Afternoon Briefing Wednesday 4th November

0:00At PwC, we optimize the systems that put your data to work, so you can scale your AI from proof of concept to competitive edge, and accelerate your tech evolution so you can redefine what's possible. From blueprint to breakthrough, we take you further with tech. So you can outthink, outpace and outperform. PwC, so you can. PwC refers to the PwC network and or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity.

0:34Welcome to the Times Radio afternoon briefing for Wednesday, the 4th of November. Donald Trump has been branded a lame duck president after his Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress in the U.S. midterm elections. The Democrats now have the power to vote down his agenda. They can start investigations in the House and block appointments in the Senate. In Texas, James Tallarico has become the first Democratic senator there since 1988. We're the underdogs in this race. We went up against nearly 40 years of doubt and disillusionment. We went up against more than$300 million, more than any Senate campaign in American history.

1:14We went up against all the negative ads, smear campaigns, foreign bots and AI deepfakes that money can buy. Those attacks were the final howls of a dying establishment. Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh is vehemently opposed to President Trump and is now registered as a Democrat. He's given Times Radio his reaction to these results. The victory margin surprised pretty much everyone, how big it was. So for Donald Trump to do what he ordinarily does, which is to say it was stolen, it was rigged, you mean in every state, in every single state in this country? Even he couldn't say that and get away with it.

2:00Greg Swenson is the chairman of Republicans Overseas, he's told Times Radio he still supports the MAGA movement. As Obama called it, this was a shellacking. So I'm not suggesting that there aren't things that need improvement. And I think the president made some mistakes. He's definitely lost some of his real core MAGA-based support by starting the conflict in Iran or trying to end the 47-year conflict in Iran, whichever way your view is. But I will remind you that presidents always get beat up in the midterms. The Houses of Parliament are said to be at risk of a catastrophic event, which could endanger lives if the building is not renovated.

2:40All the options are expensive, with the biggest costing up to£39 billion over 61 years. Minister James Frith says he has a damp, cold office, but voters' interests must come first. The fiscal and monetary climate at the moment is very difficult. I don't think your listeners would want MPs talking about refurbishment of where they live and work. instead of tackling and gripping some of the issues that are facing across the country. And in football, Scott Parker has been confirmed as the new head coach of West Ham. The Hammers' former captain signed a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Nuno Espirito Santo.

3:17He will take charge for tonight's championship fixture at Cardiff City. You can follow the Times Radio news briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online. At PwC, we optimize the systems that put your data to work so you can scale your AI from proof of concept to competitive edge and accelerate your tech evolution so you can redefine what's possible. From blueprint to breakthrough, we take you further with tech so you can outthink, outpace, and outperform. PwC, so you can. PwC refers to the PwC network and or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity.

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