Daily briefing Sunday 5th 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 Sunday 5th April. Donald Trump says an American crew member rescued after a fighter jet was shot down over Iran is safe and sound.

0:45The weapons systems officer was forced to eject from an F-15, with US teams racing to reach him before Iranian forces, who were offering cash rewards. It's understood there was an exchange of fire during the operation. Gabrielle Weineger is the Times correspondent in Tel Aviv. The officer basically evaded Iranian locals who were hunting him down. He had a bounty on his head of tens of thousands of dollars. And he was brought back to safety, Donald Trump saying that he did sustain injuries but, quote, will be fine. I think what's really interesting here is to see how quickly they got things together.

1:23His life was on the line. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has warned Iran it has 48 hours to strike a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face increased U.S. strikes. Iran has so far rejected the demand, dismissing it a warning of consequences. Israeli political analyst Arya Kovla told Times Radio the rhetoric marks a sharp escalation around one of the world's most critical oil routes. There is a sense from the US that things are now going all steam ahead and that this will may in fact step up a gear. Americans are talking about, Trump is talking about destroying masses of Iranian civilian and infrastructure, power plants, water decalination plants, as a reaction to the Strait of Hormuz not being opened.

2:08The government's announced plans to change the rules on sofa safety, after warnings that sofas in the UK contain some of the highest levels of toxic flame retardants in the world. Campaigners say up to a fifth of sofa foam can include chemicals now classed as carcinogenic. The substances can escape into household dust and have been linked to a range of health concerns. Martina Lees is a senior property writer at The Times. The reason why this is the case in Britain and not in the rest of the world is because the way we are required to test sofas means it's almost impossible to pass those tests without putting all these flame retardants in the foam and usually also in the fabric of the sofas.

2:51So those rules came in in 1988 in response to a fire in Manchester. But ever since 1988, pretty much every so far in this country has been loaded with these chemicals. More than 12 million people will see their state pension rise by£575 a year from tomorrow. Monday's 4.8 % increase, which is in line with average earnings growth, will take the full rate of the new state pension from£230 to£241 a week. And the crew of the Artemis II mission could reach the far side of the moon as early as tomorrow. Astronauts on board have been taking turns to pilot the spacecraft during the journey. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

3:37This 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. Hey everybody, it's Farnoosh Charabi from the So Money podcast.

4:21Today's episode is sponsored by NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, the show that breaks down financial decisions with a team of trusted journalists. You'll get research-backed insights and clear pros and cons, whether you're planning a big purchase or just want to grow your wealth. They explain the why behind decisions like investing, home buying, and choosing credit cards with clear research-backed insights. Make your next financial move with confidence. Follow NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast on your favorite podcast app.