BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING
In today’s briefing update, The headlines are: Nearly 29,000 Afghanistan civilians have been killed in the past decade, according to a report. The report says all sides failed to comply with international human rights laws.
President Trump has delivered a speech on the eve of what is likely to be his impeachment acquittal. The president refused to shake hands with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – she was seen ripping up his speech.
Hong Kong has confirmed its first coronavirus death. The official death toll for the coronavirus has jumped to 490 after a massive 65 people died in one day.
In the UK, dozens of people have been arrested in a ‘courier fraud’ crackdown. Fraudsters targetting mostly old people and conning them out of their money whilst posing as a courier or police officer.
Telsa’s stocks have soared – shares rose as much as 20.5%, trading as high as $940. Over the past few days, Telsa’s stock is up 40%. It valued Telsa at about $170 billion.
Entertainment, the government are seeking to decriminalise non-payment of the BBC TV licence. It comes at a time when the BBC finds itself entering a period of turmoil.
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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Nearly 29,000 Afghan civilians killed in the past decade, report says
Arab News says Afghanistan’s warring sides were accused of failing to obey international law on Tuesday. It comes after estimates show that 28,979 civilians had lost their lives in the past decade due to the ongoing war in the country.
The claims were made by a report released by Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). It shows more than 80,000 causalities were reported among non-combatants in the past decade.
“Findings by the AIHRC indicates that 86,823 civilians, including women and children, were harmed by the conflict between 2009-2019 (with 28,979 killed, and 57,844 injured),” the report said. And added that the high number of civilian causalities “indicates all sides’ failure to comply with international humanitarian law.”
Read the full story on Arab News
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Trump gives State of Union on eve of the final impeachment vote
Aljazeera says addressing the nation, President Trump declared the US is “stronger than ever before” on Tuesday night. His State of the Union address was delivered on what is likely to be the eve of his impeachment acquittal.
The first president to run for reelection after being impeached, Trump received a strong welcome from the House of Representatives. His fellow Republicans chanted “Four More Years” while Democrats stood silently.
“America’s enemies are on the run, America’s fortunes are on the rise and America’s future is blazing bright,” Trump declared. “In just three short years, we have shattered the mentality of American decline and we have rejected the downsizing of America’s destiny. We are moving forward at a pace that was unimaginable just a short time ago, and we are never going back.”
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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Hong Kong sees its first coronavirus death as confirmed infections in China exceed 2,300
France24 says Hong Kong has reported its first death from the coronavirus as millions in China are ordered to stay indoors.
The confirmed death toll in China rose again to 490 after Hubei province reported 65 people died in one day – the biggest single-day tally since the first fatalities emerged.
More than 20 countries have confirmed cases of the virus which prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a global health emergency. Many airlines have suspended flights to and from China and travel restrictions have been put in place.
The WHO said Tuesday that the dramatic measures taken by China had provided a “window of opportunity” to halt transmission while calling for more global solidarity to combat the virus.
Read the full story on France24
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UK: Dozens arrested in ‘courier fraud’ crackdown
BBC News says more than 40 people have been arrested in a crackdown on courier fraud across England and Wales.
Police say more than 3,000 people, most of them elderly, have been duped into handing over large sums of cash to people posing as a courier or police officer.
In October, a couple from Dorset lost almost £1m, including their pensions and all their savings. They were left with just £187 after the fraudsters went back time and again.
“This is a despicable crime,” said Cdr Karen Baxter of City of London Police.
“Fraudsters specifically target older people by exploiting their trust in the police and their bank, to bleed them dry,” she said.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Telsa’s stock is out of this world – up 114% this year
CNN says Telsa’s stock soared on Tuesday continuing its rally in which the stock has soared for days, weeks and months.
Telsa’s shares rose as much as 20.5%, trading as high as $940. It valued Telsa at about $170 billion.
Over the past two days, Telsa’s stock is up 40%. And their shares have jumped 274% since early last July.
“While Telsa shares remain on a historic rally post earnings, the bull party will likely continue in the near-term as the aggressive trajectory of [the shanghai plants] production and demand out of Shanghai look very strong out of the gates,” Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives wrote on Monday.
Read the full story on CNN
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Refusal to pay BBC TV license could be decriminalised
Sky News says TV viewers who refuse to pay the BBC license fee can expect to avoid being prosecuted in the future. PM Boris Johnson’s move could lead to the licence fee being scrapped altogether.
The outgoing culture secretary Nicky Morgan, in one of her last acts before stepping down, is launching a public consultation on whether to end the non-payment of the licence fee being a criminal act.
It comes in the same week it was announced that the cost of the annual TV licence fee will increase by £3 from 1 April at a time when the BBC is entering a period of turmoil.
BBC’s director-general Lord Hall is quitting, BBC News is facing spending cuts of £80m and the loss of 450 jobs.
Read the full story on SKY News
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