Evening briefing Thursday 12th June

0:00The youth mental health crisis is growing, and social media is a major driver. Kids are spending up to 9 hours a day on screens, often unsupervised, and studies show a direct link to anxiety, depression, and social media. That's where Gab comes in. Gab offers safer phones and watches for kids with no social media, tailored to every age, offering the right tech at the right time, or tech in steps. From GPS-tracking-enabled watches for younger kids to phones with parent-enabled apps for teens, each device allows kids to more safely grow their independence. Visit gab.com slash getgab and use code getgab for an exclusive offer.

0:41That's G-A-B-B dot com forward slash get GAB. GAB, tech in steps. Independence for them. Peace of mind for parents.

0:54Welcome to The Times Evening Briefing on Thursday the 12th of June. It's been confirmed by family members that a British passenger walked away from the plane crash in India. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was among those on board a flight bound for Gatwick from Ahmedabad this morning. His brother, Nayan Kumar, has spoken outside the family home in Leicester. He video-coaled my dad. As he crashed, he said, oh, plane's crashed. I don't know where my brother is, I don't see any other passengers. I don't know how I'm alive, how I exited the plane. The Air India aircraft heading for Gatwick was carrying 242 passengers and crew, including 53 British nationals.

1:31We're streeting. The health secretary has told Times Radio what the UK government is doing. The Foreign Office has set up a crisis response centre to support the families and loved ones of all of those affected by the crash today. As of this afternoon, the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has offered support and are deploying an investigation team to support the Indian-led investigation. And the government is working with both Gatwick and local authorities to ensure families and friends are supported in the coming days. Economists say tax rises are likely this autumn to pay for the funding boosts announced in the Chancellor's spending review.

2:06The Resolution Foundation says the UK is turning into a national health state after Rachel Reeves earmarked billions of pounds of extra money for the NHS. The Conservative Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has told Times Radio the UK's interest payments are enormous. We know that there's been a lot of taxation, particularly on business, and that's been destroying growth in our economy. It's also come from a lot of borrowing, so a huge amount of borrowing, and that has been inflationary, so it's kept inflation higher than it otherwise would be, interest rates higher for longer. And with a debt mountain that they're adding to all the time in this way, we're actually now spending about£100 billion a year on just servicing our debt.

2:45That's twice what we spend on defence. Three teenagers have appeared in court charged with rioting offences following recent violence in Ballymena. 18-year-old Michael Elliott was refused bail after being charged with riotous assembly. Two other teenagers who can't be named were remanded to appear before a youth court at a later date. The trouble began after a vigil was held for a teenage girl who was allegedly assaulted by two 14-year-old boys of Romanian origin. Northern Irish politician Baroness Hoey has told Times Radio a lot of the disorder has been caused by thugs, but she says there are genuine concerns about immigration.

3:18There are certain areas, particularly in rundown, poorer areas, where people are being either sent to officially by the government in terms of dealing with the migrants, or where there has been a lot of multi-house occupancy, and therefore you're getting more people. And you can follow The Times News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online.

3:46The youth mental health crisis is growing, and social media is a major driver. Kids are spending up to nine hours a day on screens, often unsupervised, and studies show a direct link to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. That's where Gab comes in. Gab offers safer phones and watches for kids with no social media, tailored to every age, offering the right tech at the right time. or Tech in Steps. From GPS tracking enabled watches for younger kids to phones with parent enabled apps for teens, each device allows kids to more safely grow their independence. Visit gab.com slash getgab and use code getgab for an exclusive offer.

4:28That's g-a-b-b dot com forward slash getgab. Gab. Tech in Steps. Independence for them. Peace of mind for parents.