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Sajid Javid, speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, insisted the UK will press ahead with plans to impose a 2% digital tax on tech giants, despite warnings of retaliatory tariffs from the United States. Photo: World Economic Forum 

Digital tax war of words

The UK’s plans to levy a 2% tax on the profits of giant tech companies has caused tension with the USA, The Guardian and Financial Times report. The subject was raised at a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos featuring UK chancellor Sajid Javid and US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin. Mnuchin said any countries introducing such a measure will face tariffs says CNBC. “We think the digital tax is discriminatory in nature,” Mnuchin said, adding that president Trump and UK prime minister Boris Johnson would be speaking about the subject. Meanwhile, France24 reports that the US and France have confirmed a truce in their war of words over the latter’s plans to introduce a digital tax.

Bezos phone hack has far-reaching consequences

UN human rights experts have demanded an immediate investigation into allegations Saudi Arabia's crown prince hacked Amazon boss and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos's phone, CNN and the BBC report. The Guardian says the special rapporteurs expressed concern that the surveillance was an “effort to influence, if not silence, the Washington Post’s reporting on Saudi Arabia”. Business Insider and Mother Jones link the latest revelations to the story last year about The National Enquirer and its owner, AMI trying extort Bezos over compromising photos. That story is itself linked to the financing of Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. Meanwhile, Forbes looks into the consequences for all phone users if even the richest man in the world can have his phone hacked with a simple WhatsApp message.

Trump ponders travel ban extension

US president Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed that his administration is considering expanding the current programme of visa restrictions for people travelling to the United States, the Associated Press, Vox and the BBC report. The seven new countries on the tentative list are Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania.

China puts Wuhan on lockdown

Chinese authorities have banned the 11 million residents of Wuhan, the city at the centre of the so-called coronavirus, from leaving the city, CNBC, Aljazeera and The Washington Post report. CBS reports that pharmaceutical company Novavax is working on a vaccine. Scientific American says a study suggests that snakes could be the original source of the virus. And The Hill asks if it is time to panic over the virus.

Dos Santos named in corruption investigation

Isabel dos Santos, the billionaire at the centre of the Luanda Leaks affair, has been formally named as a suspect by Angolan authorities investigating allegations of corruption and nepotism. The Guardian, which helped break the Luanda Leaks as part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, has the latest.

Terry Jones dies

Terry Jones, a member of the iconic Monty Python comedy team who directed the films “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (together with Terry Gilliam) and “The Life Of Brian”, has died at the age of 77. The Times has an obituary and The Guardian has a life in pictures.

Something for the weekend

Friday 24 January: If you like indie pop, then Northern Irish trio Two Door Cinema Club at den Atelier might be right up your street. Saturday 25 January: Riccardo Chailly conducts the Filarmonica della Scala as they play Beethoven’s violin concerto (with soloist Renaud Capuçon, who performs regularly at the Phil) and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”. Sunday 26 January: George Cukor’s classic thriller “Gaslight”, starring Ingrid Bergman (who won an Oscar), Joseph Cotten and Charles Boyer is on at the Cinémathèque at 8.30pm

Stars shine at Gaultier’s last show

Iconic French designer bowed out in style on Wednesday as stars including Gigi and Bella Hadid and Dita Von Teese modelled designs for what he has claimed will be his last runway show at Paris Fashion Week. ENews and Page Six have reports and photos.

Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts