Daily briefing Saturday 25th April

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 Times Radio's daily briefing on Saturday 25 April. President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected in Islamabad this weekend for talks with Iran's foreign minister.

0:48Abbas al-Aqqi, however, says no direct talks are planned. President Trump says Iran is hoping to make an offer that is aimed at satisfying US demands, while the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran had a chance to make a good deal. The Times correspondent Richard Spencer says Iran's approach to any direct exchanges with the Americans will be significant. Mohammed Baga Gallagher, the chief negotiator, he and some of his colleagues think that just for self-preservation, the regime needs to make some sort of compromise. The hardliners are saying, you know, we can be sort of North Korea, if you like, we can just go on without any support from the West, without any engagement and make no concessions at all.

1:30So that does seem to be happening. It does seem to be a real dynamic. The US Vice President J.D. Vance, who led the first round of negotiations, will remain in Washington, but is said to be on standby to travel if there were signs of progress. The owner of British Airways is warning of increased airfares because of the Iran war. IAG says it is not immune to rising fuel costs as vital oil shipping routes remain closed, but insists it's not seeing any disruption to supplies. Allies of Angela Rayner have told Zakir Starmer that he will have to sack his home secretary if he wants the former Deputy Prime Minister to return to the Cabinet.

2:08The Times has learned that Starmer is planning a reshuffle after next month's local elections to enhance his chances of political survival. Rayner, who was forced to resign after she failed to pay stamp duty on a property in Sussex, has been critical of Shabana Mahmood's plans to make it more difficult for migrants in the UK to settle on a permanent basis. A veteran of the Falklands War in 1982 says the UK should not fear another conflict over the island after a report suggested the United States might reconsider its stance on the British overseas territory. It's said to be one policy circulating in the Pentagon as possible retaliation against allies who are perceived not to have supported the war against Iran.

2:50Argentina has disputed British control for almost 200 years and now wants to reopen the debate over the island's future. Speaking to Times Radio, the Special Forces soldier Robin Horsfall said Argentina can't afford to renew hostilities. Wars have a habit of becoming expensive and creating changes that nobody can expect. We freed the people of the Falkland Islands, but we also freed the people of Argentina from a military junta. Democracy returned to Argentina as a result of our victory. And officials in Washington, D.C. have corrected a mistake that saw the American capital decorated with Australian flags ahead of the state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

3:34President Trump says he intends to discuss the Iran war with the king. The future of NATO and the UK's digital service tax on American tech firms will also be on the agenda. There's more on all of these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

3:53This 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 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?

4:43Well, 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. Get started at Acast.com slash advertise.