Afternoon briefing Wednesday 25th March

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. This is your Times Radio news briefing for the afternoon of Wednesday 25th March. Two men have been arrested over the attack on ambulances run by a Jewish charity on Monday.

0:45Reporter Amelia Beltrou has more. The men aged 45 and 47 were arrested this morning in London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. Both men have been taken to a police station where they remain in police custody. However, the Met's head of counterterrorism says that the CCTV footage suggests there were three people involved and that the investigation remains active. Four ambulances were set on fire in Golders Green at half one in the morning. Iran says Donald Trump is negotiating with himself, suggesting peace is not on the cards, although it has said non-hostile vessels can now travel through the Strait of Hormuz.

1:23The route has been blocked as ships and oil tankers feared to pass through, causing global oil prices to increase. Prices decreased by 4 % this morning as a result. Times Radio's business correspondent Dominic O 'Connell has more. They're saying that if you're not taking part in the war, perhaps we'll let your vessels through. And Lloyd's List is reporting this morning that some tanker owners have paid as much as$2 million to get through, to go through on the Iran side. Iran's ambassador to Pakistan has said there have been no talks between the US and Iran, directly or indirectly. Hundreds of teenagers are going to take part in a trial to ban social media.

2:00Experts will look at how their family life, schoolwork and sleep is affected over six weeks. Science Secretary Liz Kendall told Times Radio what they're looking into. A ban on social media for under-16s. We're also looking at overnight curfews. Also breaks in scrolling with parents and children and young people to see how it goes, how people feel about it, how easy it is to implement. The health secretaries told Times Radio that a 26 % rating for satisfaction in the NHS is no reason for complacency but is better. It was 21 % last year and was a record low in 2024, where Streeting told us the health service was improving.

2:42We've also now got grounds for optimism, not through promises of future improvement, because people can see that I am achieving something after 20 months in office that we have not seen for most of the past 20 years. The rate at which prices are increasing stayed steady last month at 3%. Furniture, clothing and footwear were the items which increased the most between February last year and February this year. The overall figure of inflation doesn't yet cover the impact of the conflict in Iran. Five adverts for supplements have been banned for implying that they could prevent, treat or cure menopause or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

3:20They include the brands Nova, Polybiotics and Minerva Wellness. The Advertising Standards Authority says the advert's claims went beyond authorised health claims. For more stories like this, listen throughout the day to Times Radio. This 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.

4:02PwC turns innovation into implementation so you can accelerate from experiment to scale. Discover more at pwc.co.uk Do you keep hearing podcast ads, like this one for example, but always wonder how you actually get involved with them for your own brand or organization? Well, it's easier than you think. We're Acast and we give you the platform to do it all yourself. Browse thousands of popular podcasts, choose the shows that match your perfect audience, set your budget and launch. And if you want a hand, our podcast specialists are there to help you launch with confidence. This is podcast advertising without barriers.

4:45Get started at Acast.com slash advertise.