Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 1 Feb 2019

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1. Amber warning for snow and low temperatures
2. One in three firms to relocate after no-deal Brexit
3. Amazon shares hit by sales forecast
4. Fears for mother after newborn found in park
5. Ofsted warns of ‘deep concern’ for Steiner schools
6. Polar vortex grips US – but temperatures are rising
7. US court finds Assad murdered UK journalist
8. School defends LGBT lessons following petition
9. Woman thanks train driver who stopped suicide
10. Briefing: will there be a Peterborough by-election?

published 1 February 2019

1. Amber warning for snow and low temperatures

The Met Office issued an amber “be prepared” warning for parts of southeast England this morning, after snow fell through the night. Commuters were warned to check their journeys before travelling. Overnight, more than 100 people abandoned their cars in Cornwall and slept in a remote pub, which set up makeshift dormitories.

2. One in three firms to relocate after no-deal Brexit

The Institute of Directors says almost a third of its 30,000 member firms plans to relocate some or all operations outside the UK if there is a no-deal Brexit, or has already done so. The business group’s interim director, Edwin Morgan, said: “The unavoidable disruption and increased trade barriers that no deal would bring are entirely unproductive.

3. Amazon shares hit by sales forecast

The share value of online retail giant Amazon fell by almost 5% in after-hours trading, in response to lower-than-expected forecast sales for the first three months of 2019. Despite record profit over Christmas, Amazon believes sales growth in the first quarter will be less than had been anticipated, at between 10% and 18%. Profits rose by 63% in the last quarter of 2018.

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4. Fears for mother after newborn found in park

Police in London say they are “increasingly concerned” for the well-being of a mother who left a newborn baby in a public park in East Ham. The baby girl was found late last night and is now stable in hospital. Officers say the mother may be “in need of urgent medical attention” and have urged her to contact a hospital or GP.

5. Ofsted warns of ‘deep concern’ for Steiner schools

The education watchdog has urged the Government to consider closing Steiner schools that fail to protect children and provide a high-quality education. Ofsted said that six of nine of the alternative schools recently inspected were judged “inadequate”, and described the findings as “deeply concerning”. Inspectors found that some of the schools failed to adequately safeguard children, and some did not properly vet staff.

6. Polar vortex grips US – but temperatures are rising

The extreme cold weather in the US shows some signs of abating, with temperatures rising in the midwest of the country yesterday. However, the polar vortex still has the country in its grip, with a total of 21 deaths now attributed to cold weather that has seen temperatures dropping as low as -29C in Chicago.

7. US court finds Assad murdered UK journalist

A US court has ruled that the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad is liable for the murder of UK-based journalist Marie Colvin in 2012. The 56-year-old died in an artillery attack in the besieged city of Homs. Judge Amy Jackson said the regime should pay $300m (£229m) in damages to Colvin’s family.

8. School defends LGBT lessons following petition

A primary school in Birmingham is resisting calls to stop teaching children to accept LGBT people, after 400 parents signed a petition calling for its No Outsiders programme to end. Assistant head teacher Andrew Moffat resigned from another primary school in the city in 2013 following a similar dispute with Muslim and Christian parents.

9. Woman thanks train driver who stopped suicide

A woman who planned to throw herself under a train has been reunited with the driver who prevented her suicide by sounding his horn and then leaving his cab to talk to her. Liv Pontin had two letters in her pocket that day: one for her father and another apologising to the driver, Ashley John. They were reunited on BBC Two’s Victoria Derbyshire programme.