Daily briefing Saturday 20th September

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 the Times Daily Briefing on Saturday 20th September. A cyber attack is causing disruption at a number of major European airports, including Heathrow.

0:43Heathrow says Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for several airlines, has been targeted. So far, it's also known that airports in Brussels and Berlin are affected. Russia's Defence Ministry has denied its jets violated NATO airspace after being accused of an unprecedentedly brazen incursion. Estonia's government says three Russian jets flew through its airspace for 12 minutes yesterday. Donald Trump was asked about it by reporters. Russian jets entered Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes. Do you see that as a threat to NATO? Well, I'm going to have to look at it. They're going to be briefing me in a short while.

1:18So I'll let you know about it tonight or tomorrow. What's your take in general? Well, I don't love it. I don't love it. I don't love when that happens. It could be big trouble. Estonia says it will ask for Article 4 discussions from NATO, which aim to formally respond to threats. Elsewhere, Volodymyr Zelensky says a major Russian attack has killed three people and injured dozens more. Ukraine's president says 580 drones and 40 missiles were fired overnight. The House of Commons Speaker has told The Times dropping charges against two men accused of spying for China leaves the door open for foreign agents to interfere with Parliament.

1:52Sir Lindsay Hoyle is considering bringing a private prosecution. Former Conservative leader Ian Duncan-Smith, who co-chairs the Interparliamentary Alliance on China, suggested to Times Radio there's been political interference to drop the case. How do you suddenly go from absolutely certain to too difficult? There's got to be something else in the mix on this one. And I think we're seeing a lot of pressure from China on the UK because the new government is dead keen on getting some kind of trade arrangement. And President Xi has made it clear to them he doesn't want this prosecution. So I have a very cynical understanding of where the government has been on this one.

2:25The Director of Public Prosecutions has insisted the CPS's decision was made independently. The suspended Labour MP Zahra Sultana says she's instructing defamation lawyers after a round with Jeremy Corbyn. The Coventry South MP is meant to be setting up the left-wing party, your party, with the former Labour leader. However, she accused her fellow MPs of being a sexist boys club after she encouraged people to sign up to a membership link, which Mr Corbyn later said was unauthorised. In the Women's Rugby World Cup, England need to overcome France in Bristol to make a seventh final in a row. Whoever wins will play Canada after they shocked the defending champions New Zealand 34-19 in the other semi-final last night.

3:06And the sculptor, who will create the national memorial to the late Queen, says he still doesn't have a firm idea of how the statue will turn out. Martin Jennings says he wants to take in people's views before he draws up his plans. This work will be looked at by the millions, you know, and you've got to satisfy not only yourself, but somebody coming new to it. And that person has to see it as not only a true representation of the subject, Queen Elizabeth, but also as a compelling work of art. The final design for the memorial in St James's Park in London will be unveiled next year, 100 years since Queen Elizabeth II was born.

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