Evening briefing Thursday 9th 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 evening briefing on Thursday 9th April. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's ready to begin direct talks with Lebanon on disarming Hezbollah as evacuation warnings in Beirut signal further strikes.

0:49It comes as U.S.-Iran peace talks are set to begin in Pakistan, with tensions still high over the ceasefire and access through the Strait of Hormuz. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iran and public diplomacy, Jennifer Gavito, told us Washington needs to pursue realistic step-by-step diplomacy to make progress. She says any deal will require clear commitments from both sides if the ceasefire is to hold. I don't know that they've got the right people at the table to help devise some of the creative solutions that are needed. But if you're not able to construct a creative and long-term vision for what this relationship looks like a year, five years down the road, then I think we end up back in a situation where we are re-executing this conflict, this war, every six months to a year.

1:33And that is problematic for everyone. Three Russian submarines have been tracked near vital undersea data cables in UK waters after what's described as a covert spying operation while the world was distracted by the Iran war. The Defense Secretary John Healy says the vessels were monitored for weeks by the Royal Navy and RAF to deter any potential threat to critical infrastructure. The Sun's defence editor, Jerome Starkey, told us the activity is particularly worrying because undersea cables carry huge amounts of global communications and data, making them a key target. The concern is that these Russian vessels can place explosive, destructive devices next to vital subsea cables and that those devices can perhaps be triggered at a later date by, for example, a particular sonic pulse, a frequency emitted through the water in order to give Russia the opportunity, the option, to sever the cables that connect Britain to the rest of the world.

2:29People in the UK are being warned they could feel worse off for months, even if the Middle East ceasefire holds, as fuel and supply chain pressures continue to drive up costs. Diesel prices have surged above£1.90 a litre since the conflict began, with experts warning the impact on households and businesses is still feeding through. David Boot from the Road Haulish Association told Times Radio rising fuel costs will push up the price of goods across the board. As well as the immediate impacts, there is a real risk here of fuelling inflation if we don't get the government to provide the support the hauliers need with an essential user rebate and also scrapping plans to increase fuel duty.

3:11Four people have died after a small boat sank in the English Channel. two women and two men drowned after being swept away by a strong current in northern France. Best-selling author Frieda McFadden has revealed her true identity after years of writing under a pseudonym. She says her real name is Sarah Cohen and she's a brain doctor living in Boston. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio. This 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?

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