Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 20 Dec 2018

1. May ‘must reduce migrant salary threshold’

A revolt by cabinet ministers is set to force Theresa May to backtrack on her decision to establish a post-Brexit threshold salary of £30,000 for migrants coming to the UK, according to The Guardian. The newspaper says rebels including Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark are pushing the prime minister to reduce the threshold to £21,000.

2. Gatwick chaos as drones force airport closure

The Gatwick Airport runway was closed this morning, with outbound flights cancelled and inbound redirected, after drones were flown over the airfield. Passengers reported chaotic scenes on social media, with diverted flights stuck on the tarmac at airports including Cardiff and Birmingham. Gatwick bosses said there had been “multiple” drone sightings.

3. Rudd: second Brexit referendum is ‘plausible’

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd last night insisted that a second national referendum on Brexit was a “plausible” way forward if MPs cannot agree on the terms of leaving the EU. Rudd added that she did not personally support a second vote but that the case for one would be stronger if MPs did not back Theresa May’s deal at a vote next month.

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4. Trump’s Syria withdrawal plan provokes anger

Donald Trump’s announcement yesterday that all US troops will be withdrawn from Syria has been met with heavy criticism, even from his supporters. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the decision was a “huge Obama-like mistake”. Trump insists Islamic State has been defeated, but analysts and foreign allies say that pockets of resistance remain.

5. Facebook faces backlash over private messages

Facebook could face legal claims for billions of pounds after it was revealed to have shared users’ private messages with other tech firms. MPs say data sharing revealed in leaked documents appears to have broken British and EU law on consent. The documents suggest that one service, Spotify, had the ability to access the messages of 70 million Facebook users a month.

6. Regular exercise ‘makes brain younger’

Regular exercise such as half an hour of walking or cycling three times a week could make your brain nine years “younger” within months, a new study suggests. US researchers recruited 160 previously sedentary people with an average age of 65 who had emerging memory or cognition problems – and found a marked improvement after six months among those who then became more active.

7. Game of Thrones team ‘paranoid about leaks’

Actor Iain Glen says the producers of hit fantasy TV series Game of Thrones are so “absolutely paranoid” about leaks they would only allow actors to access their scripts on iPads. “We weren’t allowed a written word on a page,” said the Scottish star, who plays Ser Jorah Mormont. He added the final season of the show will be “phenomenal”.

8. Volcano tourists taxing emergency services

A University of Cambridge geographer is warning that volcano tourism is endangering lives and putting a strain on emergency services around the world. The phenomenon may be on the rise because of mobile phone cameras and the growing number of people seeking to film themselves in dramatic settings, says Amy Donovan.

9. Excitement in New Zealand as Ikea arrives

Following “years of rumours and speculation”, news that Swedish furniture chain Ikea is opening a branch in New Zealand has triggered a “frenzy” of excitement there, says The Guardian. Foreign Minister Winston Peters has claimed credit for the decision, pointing out that he opened an embassy in Stockholm two months ago.

10. Briefing: is it worth investing in cannabis?

The increasing liberalisation of cannabis across the world is fuelling excitement among investors who regard the drug as the next big trend for both consumers and medicine.

In October, Canada became the second country, after Uruguay, to legalise the possession and recreational consumption of marijuana. So will the green rush be the next gold rush?

Pot stocks: is it worth investing in cannabis?