Afternoon briefing Thursday 18th December

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters. PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. Welcome to the Times Afternoon Briefing on Thursday 18th December. The number of people in hospital in England with flu continues to rise and remains at a record level for this time of year.

0:43More details from Times Radio's Emma Kerwin. An average of 3 ,140 flu patients were in hospital each day last week, up 18 % on the previous week. In 2023, it was just 648. In terms of critical care, 128 flu patients were on those units last week, up from 106 in the previous seven days. Resident doctors are on the second day of a five-day strike. Patients being warned they face disruption into the new year, with stoppages by medics expected to continue into 2026. NHS bosses are concerned the walkouts will be the defining feature of the health service next year. Government ministers told Times Radio that chants of globalised the intifada could inspire attacks such as the mass shooting on Bondi Beach.

1:34Jess Phillips was asked about the decision of police in London and Manchester to arrest people if that phrase is used. Jewish people find it threatening. That is the thing that happened in Australia this week. The idea that there should be a violent uprising has led to the deaths of many people, children being slain on a beach. Whether it seems like it is simply a protest, we have to look at what the outcomes that we are seeing and deal with them. Two people have been arrested after shouting slogans calling for Interfada at a pro-Palatinean demonstration in central London last night. Boys as young as 11 who are developing troubling attitudes towards women could be given anti-misogyny courses.

2:14It's part of the government's long-awaited strategy to halve violence against women and girls. The lessons could include image-based abuse, peer pressure, coercive behaviour, online harassment and stalking. The Children's Commissioner, Dame Rachel D'Souza, says some boys simply need support and encouragement. If you read all the literature, all you would think is that they're on incel sites, they've got no communication skills and they've all got like behaviour problems. Rubbish. We've got to catch them doing good things. We've got to recognise some of the needs for boundaries and exciting fun and outside.

2:48We need those male role models. BP's chief exec is to leave with immediate effect. Murray Orkincloss has been in the role for under two years. His replacement will arrive from Australia where she leads Woodside Energy. More details from The Times' business editor Richard Fletcher. Bit of a landmark move for the energy industry. Meg O 'Neill will become the first female CEO of a global oil supermajor. She's been in the industry for 20 years and she'll join in April. And she also, not just the first woman, but she's the first outsider to be appointed as chief executive of BP. And you can follow The Times News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online.

3:30This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwC. AI is everywhere. In the news, in our hands, but return on investment, not so much. So how do you get beyond the hype and deliver AI that powers reinvention and growth across your business? Strong foundations unlock AI's potential. That's why PwC takes you further with tech, strengthening the data quality, processes and workflows that shape how well AI performs. PwC turns innovation into implementation so you can accelerate from experiment to scale. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. Granger knows when you're a procurement manager for an office park, you're not managing one building, you're managing all of them.

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