Evening briefing Monday 21st July

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 Evening Briefing for Monday 21st July. The United Kingdom and 25 other nations have issued a joint statement condemning Israel's handling of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

0:47The signatories, including France, Canada and Japan, say it is dangerous and a trigger for instability. The statements, released by the UK's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, also called on Israel to lift aid restrictions and allow UN agencies to operate freely. Times Radio's political correspondent is Theo Usherwood. We've seen repeated reports of Palestinians being shot at, suffering horrific injuries when they have gone to aid depots to collect food and medical supplies. It goes on to say, we, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message. The war in Gaza must end now.

1:24We are prepared to take further action to support immediate ceasefire. A reform UK government would cut crime in half within five years of taking office. That's according to the party's leader, Nigel Farage. Outlining his pledge to make reform the toughest party on law and order that this country has ever seen, he said every shoplifter would be prosecuted and stop-and-search powers used to saturation point. Speaking to Times Radio, the reform councillor, Leila Cunningham, said crime is out of control, even though many key indicators actually suggest it's in decline. We do not have control of our streets.

1:58We have no visible policing. We have gangs walking around in balaclavas completely unchecked. and we have knife crime as rampant. As a prosecutor, just so you know, across cities, there are knives hidden in playgrounds, in bushes. Environmental campaigners have criticised the findings of a major review into the water system in England and Wales. A report by Sir John Cunliffe features 88 recommendations. Steve Reid, the Environment Secretary, said the government would oversee a water revolution, including the abolition of the regulator of what? Critics, however, say it is unlikely to deliver any real change.

2:32Ash Smith is the founder of Windrush against Sewage Belution. Tinkering with the regulation is going to achieve nothing. We're still going to have a bunch of people in charge of our precious national infrastructure and water assets who are focused on making as much money for themselves as they possibly can. A new inquiry will examine one of the most violent confrontations of the miners' strike of the 1980s. Miners from across the country clashed with police officers outside the Orgreave coking plant in South Yorkshire in June 1984. Chris Kitchen is the General Secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers.

3:07Speaking to Times Radio, he said the tactics of the police must be re-examined. There were a lot of forward planning went into it with the number of police officers, the mounted police there, the dog sections there. So in hindsight, it feels a bit like a set-up and we need to know who we're trying to set us up and get to uncover that. then the hope is that we can then start to move forward. And plans to expand the site of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships are to go ahead after a legal challenge against the decision to approve them was dismissed by a High Court judge. The proposals include the construction of 38 new tennis courts and an 8 ,000-seat stadium.

3:47You can follow The Times News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online.

3:57by 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. Today's episode is sponsored by NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, the show that breaks down financial decisions with a team of trusted journalists.

4:46You'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.