Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 23 Jan 2019

1. George Osborne: ‘Brexit delay most likely option’

Former chancellor George Osborne has said that delaying the UK’s exit from the EU is now the “most likely” Brexit option. Osborne, now editor of the London Evening Standard, described a no-deal Brexit as being like Russian roulette for the economy. Meanwhile, the EU has warned Britain that quitting the bloc without an agreement would lead to a hard border in Ireland.

2. Warning to drivers as ice blankets UK

The Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning for the UK, with freezing conditions and ice causing difficult driving conditions. The warning applies to most of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the west of Scotland. Wintry showers are expected to bring light snow to some areas.

3. Speedboat fugitive Shepherd ‘hiding in Georgia’

A fugitive who failed to attend his trial for the manslaughter of a woman killed when his defective speedboat crashed on the River Thames is in the former Soviet state of Georgia, newspapers claim. Jack Shepherd fled justice in March last year and was found guilty in his absence for the death of Charlotte Brown, 24, who died during a late-night drunken date with the web developer in 2015.

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4. IT meltdown causes chaos in law courts

Thousands of legal cases have been delayed or disrupted across England and Wales because of an IT meltdown. The court service’s main computer network has crashed repeatedly since last week. The failure is embarrassing for the Ministry of Justice, which has been promoting the idea of holding more hearings online to save costs.

5. Far-right groups ‘may feed off Brexit tension’

The UK’s most senior counterterrorism police officer has warned that far-right groups may exploit the heated passions provoked by Brexit to gain support. Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said a “far-right drift into extreme right-wing terrorism” was possible. He also revealed that of 18 terror plots foiled since 2017, four originated from the far-right.

6. Social media stars agree to reveal sponsorship

Sixteen social media “influencers” including models and video bloggers have agreed to change the way they post after the Competition and Markets Authority said they must clearly state whether they have been paid to endorse products. The watchdog said singers Ellie Goulding and Rita Ora and vlogger Zoella were among those who have said they will comply.

7. Cardiff City striker Sala feared dead in plane crash

Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala is unlikely to have survived a suspected plane crash over the English Channel, rescuers say. The 28-year-old and a pilot whose name has not been released are thought to have crashed into the sea near Guernsey, where wreckage has been spotted. Sala was on the way to Wales for his first training session at Cardiff City FC after signing to the club in a £15m deal on Saturday.

8. Sony to move European HQ over Brexit

Electronics giant Sony is to move its European headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands, in a bid to avoid customs issues arising from Brexit. The firm said that staff and existing operations in the UK would not be affected by the move. The announcement comes less than six months after Sony rival Panasonic revealed it was moving its European HQ from London to Amsterdam.

9. Amazon slips down poll amid ethical concerns

Online giant Amazon has slipped from first to sixth place in the biannual UK Customer Satisfaction Index, published today by the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), after new questions were added to the survey asking consumers to rate firms for their ethics. Amazon has been criticised repeatedly for its employment practices.

10. Briefing: can the US ‘devastate’ Turkey’s economy?

Donald Trump has vowed to destroy Turkey’s economy if its forces attack Kurdish fighters after US troops withdraw from the conflict in Syria.

With Turkey still recovering from last year’s currency crisis, The Week examines if - and how - the US president could carry out his threat against America’s Nato ally.

Fact check: can the US ‘devastate’ Turkey’s economy?