Evening briefing Tuesday 16th December

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 your Times Evening Briefing on Tuesday 16th December. The Prime Minister has hailed the ex-soldier who stopped the Liverpool parade crash driver's car as a hero.

0:45Paul Doyle has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison after he drove into crowds in May, injuring 134 supporters. Prosecutors say the attack only ended when Dan Barr climbed into the back seat and held the gear stick. Without his actions, the court heard the toll could have been much worse. but the former soldier insists he wasn't especially brave. Most of the men I'd seen on that street, they were all trying to do the same thing. Anything, anything. Not like here or brave. If they could have, they would have. I imagine there's lots of people who'd love to have been in my position.

1:16I mean, the crowd were trying to get him out from what I remember. The windows were getting smashed. Everybody was trying to get in, rightfully so. The judge concluded proceedings by commending Daniel Barr's bravery with a high sheriff's award and£250, calling his actions outstandingly brave. A teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a nine-year-old girl was found dead in Somerset last night. Police say they can't begin to describe the pain and anguish her family is going through. Superintendent Jen Appleford is from Avon and Somerset Police. We'd please ask that people do not speculate on the circumstances or the identities of those involved, because this will only add to the family's enormous distress.

2:00We know the whole of Western Supermare will be distraught and shocked to learn of this utterly dreadful news. The government is launching a probe into foreign election interference. It's after Reform UK's former leader in Wales was jailed for accepting bribes. Nathan Gill was sentenced to ten and a half years. Steve Reid, the Housing and Community Secretary, told MPs it must never happen again. A British politician took bribes to further the interests of the Russian regime. This conduct is a stain on our democracy. The mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has urged police to interview one of his killers again to push him to name the other murderers.

2:43David Norris has been denied parole. Stephen was murdered by a gang of racists in 1993, only two of whom, David Norris and Gary Dobson, have ever been brought to justice. In a statement, Doreen Lawrence said justice is still possible, but the Met has made no effort to follow up on the admission Norris made. The Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has put forward new proposals for the BBC licence fee. It could pave way to run adverts and launch a Netflix-style subscription service. Meanwhile, the corporation has confirmed it will defend a near£4 billion legal action launched by the US President. but Liberal Democrat culture spokeswoman Anna Sabine told Times Radio the government needs to step in.

3:23We've yet to see Keir Starmer pick up the phone to Donald Trump and say can you back off? This is our national broadcaster, we're a democratically elected country, your job shouldn't be to interfere in our broadcaster and our free speech, we need you to pull the suit. Even if the suit doesn't go much further, it's already costing so much time for the taxpayer and the licence fee payer in terms of staff time, lawyer time, it's just unacceptable. You can follow The Times News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online. That's your Times Evening Briefing on Tuesday the 16th of December.

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