Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 21 Nov 2016
- 1. Struggling families '£2,500 a year worse off by 2020'
- 2. Study finds UK kids among least active on the planet
- 3. Obama may comment on Trump's policies
- 4. MPs and doctors slam 'secret £22bn NHS cuts plan'
- 5. Nick Clegg leads calls for cannabis to be legal
- 6. Nicolas Sarkozy drops out of presidential race
- 7. UK naval defences 'woefully low', say MPs
- 8. Trump state visit under consideration
- 9. May calms business concerns over Brexit
- 10. Briefing: Five of the world's most expensive private islands
1. Struggling families '£2,500 a year worse off by 2020'
Welfare cuts will leave struggling families more than £2,500 a year worse off by 2020, say researchers. A study of 187,000 households found austerity cuts would hit low-income working families by £48.90 a week by the end of the decade, despite Theresa May's vow to help households that are "just about managing".
2. Study finds UK kids among least active on the planet
Children in the UK are among the least active in the world, an international study claims, with physical activity being "stripped out" of modern lifestyles. Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, called for radical changes in family routines and said exercise was a "magic pill" that would be a "pharmaceutical blockbuster" if it could be bottled.
3. Obama may comment on Trump's policies
Outgoing US President Barack Obama says he may speak out after leaving office if he feels Donald Trump is threatening core US values. If an issue "goes to core questions about our values and our ideals and if I think that it's necessary or helpful for me to defend those ideals, then I'll examine it when it comes", he said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
Donald Trump sued by two states over business links
4. MPs and doctors slam 'secret £22bn NHS cuts plan'
Doctors and MPs have reacted with horror to reports that local health bosses are drawing up secret plans to force through £22bn of cuts, closing hospitals, A&Es and wards. Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said: "The Tories are starving the NHS of the cash needed and patients are suffering as a result."
5. Nick Clegg leads calls for cannabis to be legal
Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and a cross-party group of MPs have renewed calls for cannabis to be legalised. Senior Lib Dems and a number of Labour and Tory MPs backed a report arguing the UK should follow the lead of the US, where eight states have legalised the drug. UK politicians "need to open their eyes", Clegg said.
6. Nicolas Sarkozy drops out of presidential race
Nicolas Sarkozy has conceded defeat in the battle to be the centre-right candidate for French president after coming third place in the primary with more than 80% of the votes counted. "I failed to convince a majority of voters," he said. Former prime ministers Alain Juppe and Francois Fillon will now battle it out.
French elections: Francois Fillon wins conservative primary
7. UK naval defences 'woefully low', say MPs
Britain's naval defences are at risk as uncertainty grows over plans to replace the "woefully low" number of Royal Navy warships, warn MPs. The defence select committee says the UK could "lack the maritime strength" to meet potential threats unless a clear timetable is set out for replacing older vessels.
8. Trump state visit under consideration
Donald Trump could make a state visit to the UK next year, where he would be the guest of the Queen, Downing Street has said. The government is anxious to maintain the "special relationship" between the US and UK and an invitation is "under consideration", said a spokeswoman. Earlier this year MPs debated banning Trump from entering the UK.
9. May calms business concerns over Brexit
Prime Minister Theresa May has tried to calm business fears over Brexit in a speech to the CBI. She promised early agreement on the status of UK nationals in Europe and EU nationals in the UK and clarity on negotiations. She also covered other topics and pledged to invest £2bn annually in research and development by 2020 and a new fund backing areas such as robotics and biotechnology.
Will May match Trump's corporate tax cuts?
10. Briefing: Five of the world's most expensive private islands
Buying an island is not an everyday occurrence. Those who splash out on their very own beach-laden paradise generally don't want to skimp on their investment. Here are some of the most expensive islands on earth available to buy right now.
Five of the world's most expensive private islands
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published