Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 26 Nov 2015

1. Turkey releases audio of warning to Russian pilot

Turkey has released what is says is an audio recording of warnings given to the pilot of the Russian warplane it shot down on Tuesday. Russia has denied that its SU-24 bomber was in Turkish airspace when it was targeted, and that it was warned. One of the crew was killed by gunfire as he parachuted out. The other was rescued.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

2. Families still worse off after tax credit U-turn

Economists have said that low paid families will still be out of pocket in the future despite George Osborne's U-turn on tax credits. Yesterday, the Chancellor announced he would scrap plans to cut tax credits for millions of low-paid workers, partly because of forecasts of improved tax receipts. However, families will still be affected by other welfare changes.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Autumn Statement 2015: who will win and who will lose?

3. Syria air strikes 'will make Britain safer': PM

The Prime Minister has told MPS that UK air strikes on Islamic State (IS) in Syria would make Britain safer. He told the House of Commons that the Sunni militants pose a threat to Britain and say the country should not "sub-contract its security". A vote on military action will be held within weeks. Cameron suffered defeat in a similar vote in 2013.

Syria 'planning a new chemical attack', US claims

4. Obama supports protests against police shooting

US president Barack Obama has said he is "deeply disturbed" by a police video showing a white officer shooting a black teenager 16 times, killing him. In doing so, Obama leant his support to a second night of orderly demonstrations against police brutality in Chicago. Laquan McDonald was 17 when Jason Van Dyke killed him.

Chicago braced for more protests over Laquan McDonald video

5. Pope urges Kenyans to work for peace

Making his first official visit to Africa, Pope Francis has urged Kenyans to work together for peace and reconciliation after rising violence, with Islamist groups targeting Christians. A leading Muslim cleric in Kenya welcomed the visit as giving "hope". Francis will visit Uganda and the Central African Republic on a five-day tour.

6. Donald Trump mocks disabled reporter in speech

Prospective Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is at the centre of another controversy after mocking a disabled reporter during a campaign speech. Talking about New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski: "You've gotta see this guy", before waving is arms around. Kovaleski has a condition called arthrogryposis, which affects the joints.

Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives

7. North and South Korea hold rare talks

Officials from North and South Korea are holding rare bilateral talks in the truce village of Panmujon in the demilitarised zone between the two nations. The BBC says the discussions are unlikely to produce any "grand result" but are significant nonetheless. It is hoped these talks will build trust for higher-level summits later.

8. Net migration reaches record high of 336,000

Net migration into the UK reached a new high of 336,000 in the year to June according to government figures. The rise was due to a 62,000 increase in immigration, which rose to 636,000 and a 20,000 reduction in emigration, which fell to 300,000. The government is hoping to bring the net migration figure to below 100,000 by 2020. Most of the new arrivals came to work or study.

9. 'Domestic violence' call-out was man killing spider

Police in Sydney say they were called out in the early hours of Sunday to deal with a suspected domestic violence incident - only to find a man alone in his flat trying to kill a spider. Neighbours reported a 'woman' screaming, furniture being thrown and a man shouting: "I will kill you." The man was said to be "quite embarrassed".

10. Briefing: the ins and outs of the Autumn Statement

George Osborne made a big announcement at the beginning of his Autumn

Statement: that the cuts to tax credits will be cancelled altogether. No

softening, no transitional help, the government is merely allowing tax

credits to phase out as wages increase. But there were other U-turns too,

as well as less eye-catching measures that could prove equally important

in the long run.

Autumn Statement 2015: who will win and who will lose?