.”

Read the full story on CNN

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Watchdog queries impact of £46m ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ campaign 

BBC News says a multi-million-pound publicity blitz to get the public ready for leaving the EU appears to have had little impact, a spending watchdog has said.

The National Audit Office said £46m was spent on the “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign ahead of the UK’s expected departure at the end of last October. 

But the campaign was halted three days before the UK was supposed to leave after the EU granted another extension. 

The NAO said it was “not clear” it left people “significantly better prepared.”

Read the full story on BBC News

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BAFTA ‘at risk of losing credibility’ because of lack of diversity, Time’s Up CEO warns

Sky News says BAFTA is in danger of losing credibility with talent if it doesn’t change and reflect the diversity of the industry, the CEO of Time’s Up UK told Sky News.

Dame Heather Rabbatts said the awards need to urgently “address the structures that are meaning only certain films are making their way through the system.” 

The BAFTAs faced a backlash when it announced its nominations this year as no female directors were nominated and the acting nominees consisted of an all-white-line-up. 

Read the full story on Sky News

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