Evening briefing Thursday 18th September

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0:36This is the Times evening briefing for Thursday the 18th of September. The Prime Minister has held a joint press conference with the US President. They shared warm words on the relationship between the two countries and on their defence and security links. But Donald Trump warned that recognising a Palestinian state was a dividing line. We want it to end. We have to have the hostages back immediately. That's what the people of Israel want. They want them back. And we want the fighting to stop. And it's going to stop. but a lot of bad things. You know, Hamas said that they're going to put the hostages up as bait, so we have to remember that.

1:09So I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score. One of our few disagreements, actually. So Keir Starmer insisted Hamas should play no part in a Palestinian state and denied the timing of UK recognition was linked to the state visit. Mr Trump criticized the Russian president, saying he felt let down by Vladimir Putin. So Keir Starmer called for extra pressure to help Ukraine. So we've discussed today how we can build our defences further, support Ukraine and decisively increase the pressure on Putin to get him to agree a peace deal that will last. And President Trump, you have led the way here and we will continue to stand and work together for security and for peace.

1:54Times Radio's political editor Anna Mikhailova says Starmer will be relieved that Donald Trump's second state visit has now ended without major incident. It went as well as it possibly could. Even the question of Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Mandelson, I think Donald Trump just completely sidestepped it, said he didn't even know Peter Mandelson. In other news, the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has called the first removal of a migrant under the one-in-one-out scheme an important first step. The Indian man, who arrived by boat in August, was put on a commercial flight to France this morning. But the Conservatives have called the policy a gimmick.

2:27The Bank of England has held interest rates at 4%, warning the UK is not out of the woods on inflation. The decision was in line with what most market watchers had predicted. Only two of the nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted to cut the rate. Two teenagers accused of a serious and sophisticated cyber attack on London's transport system have appeared in court. Talha Joubert and Owen Flowers, who are 19 and 18, were both arrested on Tuesday. Prosecutors say the attack cost transport for London£39 million. Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French president, is planning to submit scientific evidence and photographs to prove that she is a woman.

3:05It's part of a libel action in a US court against the right-wing influencer Candace Owens. The Macrons say she has been spreading false and devastating lies. And Sally Rooney, the author of Normal People, says she can no longer come to the UK without facing arrest. The Irish writer says it's over her expressed support for the banned organisation Palestine Action. She was absent from a ceremony in London yesterday where she was awarded a literature prize. You can follow The Times News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio Online.

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