Evening Briefing Tuesday 14th 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. Hello, this is your Times Radio Evening Briefing for Tuesday the 14th of July with me, James Kitchen. The National Head of Counterterrorism has announced Anne Whittacombe was killed in a targeted attack Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Taylor said police were still working to understand the extent of planning, preparation and motivation behind the incident He described the attack on the former politician at a home on Dartmoor last week as brutal A 28-year-old white British man remains in police custody Extensive searches have taken place at an address in Rotherham and scenes remain in place as that activity continues We have also been granted a warrant of further detention, which means the suspect can now be held for questioning for up to seven days under the Terrorism Act.

1:17He remains under arrest on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, as well as on suspicion of murder. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has revealed he's received almost 600 death threats since February as he seeks to bolster protection for reform politicians. The party leader is meeting the body responsible for organising security for public figures to raise concerns about safety. Mr Farage argues reform should be treated as a special case. But speaking to Times Radio, the chief secretary to the prime minister, Darren Jones, said politicians from across the political spectrum are facing threats.

1:56Nobody should be getting death threats when they're going about their democratic duties just because they have particular political views or come from political parties. And I know that it's sadly a problem that politicians from a whole range of different parties have had to deal with in the past. And that's why it's important that all members of the House of Commons have access to appropriate support. Donald Trump has backed down on his proposed 20 % toll on ships using the Strait of Hormuz. Posting on Truth Social, the US president commits to keeping a blockade in place on Iranian ports, but Mr Trump said he would replace what he called a 20 % US reimbursement fee with trade and investment deals with Gulf states in the region.

2:38Ministers say the UK will run the biggest home defence exercise in decades next year to better prepare the country for the possibility of war. It's understood a new campaign will begin later this year to raise awareness about national resilience. that will involve greater coordination between military and civilian authorities at times of crisis. The chair of the COVID inquiry is calling for a radical overhaul and a clear supply plan to be built for future pandemics. Baroness Hallett says the government's attempt to fast-track medical equipment through a so-called VIP lane failed to work. It was a misguided attempt at prioritisation.

3:16In responding to the crisis, some suppliers were given favourable treatment simply on account of their connections with the government. Lady Hallett says there was no evidence of cronyism or corruption in the system. In her fifth report, she also found the scramble to buy PPE equipment saw the UK waste almost£10 billion of taxpayers' money. Sir Keir Starmer is poised to announce a midnight curfew on social media for 16 and 17-year-olds as one of his final acts in No. 10. The Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to set out a limited package of measures tomorrow as Labour seeks to restrict social media for teenagers.

3:55Measures on infinite scrolling will be announced as well as efforts to tackle addictive features. Remember you can follow the Times Radio News Briefing on Spotify and you can listen live to Times Radio Online.

4:10This 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